VALENCIA MUSIC
XIMO TEBAR’S A-FREE-KAN JAZZ DANCE BIG BAND
XIMO TEBAR’S A-FREE-KAN JAZZ DANCE BIG BAND 24/7 Valencia: What is the concept of A-Free-Kan Jazz Dance Big Band? Ximo Tebar: The name itself is an indication. It is a musical jazz project that includes the African tradition of dance and percussion. Explain to us the roots of Jazz with the music of Africa... Jazz is pure rhythm…and the rhythm of jazz comes from Africa. Please tell us something about each song on the album ‘Ximo Tébar A-Free-Kan Jazz Dance Big Band. I can summarize something of each theme, but if you are interested in knowing more about the themes and the arrangements I invite you to read the extended notes that the doctor in musical research José Pruñonosa has written in the booklet of the album. On the website www.afreekanjazz. Article © 2020 24/7 Valencia
com there is more information and you can even listen to the album. The opening track on the album is Peter Gunn, a composition by Henry Mancini that has been covered by many artists. The most popular versions are from the film ‘The Blues Brothers’ and group ‘Emerson, Lake & Palmer’. In my version, I have made a nod to that version by ELP. Its development is based on continuous reharmonizations, since it is originally a modal theme. Caravan Nazari is a re-composition of an arrangement I wrote from Duke Ellington’s Caravan. It has finally progressedevolved into a new melody with a Nazarene character while respecting Ellington’s original structure. Velours is a theme by musicians who bring fresh sounds and
apply newer rhythms to the song. The main soloist is Will Martz on the keyboards, who also acts as co-arranger. George Gershwin’s Summertime is the fourth track on the album and is sung by vocalist and percussionist Vinx, a regular collaborator of Sting, Herbie Hancock or Stevie Wonder. Con Alma is a composition by the great Dizzy Gillespie and the arrangement is based on a rhythmic amalgamation that I have labelled as pseudobulería, because it mixes the flamenco bulería pattern with other rhythmic patterns. In my opinion, the result offers a fluid listening both melodically and rhythmically. I always try to generate interactive music, and above all, something “understandable”, even though theoretically or technically it may be a virtuoso interpretation and in some way difficult to perform. I think this performance is a good example. Always and Forever is a com-
