{"id":6891,"date":"2020-10-14T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-10-14T04:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/magazineampm.com\/?p=6891"},"modified":"2022-05-04T15:39:16","modified_gmt":"2022-05-04T19:39:16","slug":"te-lo-dije-harold-lopez-nussa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magazineampm.com\/en\/te-lo-dije-harold-lopez-nussa\/","title":{"rendered":"I told you so \/ Harold L\u00f3pez-Nussa"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>My fall was deep. It always happens when I discover sounds that go well with me. I am eclectic by nature and when I enter a new universe I go to the root; This is what happened to me with rock and hip hop in the late '90s. Musically speaking, there are few things I wouldn't listen to, at least out of curiosity.<\/p>\n<p class=\"translation-block\">However, I came to the vast field of jazz by sediment and recognition of what I heard before without knowing what it was. From my father I inherited a taste for Cuban music in dialogue with that of the world. In his collection of LPs the Cuban downloads of Cachao and his combo, Lecuona, Arturo Sandoval, Emiliano Salvador, GES or Irakere coexisted with Los Platters, Glenn Miller and Herbie Hancock. Music that could be played along with the filin or the son (go) of the moment, the same on a Sunday afternoon as on a Thursday morning. The point was that he was looking for time to sit down and listen, really, and fill the house with music. When I was a child I heard all that and more \u2014also in familiar \u201cdownloads\u201d around a guitar and in carnivals in the east of the island\u2014, but jazz as a recognizable genre I caught much later, when I was studying in Spain, back in 2007. I shared A flat with a Chilean fanatic who consumed CDs and radiated her dose of jazz to us daily for a full life. Then I discovered Chick Corea, Thelonious Monk, Pat Metheny, Branford Marsalis or a revolutionary Miles Davis that I thought I knew and had no idea. When I returned I brought several of those gift discs and, at the same time, I donated part of my digital files of Cuban (popular) music. The give-and-take of a lifetime.<\/p>\n<p class=\"translation-block\">I told you (Mac Avenue Records, 2020) it was going to catch me, I knew it well, and not because it was the work of a \"classic\" from which mastery and sensitivity are expected, but because the \"popular\" lives in it in similar doses. Since the album came to me in late August, it has been circulating from my ears to my veins. Rhythm and energy from the first chord, it is pure adrenaline that oscillates pulsating like an electrocardiogram at the heart of Cuban music.<\/p>\n<p><em>I told you <\/em>(Mac Avenue Records, 2020) was going to catch me, I knew it well, and not because it was the work of a &quot;classic&quot; from which mastery and sensitivity are expected, but because the &quot;popular&quot; lives in it in similar doses. Since the record came to me at the end of August it has been circulating from my ears to my veins. Rhythm and energy from the first chord, it is pure adrenaline that oscillates pulsating like an electrocardiogram at the heart of Cuban music.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/TmbelhWMo5Y\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p class=\"translation-block\">At the beginning of the year he had enjoyed some of the songs at the Jazz Plaza and months later the video clip of one of his most striking tracks, Jazzt\u00f3n, arrived with Randy Malcom. So when the album was released on the digital platforms on August 28, I had plenty of expectations. Conceptually speaking, this is a very Cuban album, almost radiographic. Not only does he make use of references established in the sound memory of the nation, but he also goes back and forth, with ease, without compromises, wanting to have a good time. Let's not think that rigor fails in that freedom, not at all. The virtuosity of Harold (piano) and Ruy Adri\u00e1n L\u00f3pez-Nussa (drums), along with Julio C\u00e9sar Gonz\u00e1lez (bass) and Mayquel Gonz\u00e1lez (trumpet), share energy and flavor with other fantastic collaborators that we will mention.<\/p>\n<p class=\"translation-block\">When you hear I told you, you will flow. Going back a bit, to the era of Mozambique and realizing that, despite time, it is still here in the sound base of musicians and dancers is a consolation. The Mozambique en Mi B by Miguel N\u00fa\u00f1ez that Harold included in El viaje (Mack Avenue Records, 2016) did not prepare us for this one that, more attached to the percussive essence of the genre, is pure bomba. Shouting \"I told you, don't criticize, lie down there, this is my mozambique\", the aguajeo goes from the piano to basking in the trumpet changing the tonality, between phrasing and phrasing. The comparsa whistles here and there as the children's voices at the end make us imagine an endless party singing: \"I tell you that I'm from here.