logo

Chris Washburne and the Syotos Band
Nuyorican Nights

by Luis Rumbaut


    Let's get to the point: you want to hear this CD. In fact, you want to get it so that you can play it again. SYOTOS means See You On The Other Side, where Chris Washburne thought he was going. He almost died, and then almost lost his ability to play. He didn't do either after all, as this album perfectly well demonstrates.

    Nuyorican Nights is one of those unexpected recordings that make you rethink old ideas about what works and why. Is it salsa? It's certainly Latin, and music that shows where salsa can go when it escapes the vortex of commercial formulas. But it blends Ukranian and Armenian tunes with Brazilian sounds and Puerto Rican bomba and Venezuelan joropo, and it's serious jazz. And it's outstanding. The percussion is tight and driving; the trumpets blow hot and Latin, in counterpoint to the sax and to Washburne's smooth and controlled trombone; the bass gets fat and funky when needed to hold up the piano. This is discovery music, inventive and well-executed, for listening with ears wide open, again and again.



    African Instruments in Cuban Music. Rumbaut, Luis. CLAVE Vol.1 No. 3, September 5, 1998.

    A Short History of The Colonial Villancico of New Spain. Oetgen, Susan. CLAVE Vol.2 No.4,November/December, 1999

    Baião: A Dance Rhythm from Northern Brazil. An Interview with Leonardo Lucini. Berre, Marietta. CLAVE Vol.I, No.2 June 5, 1998. ©

    Bolero. Rumbaut, Luis. CLAVE Oct-Dec. 2002. ©

    Cantares: Voices of the Costa Rican People. Morera,Sabino. CLAVE Vol.II No. 2, May/June, 1999. ©

    Chamber Music a la Cubana Comes to Washington DC. Rumbaut, Luis. CLAVE Vol.I, No.1 April 5, 1998.

    Charango (Latin American Instruments Series). Rumbaut, Luis. CLAVE Vol.II No. 1, March 1, 1999.

    Charanga: Then and Now. Grossman, Connie. CLAVE Vol.II No. 3, July-August, 1999. ©

    Chucho Valdés at the Levine School of Music. Giménez, Carlos. CLAVE Vol.I No. 3, September 5, 1998.

    Clave: The African Roots of Salsa. Washbourne, Christopher. Originally published in Kalinda! (Fall):14, 10-13, 1995. CLAVE Vol.I, No.1 April 5, 1998 ©.

    Crisis in Latin American Arts. Rumbaut, Luis. CLAVE Vol.3 No.1, Aug/Sep, 2000.

    El Salvador: Music and History Rumbaut,Luis. CLAVE Vol.3 No.2 November/ 2000.

    Guateque. The Folkloric Ballet of Puerto Rico. Polen, Danielle. CLAVE Vol.I No. 3, September 5, 1998.

    Lázaro Batista. Cuban Poeta and Painter. Tobin, Linette. CLAVE Vol.3, No.1 Aug/Sep,2000.

    Livid Legends: A Conversation with Richard Egües. Giménez, Carlos. CLAVE Vol.II No. 3, July-August, 1999. ©

    Music and History of Venezuela. Rumbaut,Luis.     CLAVE Vol.4 No.1 November/ 2002.

    Nostalgic Cuba in Washington DC. Rumbaut, Luis. CLAVE Vol.1, No.2 June1998.

    Peruvian Folklore Revisited Berre, Marietta. CLAVE Vol.2 No.4, September, 1999.

    Reflections On A Dance Workshop in Santiago de Cuba. Lepore, Jim. CLAVE Vol.2 No.4, September, 1999.

    Reviving Vallenato--Gustavo Nieto and Sencación Vallenata. Giménez, Carlos. CLAVE Vol.II No. 1, March 1, 1999. ©

    Steel Pans: A Brief History. Berre, Maxens. CLAVE Vol.II No. 1, March 1, 1999.

    Tango and Milonga: A close relationship. Mauriño, Gabriela. CLAVE Online June, 2001.

    The African Components of the Folk Music of Venezuela– A Conversation with Jesús "Chucho"García
    Giménez, Carlos. CLAVE Vol.II No. 3, July-August, 1999. ©

    The Batá Drums. Corrales, Mark. CLAVE Vol.1, No.3 Aug/Sep 2000.

    The Challenging Art of the Bandoneon.Oetgen, Susan.CLAVE Vol.II No. 2, May/June, 1999.

    The Marimba. Tobin, Linnete CLAVE Vol.3 No.2, November 2000.

    The Peruvian Cajón Giménez, Carlos. CLAVE Vol.2 No.4, September, 1999.

    The Songs to the Gods of Santería.Rumbaut, Luis. CLAVE Vol.3, No.1 Aug/Sep,2000

    The Value of an Artist. Giménez, Carlos. CLAVE Vol.2 No. 4, September, 1999.