Que Vola: Que Vola?

Rating: ★★★

Record and Artist Details

Musicians:

Bruno Ruder (p)
Hugues Mayot (ts)
Fidel Fourneyron (tb)
Aymeric Avice (t)
Ramon Tamayo Martinez (perc)
Adonis Panter Calderon (perc)
Thibaud Soulas (db)
Barbaro Crespo Richard (perc)
Elie Duris (d)
Benjamin Dousteyssier (as, bsx)

Label:

No Format! Records

March/2019

RecordDate:

2018

Que Vola is a French-Cuban septet that evolved in Havana after French trombonist Fidel Fourneyman pitched up seeking inspiration and three recommended percussionists from the celebrated Osain del Monte, a group with deep spiritual roots and Facebook page that shows them posing with Will Smith and playing in the Rolling Stones’ Havana after-show. This debut sees the Yoruba chants of Cuban rumba, a mainstay of the syncretic Afro-Cuban Santeria religion, replaced with brass, and the spirit of Coltrane mingling with orisha deities, including the macho Chango, namechecked in opener ‘Kabiosilé’. There’s a sultry unhurriedness to the jazzy grooves of centrepiece ‘Calle Luz’, in which rumba’s guaguancó gets a five-note remake. Throughout, however, while grooves interlock satisfyingly, there’s nothing particularly new here; pure Cuban rumba – with its rootsy voice and drums (and dance) – is infinitely more arresting. Live, Que Vola may be more memorable: catch their UK debut alongside label mate Oumou Sangare at EartH in Hackney on 10 April.

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