Rebeca Mauleon Round Trip CD

Featuring Original, Upbeat Tunes from one of the rising stars in Latin Jazz. Rebeca Mauléon has performed and recorded with groups as diverse as the Machete Ensemble, Tito Puente, Chucho Valdés and Irakere, Pete Escovedo and many others. She performed on Tito Puente's 1990 Grammy-winning release Goza Mi Timbal and was an integral part of the 1996 Grammy nominee, Ritmo y Candela. Currently she is the musical director for Mickey Hart's very popular Planet Drum ensemble. Round Trip is Rebeca's fully realized expression of her unique musical vision. It combines elements of funk, salsa, blues, flamenco and jazz into a remarkable musical stew. An ensemble of top musicians brings this mix into its full flavor. Orestes Vilató is an acknowledged master percussionist who spent ten years with Carlos Santana and has performed with the Fania All Stars, Tito Puente and nearly every other major Latin jazz star. Horacio "El Negro" Hernández is another international star. Brenda Boykin's powerful blues/gospel voice energizes several selections, backed by a chorus that includes Linda Tillery. The rest of the over twenty performers are equally spectacular. Originally released on a small scale in 1998, Round Trip garnered universal critical acclaim and was on several critics' Top Ten Lists for the year. Through this release on Bembé, this remarkable recording will be available in general distribution for the first time and will finally get the attention it deserves.

Recorded at Spark Studios, Emeryville, California in September 1997. Includes liner notes by Rebeca Mauleon.

Personnel: Rebeca Mauleon (vocals, piano, keyboards, chekere, clave, guiro, palmas, percussion); Jesus Diaz (vocals, congas); Orestes Vilato (vocals, timbales, bongos, bell, guiro, percussion); Jose Manuel Blanco (vocals, palmas, cajon); Jeanie Tracy, Linda Tillery, Claytoven Richardson, Brenda Boykin (vocals); Don Fontowitz (guitar); Anthony Blea (violin); Alex Murzyn (flute, alto & tenor saxophones); John Calloway (flute); Melecio Magdaluyo (soprano & baritone saxophones); Louis Fasman, John Worley (trumpet); Jeff Cressman (trombone); Paul Van Wageningen, Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez (drums); Monica (palmas, taconeo).

JazzTimes (6/00, p.127) - "...[She] impresses as pianist, composer and arranger....Mauleon's jazz vocabulary is in evidence both as a player and a composer throughout....an album with many fine varying flavors..."