Grupo Jazz Tumbao at the Cellar

[Allan Johnston]

Grupo Jazz Tumbao will be performing at the Cellar (3611 W. Broadway,
604-738-1959) March 1st & 2nd, 2002 (Friday, Saturday). Here's our line up for the weekend:

Bill Clark - Trumpet
Rod Murray - Trombone
Lou Mastroianni - Piano
Allan Johnston - Bass, Composer
Jack Duncan - Congas
Raphael Geronimo - Bongos
Chris Haas - Timbale Kit

Website: www.jazztumbao.com

"Grupo Jazz Tumbao's Qué Bolá? is an excellent debut for this band from Vancouver, Canada, led by bassist/composer Allan Johnston and trombonist/composer Brian Harding. Herbie Hancock's Toys is the only cover track, and the band performs their original tunes with a blend of Latin and jazz improvisations. Tributes are paid in the album to Cachao, Frank Zappa and Motown legendary bassist James Jamerson."

- Nelson RodrÃ*guez, Latin Beat Magazine, September 2001.

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"Latin Jazz gets an enduring workout from GRUPO JAZZ TUMBAO on ¿Qué Bolá?. The septet melds voices in collective improvisation and in their solo excursions which profile their ease with the idiom. Dancing rhythms ride high on inherent passion."

- Coda Magazine

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"Desde British Columbia en el norteño pais del Canadá, dos caballeros con la flama tropical nos brinda una produccion excepcional. Primero, como dice el nombre de la banda, el Tumbao definitivamente es escuchado a traves de la produccion. ...digna de tenerla en tu coleccion no solo por la calidad musical sino tambien para tenerla como ejemplo de hasta donde se esta tocando la música tropical."

- Javier Rivera, Oasis Salsero.com

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"Grupo Jazz Tumbao un groupe pionnier de Vancouver, vient de sortir un album remarquable ("¿Qué Bolá?"). ...le trombone de Harding offre un lien harmonieux entre le jazz, son discours improvisateur et les rythmes afro-cubains portés par les lignes de basses de Johnston qui soutendent l'album."

- Luc Delannoy, Jazz Magazine (Paris) Author of Caliente! Un Histoire du Latin Jazz

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"Grupo Jazz Tumbao's first CD, ¿Qué Bolá?, is impressive..."
"...solid originals... " "...strong solos on top of percolating percussion..."
"...(they) play with a confident verve that reflects their collective experience..."
"...(on the song "Frankness") Grupo Jazz Tumbao transforms itself into an exhilarating big band..."

- Chris Wong, The Vancouver Courier

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****½ (out of five)

- Marke Andrews, Vancouver Sun

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"Frank Zappa and jazz is a logical connection but the progression into Latin Jazz on Frankness is inspired." ¿Qué Bolá?" compares very favorably to another group of latter-day alchemists of Jazz and Latin: Roy Hargrove's Crisol."

- Luis Moreno, Jazz Buffalo Latin Jazz Review

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"...featured (it) as our pick of the week……real good stuff, I love your Zappa tribute piece! We supply the Miami Hit Parade to Latin Beat magazine so look out for it in next year's first edition..."

- Arturo Gómez, Program Director, WDNA Miami

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"Your CD sounds great! Especially liked "Onward" and "Toys", which is such an obvious tune to play in 6/8 that I'm pissed I didn't think of it myself!"

- Mark Levine, Pianist/Composer, who has played with Woody Shaw, Mongo Santamaria, Dizzy Gillespie, Joe Henderson, Willie Bobo, Cal Tjader, Stan Getz and many others.

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" ***½ ……the album captures the spirit and flavour of it's Afro - Cuban sources."

- Tom Harrison, TheVancouver Province

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" Excellent performances make this one entertaining jazz CD suitable for dancing as well…"

- Lee Prosser, JazzReview.com

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"…uncommonly sophisticated… …great album"

- Cal Koat, International Program Director, 96.1 FM

Contact: Allan Johnston at tumbao@telus.net

[cweeds]

Dont miss this. These guys tore it up last time and it was a hell of a lot of fun

[Xavier Grosson]

Great show!

Just got back from the show and I have to tell you all, these guys are good! If you haven't had the opportunity to see them play, I strongly recommend you fit them into your calendar the next time around.

(Thanks to Cory Weeds at 'The Cellar' for being so accomodating. The show was 'sold out' and there were no tables available, but when I mentioned to Cory that I was a fellow musician there to see Allan Johnston, he was gracious enough to let me in to see the show (albeit standing by the door for the entire set). Thanks Cory!