Afro Cuban Jazz Project
Los Angeles, California, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2001 | INDIE | AFM
Music
Press
Tamayo Tumbao - Nominated for Best Song in Cali Colombia for 2013! - DJ Mauricio Diaz, Realiza Salsa Magistral.co (Dec 17, 2013)
"Tamayo Tumbao" - Ranked #5 in Cali Colombia! - DJ Mauricio Diaz, Realiza Salsa Magistral.co (Dec 03, 2013)
"El Daño ya esta Hecho" - Ranked #6 in Cali Colombia! - by DJ Mauricio Diaz, Realiza Salsa Magistral.co (Sep 17, 2013)
"I finally got to listen to Conga Buena. It's VERY nice, well produced and well played. I especially like Josiel Perez’s flugelhorn solos.” - Bobby Shew, Trumpeter Legend
"Smolderingly sensual, wickedly witty, and smartly provocative, today’s Afro-Cuban music – rumba, folklore, danzon, cha cha cha, mambo, son and timba – is a virtuosic expression with enormously significant cultural relevance to street life in Cuba and in the United States." - The Utah Review by Les Roka
BuzzNews
July 23, 2005
Grammy award-winning recording artist Paula Abdul attended an event with Grammy winning musicians of AC Jazz Project and at L.A. Mart’s 4th Annual American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR) fundraiser during the July 2005 Gift & Home Furnishings Market™ “Takin’ it to the Beach.” - BuzzNews
“Don’t overlook the tiny Baked Potato in North Hollywood. On a recent Monday, I saw the rollicking AC Timba-Jazz Project, led by Cuban percussionist Long John Oliva.” - by Jory Farr
‘Long John’ Oliva’s AC Jazz Project
group moves beyond
salsa-based style." - By Don Heckman (Special to The Times)
Posted on July 10, 2003
"Brace yourself for an extraordinary musical experience via Long John Oliva and his AC (Afro-Cuban) Jazz Project." - Latin Jazz Network by Tomas Peña
"the "AC Timba Jazz Project" won the final round of the Long Beach Jazz Search Competition and was named 2003-2004 Latin Jazz Artists of the Year." - By Steve Irsay - Staff Writer
Posted: 2004-08-16
Residents of Los Angeles are fortunate to live here and see some of the top name touring artist. We also have the opportunity to see some up and coming and emerging talent. The AC (Afro-Cuban) Timba Jazz Band is a case in point." - All About Jazz - 17th Annual Long Beach Jazz Festival By Ricky Richardson
"Not the same old conga beat with jazz over the top here. Oliva stretches the imagination from standards to inventive sorties into uncharted waters." - Latin Beat Magazine, August, 2003 by Silvio Alava
Nelson Rodriguez's Top Ten Pick
04. BUSCANDO LA ORTOGRAFIA Long John Oliva's Ac Timba Jazz (Orishas) - Latin Beat Magazine by Nelson Rodriguez
69-LONG JOHN OLIVA & AC JAZZ PROJECT- LUCUMI- (LUCUMI) - Latin Beat Magazine - By Nelson Rodriguez
"A first class project from Mr. Oliva, who had a natural feel for the marriage of jazz and folklore." - Descarga.com - Editor's Pick!
Discography
Lucumi, 2002 release on Lucumi Productions
Buscando La Ortographia, 2003 release on Lucumi Productions
Buleya, 2004 release on Lucumi Productions
Conga Buena, 2013 Release on JPJ Records
Photos
Bio
Direct from Cuba, via the United States, the AC JAZZ PROJECT, is a Who’s Who of former members of some of Cuba’s greatest Jazz and dance bands (Haila, Maraca, NG La Banda, Orchestra Reve, and Grupo Afrocuba) who throw down some serious Rumba, Timba, Salsa Cubana and Afro Cuban Jazz.
Since it’s formation in 2001 by it’s former leader, late great world class Cuban Percussionist Long John Oliva (who passed away on June 21, 2004) and his wife PJ Oliva, the band has made some major strides! Aside from being crowned the 88.1FM KJAZZ Latin Jazz artists of the Year by the Long Beach Jazz Competition, Nelson Rodriguez of Latin Beat Magazine listed their LUCUMI Cd as the top 100 Latin Jazz Recordings of All Time!
Shortly after Long John's passing, the band had made efforts to continue in his honor, and in December of 2004 they made a TV appearance on KCET'S 24th Annual Dorothy Chandler Holiday Christmas Celebration, in 2005 participated at a highly profile fundraiser at L.A.’s MOCA with host Paula Abdul, and in 2006 had an amazing showcase at the IAJE Conference in New York City (after receiving best Latin Jazz Award).
In 2013, the AC Jazz Project recorded and released "Conga Buena", on JPJ Records, a partnered venture produced by Cuban trumpeter Josiel Perez and PJ Oliva and William Tilford who were the Executive producers, which included the HIT single "Tamayo Tumbao" composed and arranged by
Cuban Sonero Vocalist Alberto Tamayo, arranged by Josiel Perez, which held the #5 spot on the Latin American charts for over 10 weeks.
Other amazing songs on the Cd collaboration included; “El Daño ya esta Hecho” by Josiel Perez, "Sunlight" by Fermin Sifontes, and Three Nuts Rumba which featured world famous drummers Dennis Chambers, Jimmy Branly and percussionist Luis Conte.
In total, Conga Buena was envisioned by Peggy Jo (PJ) Oliva, yet musically directed and implemented by Josiel Perez who carried out her vision. A very special guest performance also included Saxophone
extraordinaire who is on the Flying Lotus Brainfeeder Label "Kamasi Washington", ex-band mate of Maraca, Cuban bassist Yosmel Montejo and Cuban pianist Fermin Sifontes.
In 2016, the AC Jazz Project will be putting a super group together consisting of the best players out of Cuba and the United States to present the LUCUMI tribute to Long John Oliva, performing songs from the Lucumi CD, as well as, recording and performing new unheard music! It's going to be a Superstar Lineup and Show! 2016, also marks LUCUMI's 15th Year Anniversary, and the LATIN JAZZ NETWORK is naming it to be one of the most ESSENTIAL LATIN JAZZ CDS OF ALL TIME!
For our brother Long John Oliva "Penalty", “Ibaé Tonú Abure”, which means, “Rest in Peace Brother”.
Band Members
Links