via The Times UK

Harold López-Nussa‘s album, “Timba a la Americana,” has garnered significant acclaim as one of the best jazz albums of 2023, according to The Times. This recognition follows a previous 5-star review by the publication, where Harold was praised as “the future of Latin jazz.” The recent recognition emphasizes the album’s contribution to the evolution of Afro-Cuban jazz, noting that the Cuban pianist has skillfully liberated the clave tradition through a fusion of modern song structures and vibrant post-bop elements. The Times commends Harold for ushering Afro-Cuban jazz into an exciting new era, where his dazzling artistry and innovative approach have left a lasting impact on the genre.

Read the Full Article in The Times

via DownBeat October 2023

Timba a la Americana (Blue Note; ★★★★ 41:51) is Cuban pianist and composer Harold López-Nussa’s Blue Note debut and 10th album as a leader. The accomplished winner of the 2005 Montreux Jazz Piano Competition shares 10 tunes shaped by his recent decision to leave his homeland for France. Produced by Michael League, the album highlights the talents of harmonica virtuoso Grégoire Maret, bassist Luques Curtis, conguero Bárbaro “Machito” Crespo, and drummer/López-Nussa’s brother Ruy Adrián. Elements from the danzón (Cuba’s national dance and genre), ancient bata drum rhythms tasked with divine communication, and the ebullient mambo all make their appearance in tunes that despite their complexity, prove to be irresistibly danceable.

via The Times

Jazz is renowned for its constant transformation, so it’s odd that Afro-Cuban jazz has barely changed since Dizzy Gillespie, Machito and others developed it in the 1940s. The Cuban pianist Harold López-Nussa here spectacularly puts that to rights. To the classic clave pattern he has added danzon and bata drumming, then fused it with modern song structure and improv. Listening to it, you’ll wonder why no one has tried it before.

It doesn’t stop there. López-Nussa and his producer, Michael League of Snarky Puppy, pack in keyboard sounds and styles as tightly as the meat in a mixto sandwich: Rhodes on the wistful Mal du Pays, Moog and Mellotron on the yearning Tumba la Timba and synths on the flamboyant Funky. The last of these has the leader pushing his piano into postbop territory as the dance rhythms catch fire. Radical, but kind of inevitable too.

Read the full review on The Times