For this new year: Ann Reynolds & Clave Gringa presents us his Latin Jazz Dance

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. Bandmembers have appeared in many top Latin and jazz groups.

This recent CD "Para Cuba con Amor", like other sounds hard and joy in Jazz Caribe.

Ann Reynolds is composer, pianist and leader of Clave Gringa, speak:

Cuban popular music is really about getting people to dance. As a dancer myself,  I think this tune is very danceable so I asked my musician and dance friend Andre Mueller if he would choreograph a rueda and gather dancers to perform. Rueda de casino is a type of dance that developed in Cuba. Often referred to as a Cuban square dance, couples dance in a circle and one person calls out the salsa (casino, in Cuba) moves to do.  The Seattle Rueda group (http://seattlerueda.com) was filmed dancing at the Wallingford steps near GasWorks park in Seattle.

The songo style was developed by the great Cuban band Los Van Van, the band that revitalized popular dance in Cuba in the 70s. You hear a bit of songo from the percussion during the repeating interlude. This repeating element was the starting point for the tune. I then added the Thelonius Monk-like element in the chromatic pattern at the end of the song form and at the end of the entire piece. Adding some simple chords and a melody and it becomes a fun jam tune. My percussionist friend Fernando Allende commented after playing the song, that it songs like a drunk songo. Thus, the name Songo Borracho.

Now let's look at this video to practice the steps and combinations think Andre Mueller and thus give effect to a cheerful holiday New Year:

¡¡Viva The Latin Jazz!!

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