The Colors of Jazz: Chucho Valds & The Afro-Cuban Messengers

24 Friday Feb 2012 COLUMBIA, Mo. Chucho Valds & the Afro-Cuban Messengers graced the stage February 12 for the We Always Swing Jazz Series with a flawless, riveting, and excellently enriching performance at the Missouri Theatre downtown. The entire night, I was itching to jump out of my seat and dance, yet felt restrained by the atmosphere. Chucho Valdezs lively melodies felt awkward in the elegant theatre. The performance was fantastic, engaging the audiences ears and beckoning their bodies to dance, yet the stiff chairs and formal seating kept movement to a subtle head-bob and foot-tap. Critiquing simply the musical aspects, however, I have only praise. The concert began with a soft piano solo by Chucho himself and then erupted into a colorful merengue with a mix of trumpet, bongo, guitar, drums, bass, and sax. The stage came alive in an instant. A crisp and clean performance with a blend of smooth classical jazz, Afro Cuban music, and some bluesy fever kept the audience wanting more you never knew what was coming next. The band subtly transitioned from one song to the next as they alternated between group pieces and solos. Each musician at one point or another stepped into the spotlight and amazed the audience with his or her agility, speed and artistic brilliance. When the pianist and trumpet player performed their duet, I closed my eyes feeling my ears tingle with pleasure in hearing the blissful chords interweave with each other. The drummers then stole the show, beating faster and faster until all jaws dropped open with amazement. One of the best moments of the concert, in my opinion, was when the bongo players solo, surprising us with a tribal sort of singing. Every other instrument silenced as the audience remained fixated on his rich natural voice. Soon, the rest of the musicians gradually joined back in with a supportive echo. The song grew more intense, sounding more like a rain dance. With his arms flying fast on the drums, the crowd was taken over by the intensity of the rhythm. I could feel my heartbeat match the beat of the drums as his hands moved faster, and when the music reached a climax the audience erupted in a thunderous applause! Chucho Valdz entranced me that night, fueling my appreciation for the art of jazz. They band played with soul and passion. I only wish I could have experienced the music in a more intimate setting something about an AfroCuban jazz band in a formal theatre just didnt quite feel authentic.