\"<\/p>\n<p>When listening <em>I told you<\/em> you will flow Going back a bit, to the era of Mozambique and noticing that, despite time, it is still here in the sound base of musicians and dancers is a consolation. The <em>Mozambique in E B<\/em> by Miguel N\u00fa\u00f1ez that Harold included in\u00a0 <em>Trip <\/em>(Mack Avenue Records, 2016) did not prepare us for this one that, closer to the percussive essence of the genre, is pure bomb. Shouting &quot;I told you, don&#039;t criticize, get over there, this is my mozambique&quot;, the <em>aguajeo<\/em> he goes from the piano to enjoying himself on the trumpet, changing the tonality, between phrasing and phrasing. The comparsa whistles here and there like the children&#039;s voices at the end make us imagine an endless party singing: &quot;I tell you, I&#039;m from here.&quot;<\/p>\n<p class=\"translation-block\">However, and as happens when changing the dial, the third track is another wave, although at first one thinks not. The vibe of The Windmills of Your Mind (by the French composer, Michel L\u00e9grand) installs you in a reflective state that sums up evocation on all sides, alternating from the piano to the unmistakable sound of the accordion, by the also French Vincent Peirani. Melody that, with a certain air of slow and melodramatic tango, is also projected with the bass, ascending together with the percussion, to the timely realization of a sound that embodies nostalgia in itself. This theme and A November Day (from the essential Leo Brouwer) keep our biorhythm adjusted, they leave us a necessary time off to think, gloat, feel note by note that on any given day in November, grave and gray, everything is measured, smooth , harmonic. And the piano, almost an intimate and confessional guitar \u2014like the entire band\u2014, captivates without remedy.<\/p>\n<p class=\"translation-block\">But just behind The Windmills\u2026 we return to the Cuban musical register. In Lila's mambo, his daughter's voice declares with property, a taste for the genre that lightens the guttural onomatopoeia of the mambo, inserting itself as a bridge in transitions. The freshness with which one \u201cwalks above the mambo\u201d encompasses all the instruments to go from the classic Cuban sound almost to free jazz and back, using the vocalizations and fingering, filling and flowing in the spaces. Finally creating (keyboard through), the \"atmosphere\" with a frenetic rhythm that abruptly closes the drums.<\/p>\n<p class=\"translation-block\">Now, among the multiple collaborations that this phonogram proposes, a version of El Buey cansa\u2019o by Juan Formell stands out right in the middle. For Harold and those born (or not) in the '80s that revolutionary song by Los Van Van is ground gold, the sound of an era. From the first chords we know what it is, but also what it is not. Harold's Tired Ox goes to the essence of Formell's continuous bass meter, here a little more funky, together with the percussion. And Cimafunk's trumpet, backing vocals and voice feel just right, natural. Cadence, a lot of cadence. With vocal flourishes and the rhythm above, the theme progressively approaches Latin jazz although the percussive reference of Changuito, that illustrious vanvanero, remains latent. There is no doubt: it is the \u201980 seen since 2020. Tasty!<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/-fcgrG2sSu4\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p class=\"translation-block\">If this record were an LP, the B-side has been overwhelming. The sixth track, Timbeando, is a piece that was part of his first piano album Sobre el atelier (Harmonia Mundi, 2007) and was also included in Herencia. Orchestral speaking, this cover letter is enough for Harold to be recognized as a timba classic too. It is serious about displaying the keys of a timbero at the piano (here 90s keyboard). Finding the accent, the flavor, knowing when to load the tumba'o or lower the intensity, and call the dancer together with the trumpet (in the current version), the bass and the drums as accomplices, embedded in the melody: that's bomb . Subtly showing how the tempo of the performer and the pace of the dancer were accelerating in Cuban timba from the '90s until today, that is also felt. Timbeando throws you onto the floor to dance so that, right at the end, you can pick yourself up.<\/p>\n<p class=\"translation-block\">In a few moments, sweeping, the Jazzt\u00f3n arrives. For those who believe that it is a sacrilege to \u201ccontaminate\u201d jazz with urban reggaeton, I remind you that from its origins and until today, jazz has been happily contagious (from blues, rock, Afro-Antillean rhythms, classical music) to recreation. What was it if not the cubop, for example? And on the other hand, the fusions in Cuban music are the canon: sound curiosities such as Guaseando el rock n'roll or La Chaonda de La Arag\u00f3n as well as the songo de Formell are examples of this. Jazzt\u00f3n has a tremendous groove, and it doesn't sound forced nor is it gratuitous that Randy Malcom is both the voice and the timpani on this song. Randy was part of the Charanga Habanera for a decade and his training as a percussionist is known before his career within Gente de Zona. Thus, conceived with four hands by the L\u00f3pez-Nussa brothers, this track breaks and almost immediately the beat of the drums goes down, marking next to the piano and bass, so that later the timpani and the brass (because the trumpet sounds more like a trombone than something else, or can I imagine?) take over you, without you even realizing it. Rhythm and color, the timbral is fully supported by that thick, tight percussion. A bop of pure flavor. Danceable and memorable.