SON CHARANGA
In 2002, at a memorial for Mauricio Smith—a great musician and dear friend—I ran into the accomplished flautist Andrea Brachfeld.
I was there with my partner at Latin Cool, David Wasserman.
I asked Andrea, “What’s new?” She told me she was busy putting together a new Charanga-Jazz album. Curious, I followed up: “Who’s releasing it?” Without missing a beat, she replied, “You are.” And she was right.
After working through the details, we completed the album for Latin Cool, titled Son Charanga. Andrea proved to be an exceptional producer, assembling an outstanding group of musicians for the project:
Oscar Hernandez (arranger, piano); Alfredo De La Fe and Lewis Kahn (violins); Jerry Madera (bass); Chembo Corniel (congas); Willie Martinez (timbales); Papo Pepin and Jose Madera (percussion); with vocals by Chico Alvarez, Jorge Maldonado, Marco Bermudez, and Willie Martinez. Additional arrangements were contributed by Al Torrente and John Di Martino. Andrea herself served as arranger, composer, flautist, and vocalist.
The album was produced by Andrea Brachfeld and Jerry Madera.
Play the Son Charanga Descarga below
The music to be included on this blog is on the music catalog page, called “I Will Survive”
– “I Will Survive” – A Charanga-Jazz Encounter
In the late 1990’s, one of the more ambitious projects I took on was producing an album by an all-female charanga band called Pasión. The group was co-led by flautist Connie Grossman and violinist Betsy Hill, both talented musicians who brought leadership and vision to the ensemble. The rest of the band was equally impressive—each musician accomplished in her own right.
Our lead vocalist, Deborah Resto, delivered a polished and thoroughly professional performance that elevated the entire project. The arrangements stayed true to the charanga tradition, while blending in touches of jazz, pop, and bolero—giving the music a fresh, contemporary edge.
We recorded the album in a tiny basement studio in Brooklyn. Space was so limited that we had to record one instrument at a time, carefully layering each track until everything was just right. It was meticulous work, but the results spoke for themselves.
One of the standout recordings was a charanga-style rendition of I Will Survive—a bold and creative take on the classic made famous by Gloria Gaynor.
Listen below.
The music to be included on this blog is on the music video page, called “HELP”
– Don’t forget about us !
A very talented singer-songwriter from Hartford, Eddie Rivera, wrote a deeply moving song titled “Help” in honor of his uncle. The moment I heard it, I was struck by how haunting and heartfelt it felt.
It stayed with me.
I felt it deserved more than just a listen — it deserved to be seen and experienced on another level. So I decided to create a video to accompany this powerful composition.
This piece is more than music. It’s a tribute, a memory, and a message that resonates deeply.
Take a moment to watch, listen, and feel this melancholic testimonial.
