GOING FOR ADDS: July 29th, 2014 FILE: Latin Jazz Sug: 1, 3, 4, 6

Ann (aka Ann-ita) Reynolds / Clave Gringa “Para Cuba Con Amor”

1 Songo Borracho (4:18) 7 No Necesito un Nombre (5:11) 2 Casi Cubana (4:18) 8 Espíritu (4:16) 3 Sol y Luz (5:07) 9 Fun-que (5:30) 4 La Chica del Malecón (5:30) 10 Emergence (4:15) 5 Con Pasión (6:42) 11 La Amistad (5:40) 6 Working Through (4:21) Total Run Time: 53:48 CLAVE GRINGA is a Seattle-based Latin jazz ensemble showcasing the compositions of Ann Reynolds (Ann-ita). The music is Cuban-flavored, makes you want to move. ABOUT THE MUSICIANS CLAVE GRINGA is a quintet of experienced Latin players from the Seattle area: two percussionists, bass, piano, and trumpet. I invited several guests to help interpret my songs on this recording. Trombonist Naomi Siegel and saxophonist/clarinetist Tobi Stone added their wonderful instrumental voices and Makala Wengelewski-Romero sang La Chica del Malecon. Steve Smith joined me on bongos for a stunning duo, and Ricardo Guity lead the percussion section in the interpretation of Espiritu (rumba), and brought out the bata in the folkloric song Sol y Luz. For the Cuban son composition, La Chica del Malecon, La Familia Valera Miranda from Santiago de Cuba, went into the studio with me to capture the essence of this style.

Ann-ita Reynolds – piano Daniel Barry – trumpet and flugelhorn

Edsson Otero – congas (1,2,5,6,7,8,9,11); cajón (5); batá (3); guiro (11) Ernesto Pediangco – bongó (6); timbales and percussion (1,2,5,7,11)

Ben Verdier – bass (1,3,5,6,7,8,9) Guest Musicians

Ricardo Guity – congas (8); bata (Iya) (3) Félix Enrique Valera Alarcón – cuatro, clave (4); coros (4,5,8)

Raul Félix Valera Alarcón –bass and coro (4) Ernesto Valera Alarcón – bongó (4); coros (4,5,8) bell (1,5,7,8); maracas (6)

Wilfredo Fuentes Céspedes – congas, timbales (4), guiro (2,4); chekere (3,8) and coros (4,5,8)

Pedro Antonio Rodón Pérez – maracas and coros (4) Francisco “Jr” Medina - guagua and timbales (8);

bata, conga, timbales (3) Makala Wengelewski-Romero- lead vocal; coros (4,5,8)

Naomi Siegel – trombone Steve Smith – clave (8), guataca (3); bongó (10)

Tobi Stone – clarinet and tenor sax Alberto Pantaleon- bass (2, 11)

Ben Morrow – drumkit

“Clave Gringa is a delight! Ann-ita’s compositions achieve that rare balance of musical ideas arranged to engage the brain and authentic danceable rhythms to engage the body.” – Robin Lloyd, KPLU

In 2000, I went to Cuba and fell in love… with the music and the people. I’ve been returning every year since to study at the National School for the Arts (LaENA) in Havana to absorb more of the music and culture. Para Cuba con Amor is the outcome– a recording of 11 of my original “Cuban jazz” compositions performed by my group Clave Gringa and many guests, including the Cuba son group, La Familia Valera Miranda, and the Cuban bassist Alberto Pantaleon. As is true of Cuban jazz pianists, I draw on many different music and dance styles in my compositions - from the European influenced danzón and chá to the Afro based rumba and 6/8 folkloric rhythms. (More information about these styles and about each tune can be found at www.clavegringa.com) RECORDED at David Lange Studio, Edgewood WA, 2013 PRODUCED, MIXED and MASTERED by Julio Jauregui GRAPHICS by Julio Jauregui AVAILABLE from cdbaby

