A composer, arranger, educator, pianist, conductor and music producer, Alexis Bosch is one of Cuba’s most versatile musicians. He has ascended in his career as a jazz musician performing on major national and international stages. At the same time, he is a permanent judge for the JoJazz competition, which is currently holding its fourteenth edition.
Alexis has a regular venue where he’s presented along with his group Proyecto Jazz Cubano: it’s the ACDAM courtyard, where there’s room for everyone who wants to relax and enjoy.
Anyone would think that it would be impossible for him to have time for anything except work, but it turns out that for Alexis, work and enjoyment is the same thing. Despite being focused on mixing a disc, he quickly and kindly agreed to answer a few questions for readers of Havana Times.
HT: Is there such a thing as Cuban jazz, or Latin jazz made in Cuba or by Cubans?
Alexis Bosch: There’s no official category of “Cuban jazz,” but I’m convinced that it’s very different from Latin jazz, at least the standard type, which I feel is nothing more than the model that the jazz industry in New York imposes on the rest of the world.
HT: What’s the difference?
AB: In my opinion, the difference is in the selection of the rhythmic patterns. Like salsa, Latin jazz uses rhythmic cells that are less evolved. Cuban jazz uses rhythmic cells that are more evolved in their mixture with rumba and other internal and external influences.
This evolved and mutated phenomenon could only occur in its creative source, in its country of origin: Cuba – and it’s no more than modern Cuban dance music. This mixture has a bolder, louder, more open and sometimes invasive sound that’s much stronger than traditional Latin jazz. This is something analogous to what happens between salsa and “timba.”
This is only talking about this kind of mixture with jazz. If we consider the enormous range of Cuban rhythms, these even further personalize the Cuban concept of jazz. In my group, I work on compositions mixed with pilon, guajira, changüi, danzon, quadrille and other styles from the vast harvest of rhythms that we’re fortunate to have on our island.
HT: Do you think that there are important differences between the jazz made in Cuba and that of Cubans living outside the island?
AB: In my opinion there aren’t any essential differences. Maybe those who live outside the island at some point become outdated in relation to things happening here, but this depends on the individual’s interest in preserving their roots and keeping them nourished on our national culture.
Sometimes other cultures and customs relating to the places where someone lives are seen in their work. In terms of this, there are those who rate some artists as good and others bad or contaminated, but I think it’s completely subjective and has to do with the taste and concepts of each individual.
HT: When did JoJazz emerge and why? Do you think it was a necessity?
AB: JoJazz emerged 14 years ago from an idea of ??Alexis Vasquez, who at that time was the director of the Centro Nacional de Musica Popular. Alexis — an artist at his core — realized that the Jazz Plaza Festival didn’t provide enough room for all the young people who were being trained in music schools. Somehow it ended up as a competition, but the original idea was to find another framework for jazz musicians.
HT: How important has the event been for Cuban music?
AB: It’s of great importance. Jazz musicians are generally musicians of high technical levels. But usually, for economic reasons, these musicians get involved with other styles of music. Musicians who have come out of JoJazz have gone on to join dance music groups or pop artists or have gotten into romantic music, but they’re able to contribute ideas from their point of observation. I think it’s a great help for the evolution of our music.
HAVANA TIMES
