Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
Charanga del Norte
The latin band embark on the second leg of their 2023 tour.
"Fresh from sell out performances this Spring/Summer in Leeds and London, 12-piece Latin band Charanga del Norte embark on the second leg of their 2023 Tour. With a flamboyant teaming up with Garden City Samba at Club 85 in Hitchin on Sunday 1st October followed by a gig at Leeds Brudenell Social Club presented by DJ Lubi with Rumberos de Palo in support. They then showcase their improvisation talents at Wakefield Jazz Club on Friday 20th October finishing with a performance at Lincoln’s Southside."
‘In times of uncertainty, some good things never change, thankfully. Enter master flautist Sue Miller, who for almost three unstinted decades has made it her life's work to educate the UK and European Latin fans in the intricacies and beauty of Charanga – that inimitable cross pollination between African percussion, European classical orchestra and salsero vocal style.
The perfect happy-shot for the heart, brain and soul in these unprecedented times.'
John Armstrong - legendary London salsa/Latin music DJ/album compiler/music journalist/broadcaster since the mid-1980s (Bass Clef/BBC Radio 2/BBE Records) - 10.08.2020.
Charanga del Norte: Pachanga Time LP Reviews:
Alma Del Barrio/Herencia Latina/Latinos Unidos Record Pool Online
‘What a joy to hear a new version of “Bronx Pachanga’ the Charlie Palmieri and charanga La Duboney classic, from 1961, recorded on the LP “Pachanga at The Caravana’ mixed here with “El Watusi’ for a refreshing revisit to the 60’s. La Charanga
Del Norte led by flautist Sue Miller does the classic true justice with a modern swing that any charanga lover will enjoy…definitely for the dancer…made its debut on my show ‘El Condado De La Salsa y Jazz Latino’ on World Salsa radio this week.’
Nelson Rodriguez - www.worldsalsaradio.com - Los Angeles/San Francisco, USA - 27.07.2020.
Nelson Rodriguez- ex- RMM/Tropijazz & TH Records, Latin Beat Journalist
Songlines
‘With its gorgeous retro cover art and deliberate golden-age smarts ¬ Side A was recorded using ribbon microphone technology – Pachanga Time feels like a crate-digger's rare find. That the album is the handiwork of redoubtable, Leeds-based Charanga del Norte, one of Britain's leading Latin combos and only authentic charanga and pachanga orchestra, makes sense. Under the aegis of flautist and bandleader Sue Miller, they have spent the best part of two decades keeping alive the sound of charanga – the son-influenced Cuban dance music performed on the likes of violin and flute. Previous LPs – Look Back in Charanga and Our Mam in Havana [sic] – hint at the good-humoured groove within, and Pachanga Time similarly manages to bottle the fun and liveliness of a genre with tongue-in-cheek flair.
It's all here: piano, timbales, congas, guiro, strings, deployed on a New York charanga repertoire that had the city sizzling back in the day. Two takes on Ramiro Reye's ‘Goza La Vida’ (‘II’ features legendary flautist Eddy Zervigón), highlight the difference in timbre between metal and wooden charanga flutes. Side A's five titles – there's also Ray Barretto's ‘Te Traigo Guajira’ and Charlie Palmieri's ‘Bronx Pachanga’ – reappear live on Side B. Live take or multi-tracked recording? They let the listener decide.’
Jane Cornwell
