Show description
The Barcelona Big Latin Band, the London Community Gospel Choir and the Messengers present a bold new project: classic and contemporary Gospel songs arranged to transform the Gospel roots into a new sound where Hallelujahs and Amens create a powerful harmony to the rhythm of the “Son”, “Mambo” and “Descarga”.
The idea of bringing together Great Britain’s premier Gospel choir, the Messengers and Spain’s Barcelona Big Latin Band, birthed a fusion made in heaven, a majestic explosion of rhythm, colours and sound. Bazil Meade and Ramon Escalé, the originators of this masterpiece and pioneers in their own musical worlds, have created an exciting synergy, adapting Gospel classics to Latin rhythms and the Big Band sound. Thanks to the talent of world-class Jazz musicians, the skill of extraordinary Gospel voices and the innovative and vibrant arrangements of Meade and Escalé, this spectacular project brings freshness to Gospel choral and Latin big band music, raising the bar and radiating magic, energy and fun.
Duration: 90 minutes approx.
Music Group:
Barcelona Big Latin Band and the London Community Gospel Choir
- Piano & conductor: Ramon Escalé
- Trombone: Albert Costa
- Bass trombone: Sergi Vergés
- Trumpet: David Pastor
- Trumpet: Jaume Peña
- Trumpet & flugelhorn: Lluís Figuerola
- Alto sax & flute: Víctor de Diego
- Tenor sax & soprano sax: Martí Serra
- Baritone sax & clarinet: Jaume Badrenas
- Tenor sax & flute: Gorka Benítez
- Bass: Isaac Coll
- Paila: Àlex Ventura
- Conga: Vicenç Soler
- Bongó: Quino Béjar
Discography:
- Live ! Festival de Jazz de Barcelona. 1997
- Bueno pa gozar. (2001)
- Suite Llatina 0.7 (2004)
- Pavana Club ( 2013)
Videos:
Teaser. Teatre Grec Montjuïc. July 23, 2019:
Full concert. Teatre Grec Montjuïc. July 23, 2019:
Specialized media
“In Latin Jazz, as in any other musical genre, great works appear where they are least expected. ‘Suite Llatina 0.7’, by the Spanish pianist Ramón Escalé, performed by his orchestra the Big Latin Band, is a recent example of this.”
Jazz magazine
Luc Delannoy
“The most surprising thing about the Big Latin Band’s new work is the amazing and
Jazzbufalo.com
successful integration of the golden age of Jazz music. On top of that, it is combined with Spirituals of the North American Religious African-American music. Without losing the Latin touch. The “Suite Llatina 0.7” is a live show full of improvisation and overwhelming solos.”
Luís Moreno
“The Big Latin shines in its compositions, shines in its arrangements and shines in the quality of some great musicians, many of whom are at the forefront of Spanish jazz. The album is recorded live, something that should not be ignored as it further underlines the mastery of these musicians who offer a stage performance
Tomajazz.com
really making them a force to be reckoned with.”
Carlos Pérez
International media
“Bazil Meade formed the London Community Gospel Choir 28 years ago and it is currently enjoying a golden period, riding a tide of enthusiasm for choral singing in general and big vocal harmonies in particular. This concert marked the release of the choir’s tenth album, Glorious, numbers from which dominated an evening full of taut, spine-tingling vocal work.“
The Independent
Thursday, 6 May 2010
Piers Ford
“You can’t listen to the London Community Gospel Choir (LCGC) without moving or smiling. Everyone – from the weary and over-partied to the doubters and nay-sayers – was singing and clapping along within minutes. The music just gets you that way.“
The Guardian
John L Walters
Saturday 5 January 2002
National newspapers
Bazil Meade and Escalé in seventh heaven
An audience devoted to angels singings and Latin rhythms celebrated on ursday a glorious and heavenly closing ceremony of the new edition of the San Miguel Mas i Mas Festival. e bold idea of bringing together one of the most powerful gospel choirs of the Commonwealth and the volcanic Jamboree Big Latin Band turned the Palau de la Música into a vibrant temple of rhythm.Ramon Escalé, architect of this majestic desecration, has won a piece of heaven in this meritorious obstinacy to bring together two seemingly opposite worlds.
As the conductor of the Jamboree Big Latin Band and ardent connoisseur of African-American Spirituals, Escalé developed a proposal where the chants of the Church, Hallelujahs and Amens create a powerful harmony to the rhythm of the harpsichord, timpani and “descarga”.The challenge of adapting Gospel classics to Salsa rhythms may not have been easy, but thanks to the talent of the rst class musicians, the vocal exibility of the choir and amazing arrangements which give freshness to this marriage of convenience, this risky proposal rises up and transmits the magic of its journey.
Although the evening began with protests from the second oor because of sound problems, when the nine voices and fourteen musicians found their place on the mixing table, the party started. With the crowd clapping and standing up from their seats, even the statues seemed to move in this modernist temple that was
turned into a club.Benny Moré and Mahalia Jackson are smiling from Heaven…..( Pere Pons, “Avui” newspaper)
The London Community Gospel Choir & e Jamboree Big Latin Band
Diario Avui
Mas i Mas Festival.
Palau de la Música, September 1st.
Bazil Meade and Escalé in seventh heaven
05/09/11 02:00 – PERE PONS
“The great attraction of the evening: the debut of “Suite Llatina 0.7“ written and arranged by Ramon Escalé, pianist, leader af the Big Latin Band, a musical group of unquestionable taste.“
La Vanguardia
Donat Putx
“The pianist Ramón Escalé, leader of the band and author of its numbers, has achieved a solid product which now has a life of its own. Anyone coming close will find it hard to keep still.”
El País
Miquel Jurado
“Big night with a very powerful and impressive show”.
El Periódico
Joan Anton Cararach
“They lived up to expectations: the Big Latin Band’s mix of jazz and Cuban son was enjoyed by the audience in a Caribbean spirit.”
Diari de Menorca
Javier Morales
“It’s a tremendous band, it certainly is. The Big Latin Band took centre stage at a superconcert enjoyed by lovers of salsa as well as jazz fans.”
El Faro de Vigo
“Ramon Escalé and Roger Font have succeeded in creating an amazing big band, which performs an powerful and vibrant show.”
Diari Avui
Pere Pons
“Musical plurality and cohesion describe the third project of the Big Latin Band “Suite Llatina 0.7”. Ramón Escalè’s arrangements achieve to deliver a risky and unpredictable message of high musical communication.”
Butlletí AMJC.
Andreu Fàbregas