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Manny Silvera is 'Bassed in America'
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After four years of creativity, Manny Silvera, the Panama born/Colombia raised bassist currently residing in Los Angeles, presents his second CD - Bassed in America.
“America is not only the United States,” says Silvera, explaining that his objective is to open a window via his music to the different cultures and influences present in the American continent.
Bassed in America is an intellectual, well thought-out collection of eight Silvera originals, an Elkin Serna song, and a fresh arrangement of a classic.
Serna’s “Amigos” starts up the CD – a Latin Jazz tune with a big band sound. “Gabo” follows, a song dedicated to the Nobel Prize winner Colombian writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez. “My inspiration for this song began in the book ‘A hundred years of solitude,’” says Silvera, “especially the parts where Marquez describes the gypsies exchanging goods with the natives someplace in the tropical region of northern Colombia.”
“Like Latin” is a fresh arrangement of a classic that is perhaps the most danceable track of the collection. “Boba” is Silvera’s interpretation of a Cuban timba. “The title has to do with what timba does to people,” says Silvera. “It’s a sound that has the power to enthrall and put the listener in a trance.”
“’Manolo’ is me,” adds Silvera, “but I wrote it thinking of the great Manny Oquendo.” “Portobello” is dedicated to Brazilian writer Paulo Coelho. “Much of the inspiration for this song began in the pages of The Alchemist,” Silvera says.
“A Barretto,” is a tribute to the godfather of Latin Jazz, Ray Barretto. “Cosas del Destino,” is the only track with vocals - the lyrics written by Silvera in the voice of Cheo Grajales. “This song is about what may run through someone’s mind when he or she is ‘back home’ after a long absence,” says Silvera. “It was composed thinking of the Colon/Blades style of the 90s, perhaps ala ‘Ligia Elena’.”
The CD's title song, “Calle Ache/Bassed in America” follows for nine minutes. “The first part,” says Silvera, “has the influence of the Afro-Cuban sound. It has a solo on bata drum by Nengue Hernandez. ‘Ache’ is a term used to wish someone well-being. This ‘Calle Ache’ is about a street leading to a hopeful, good future. I do a solo on the second half of the song, in the ‘Bassed in America’ part.”
The compilation is complete with “Maranon.” “’Maranon’ will mean different things to different people,” says Silvera, “because a maranon is a fruit, a tough neighborhood in Panama, and a river in Ecuador. But that was my entire purpose – for the listener to find varied ways to connect with my music.”
Manny Silvera’s Bassed in America is now available for perusal and purchase at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/mannysilvera2
Bassed in America - Musician credits:
Manny Silvera, Colombia, Panama, LA Baby bass and electric bass, arranger, composer, producer
Jorge Cottes, Colombia, piano, arrangements, producer.
Juancho Valencia Colombia, piano
Albeniz Quintana, Lima, Peru, piano
Uber Ocampo, Colombia, conga, timbal, bongos, guiro.
Fernando "Chino" Gaviria Colombia, timbal, drums,
Jorge "Junior" Gaviria, Colombia, RIP, bongo, bells
Juan David "Cheo" Grajales. Colombia, congas, and lead vocals on Cosas del Destino.
Jose "Papo" Rodriguez, Puerto Rico, Philadelphia, New York, LA, congas.
Fausto Cuevas, Texas, USA, timbal
Humberto "Nengue" Hernandez, Cuba, LA bata drums
Juan Guillermo "Cosito" Aguilar Colombia, drums, timbal
Raul Pineda, Cuba, La, drums.
Luis Bravo, Colombia, trumpet.
Ismael Jauregui, Colombia, trumpet.
Arturo Solar, Spain, fluegelhorn
Juan Fernando "Guapito" Giraldo, Colombia, saxophones.
Jose Tobon, Colombia, saxophones.
Wilmar Sanchez, Colombia, saxophones.
Robert Anthony Gil, LA, USA, saxophones.
Vladimir Hurtado Colombia, trombone.
Cristian Rios, Colombia, trombone.
Artie Webb, Philadelphia, New York, LA, flute.
Leon Giraldo, Colombia, flute
Karen Briggs, LA, USA, violins.
Pablo Uribe, Colombia, electric guitars.
Arrangements by: Jorge Cottes, Mike Daigeau, Danny Weinstein, Tony Bonsera, Fabian Otero, & Manny Silvera.
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