<\/p>\n<p>In a few moments, devastating, comes the <em>jazzton<\/em>. For those who believe that it is a sacrilege to &quot;contaminate&quot; jazz with urban reggaeton, I remind you that since its origins and until today, jazz has happily been able to spread (blues, rock, Afro-Caribbean rhythms, classical music) to recreation. What was it if not the cubop, for example? And on the other hand, fusions in Cuban music are the canon: sound curiosities such as <em>Joking around rock n&#039; roll<\/em> wave <em>Chaonda<\/em> de La Arag\u00f3n as well as the songo de Formell are examples of this. <em>jazzton <\/em>have a <em>groove <\/em>tremendous, and it doesn&#039;t sound forced or gratuitous that Randy Malcom is both the voice and the timpani on this song. Randy was part of the Charanga Habanera for a decade and his training as a percussionist is known before his career in Gente de Zona. Thus, conceived by four hands by the L\u00f3pez-Nussa brothers, this <em>track<\/em> breaks and almost immediately <em>beat <\/em>of low drums marking along with piano and bass, so that later the timpani and brass (because the trumpet sounds more like a trombone than anything else, or do I imagine?) take over you, without you realizing it. Rhythm and color, the timbral is fully supported by that thick, closed percussion. A <em>bop<\/em> of pure flavor. Danceable and memorable.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/9Wi_khLhqfc\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p class=\"translation-block\">Nearing completion, Harold returns to his beginnings. Although I have not listened to his original album, Sobre el atelier (Harmonia Mundi, 2007), I assume that the homonymous song that he included in that one is this one that calls us to calm down after the cyclone \/ jazzt\u00f3n. Pian\u00edsimo, this track is pure melody. Melancholia. It flows like a bolero (so) n relaxed and bitterly sweet. Beautiful. It gives way to Van Van Meets New Orleans. Ecumenical closure that crystallizes two of the traditions on which the composer's work is based. Cuban and North American music colliding, enriching, unfolding each other, recognizing possible closeness and specificities in the way of playing the piano, bass, not to mention the drums or the trumpet that at a certain point, with mute and stridency, almost transport us from hit The Cat on Frenchmen Street in New Orleans. A Latin jazz tribute to close the party. And since here the one who dances wins, don't be shy, go out on the dance floor and throw down your hall.<\/p>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3KDtluw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Listen <em>I told you<\/em> here.<\/a><\/h3>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Listening to I told you, the new album by Harold L\u00f3pez Nussa, you are going to flow. This album that Nahela Hechavarr\u00eda Pouymir\u00f3 reviews today is rhythm and energy from the first chord, pure adrenaline that oscillates pulsating like an electrocardiogram at the heart of Cuban music.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1464,"featured_media":6892,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[25],"tags":[494,50,7878,1033,7877,6210,7879,351],"coauthors":[6550],"class_list":["post-6891","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-resenas","tag-harold-lopez-nussa","tag-jazz","tag-mambo","tag-musica-cubana","tag-new-orleans","tag-songo","tag-te-lo-dije","tag-timba"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/magazineampm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/te-lo-dije-harold-lopez-nussa.jpg?fit=1520%2C690&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazineampm.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6891","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazineampm.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazineampm.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazineampm.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1464"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazineampm.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6891"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/magazineampm.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6891\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11075,"href":"https:\/\/magazineampm.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6891\/revisions\/11075"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazineampm.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6892"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazineampm.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6891"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazineampm.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6891"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazineampm.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6891"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazineampm.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=6891"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}