GLOBAL RADIO CAMPAIGN CONTACT KATE SMITH PROMOTIONS www.katesmithpromotions.com

katesmithpromotions.kate@gmail.com 814.482.0010

1. Songo Borracho. (jazz-songo) 4:18 This song has a little taste of songo, and a little taste of Thelonius Monk. Ann-ita Reynolds – piano, Daniel Barry - trumpet, Tobi Stone – tenor sax, Naomi Siegel – trombone, Edsson Otero – congas, Ernesto Pediangco – timbales, Ben Verdier – bass, Ernesto Valera Alarcón – bell, Wilfredo Fuentes Céspedes – guiro 2. Casi Cubana (danzón-funky chá) 4:18 My development as a musician through my study in Cuba has made me feel sometimes that I am “casi cubana” (almost Cuban). A favorite style of mine is the cha-cha-cha and this piece begins as a danzon and then moves into a funky chá. Alberto Pantaleon, of the AfroCuban All-stars, provides the bassline. Ann-ita Reynolds – piano, Daniel Barry – trumpet, Edsson Otero – congas, Ernesto Pediangco – timbales, Wilfredo Fuentes Céspedes – guiro, Alberto Pantaleon- bass 3. Sol y Luz (Afro 6/8) 5:07 The folkloric dance and music of the Santería religion permeate life in Cuba. My percussionists, lead by Ricardo Guity, brought out the batá drums used originally in Santería ceremonies to play this piece with the rhythm of the orisha Eleguá – the spirit who opens the way to the spirit world. Ann-ita Reynolds – piano, Tobi Stone – tenor sax, Naomi Siegel – trombone, Ricardo Guity – batá (Iya), Edsson Otero – batá, , Francisco “Jr” Medina - batá, congas, timbales, Ben Verdier – bass, Wilfredo Fuentes Céspedes – chekere, Steve Smith - guataca 4. La Chica del Malecón (son) 5:30 I love Cuban son – the popular music style that formed the basis of salsa in the US. La Familia Valera Miranda of Santiago de Cuba recorded this piece with me, giving it the authentic “Sabor de Cuba”. This piece was co-written with Fernando Allende. Ann-ita Reynolds – piano, Daniel Barry – trumpet, Félix Enrique Valera Alarcón – cuatro, coro, Ernesto Valera Alarcón – bongó, coro, Wilfredo Fuentes Céspedes – congas, timbales, coro, Raul Félix Valera Alarcón –bass, coro, Pedro Antonio Rodón Pérez – maracas, coro, Makala Wengelewski-Romero- lead vocal, coro 5. Con Pasión (flamenco-son) 6:42 Cuban culture is a mix of Spanish and African influences. This piece favors the Spanish side, with a final Cuban montuno section. Ann-ita Reynolds – piano, Daniel Barry – trumpet, Edsson Otero – cajón, congas, Ernesto Pediangco – timbales, percussion, Ben Verdier – bass, Félix Enrique Valera Alarcón –coro, Ernesto Valera Alarcón –coro, bell, Wilfredo Fuentes Céspedes - coro, Makala Wengelewski-Romero - coro

6. Working Through (bolero) 4:21 The bolero is a beautiful style with distinctive Cuban percussion – maracas and bongó. Ann-ita Reynolds – piano, Daniel Barry – flugelhorn, Edsson Otero – congas, Ernesto Pediangco – bongó, Ben Verdier – bass, Ernesto Valera Alarcón – maracas 7. No Necesito un Nombre (latin jazz) 5:11 What latin pianist is not influenced by Eddie Palmieri? I wrote this tune after listening to Eddie over and over and over, and put a dash of Monk in it too. Ann-ita Reynolds – piano, Daniel Barry – trumpet, Edsson Otero – congas, Ernesto Pediangco – timbales, Ben Verdier – bass, Ernesto Valera Alarcón – bell 8. Espíritu (rumba-guaguancó) 4:16 Rumba is very important to modern Cuban dance music and Cuban jazz. Guaguancó developed in Cuba but has deep African roots. Traditionally performed by percussionists, vocalists and dancers, I use traditional rumba elements and suggest dance movements with instrumental voices. Ann-ita Reynolds – piano, Daniel Barry – trumpet, Naomi Siegel – trombone, Ricardo Guity – congas, Edsson Otero – congas, Francisco “Jr” Medina - guagua and timbales, Ben Verdier – bass, Steve Smith – clave, Ernesto Valera Alarcón – bell, coro, Wilfredo Fuentes Céspedes – chekere, coro Félix Enrique Valera Alarcón – coro, Makala Wengelewski-Romero - coro 9. Fun-que (funk) 5:30 Funk is an important part of modern Cuban music. I composed Fun-que thinking of Roberto Carcassés and his mvery funky band Interactivo. Ann-ita Reynolds – piano, Tobi Stone – tenor sax, Naomi Siegel – trombone, Ben Morrow – drum kit, Edsson Otero – congas, Ben Verdier – bass 10. Emergence (duo) 4:15 I decided to do this as a piano-bongó duo as I love the sound of bongó and think they should be heard more often. Ann-ita Reynolds – piano, Steve Smith –bongó 11. La Amistad. (danzón) 5:40 I wrote this to honor the many friendships I have made in Cuba and the friendship that I see between Americans and Cubans. The song is written as a danzón, a style important for Cuban pianists historically in charanga ensembles and a style that many Cuban jazz pianists use in contemporary composition and arranging. Ann-ita Reynolds – piano, Tobi Stone – clarinet, Edsson Otero – congas, guiro, Ernesto Pediangco –timbales, Alberto Pantaleon- bass