The Lyrical Approach to Latin Jazz

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At this year’s High School Jazz Festival, pianist, musicologist, educator and author Rebeca Mauleón and saxophonist, educator and ensemble director Paul Contos, featuring members of the SFJAZZ High School All-Stars, explored some of the many styles associated with Latin music. During the hour-long clinic, songs of various rhythms and styles were showcased from the Latin Real Book to demonstrate their lecture.

Mauleón and Contos started off speaking about incorporating Latin grooves in jazz standards. They demonstrated with a few styles in Afro-Cuban rhythm, cha cha cha, bolero and actually played “Liberated Brother” in a son montuno.

They continued to break down songs to their basic parts to show how to build a Latin Groove by adding a single instrument at a time. One example they showed: start on a cha cha rhythm, add a bass pattern, add a montuno, add a guitar strum pattern and then the ride to establish a solid groove.

Another topic covered was Latin style phrasing. They spoke about playing straight eights but employing swung phrases by pushing the edges of rhythms. This can be articulated in various ways and can use dynamics to bring about variation.

The focus then came to the horn sections. A few examples were given about how to make the horns more harmonically and dynamically interesting. Examples were shown how to use the horns in unison for more power and various melodic arrangements of the horns and flute specifically in various minor modes.

Soloing in Latin Styles was next. A typical Cuban groove was played to showcase how much of traditional Cuban music has opportunities to cover I, IV, V chords. Another example showed how minor blues can be used for solos over Latin grooves. A steady rhythmic pulse can also allow the soloist to play with the rhythms in their solo. In many instances during the solo, most of the instruments can drop out and allow the soloist to solo with just the montuno and cowbell.

The clinic itself overall gave the feel of how to structure a Latin Jazz tune with a simple structure and a big end, with the dynamics going high and low throughout.

The SFJAZZ High School All-Stars and their instructors performed a beautiful display of the various Latin styles in a highly energetic and enjoyable clinic.

More on SFJAZZ here.