Panchito

The Netherlands is definitely a nest of new things. The Dutch have a creative ability in the jazz scene, bringing about their fine music. Despite the band's name, Panchito is formed by young Dutch and German talents.

Panchito's release Resurrection is a solid, pulsating creation of Latin jazz and funk rhythms, always vividly exploring and being strung together with impeccable musicianship; wholly cooking with a knack of humour and an endeavored energy.

Panchito features André van Berlo's compositions assembled on ten delightful tracks arranged from "First Flight" to "Hasta Siempre." The whole album is a fully-concatenation that carries impulse throughout the spaces. For instance, a funky execution of "First Flight" is trailed by the up-tempo "Morena".

The nonet swings along with some Colon, Arroyo, Ventura, De Rivera and Puente touches. The rhythm section is definitely solid. Remarkable are the soaring solos by altoist Kwint van Dijck, trumpeter Rick Mol and trombonist Louk Boudesteijn.

Van Berlo brings forth an abundant aptitude and ardency into the tracks to make them sound airy. "Hasta Siempre" showcases a nice up-pace handling and "Sahita" is a bluesy–bolero riff from beginning to end. Van Berlo computes a bit of samba, alluding to a "Struggle for life", making it one of the album's highlights.
Latin-American rhythms are injected with fire and passion as well as with an amazing competence. Although rooted in a traditional Latin jazz language, Panchito conveys an astonishing alchemy and in the process carries its own voice in an innovative and surprising way. A wonderful debut! - Jazzreview.com

The Dutch 10- man orchestra, Panchito, is an exciting CD news for Latin jazz lovers. The band has toured and practised since the spring of 1999 and has in the period also slowly started to play own material. There is put weight on compositions, and CD one is more jazz and less afro-Cubanly, like Irakére after Sandoval and D'RIVERAS departure, but with the same funky influx for the music. There are factors, where the nonet unfolds itself splendidly in liquid teamworks, and if it's a conscious choice to wait with passing it off on CD as to manage to a more interact and done expression, it has at each fall been a success. The tunes seem fresh, and without that it seems forced of a demand for making own things, in a genre that is so rich in tradition and classic tunes. The group is 'rent' ethnically Dutch, a small curiosity or maybe just an example that European music really has stayed more international. All in all incredibly cast solidly, where the only small wish might be that one, in order to see what did happen, let the group momentarily go away from the full orchestra size and drive course of eventses with less livestock. Just as a lot for the curiosity's fault, because the group really seems talented. - Djembe Magazine (Denmark)

All the way from the Netherlands, Panchito comes to the music scene with a very impressive roster of talent. This is not an ordinary band. They possess a distinctive voice and sound easily recognizable. Full of energy, uptempo rhythms, a portion of fusion and very modern arrangements. The use of electric guitar adds a funky, Latin-rock dimension that melds and fits perfectly in the formula. Strong playing, almost becoming a Big Band at times. - Latin Jazz Network

Panchito is amazing, not just in their chemistry & musicianship, the fact that they are a Latin Jazz/salsa rooted band from The Netherlands. Their leader, guitarist & composer Andre van Berlo, produced & composed all the music for this CD. A Rotterdam Conservatory graduate in jazz studies where he first formed Panchito in the early 2000's, he also studied & performed salsa, Latin Jazz, Argentinean folklore, Flamenco, classical music, and much more. His major influences are Paquito D..Rivera, Chick Corea, Pat Metheny, Brecker Brothers, Ray Barretto, Djavan, Jobim, Milton Nascimento, Marillion, Mahler, Verdi, Dream Theater, Scott Henderson, Mario Bauza. His serious passion for Afro-Cuban music really comes through his writing - it..s exciting to listener & musician alike. Put this fusion of ideas over a tight ensemble with great jazz soloists that would compete on the level & feel of a New York jazz musicians, and you have one happening CD that you..ll enjoy hitting the repeat button more than a few times.
Andre has put together a talented group of 9 younger generation musicians from Holland & Germany, with their average age of 27. Panchito..s rhythm section (guitar, piano, bass, conga, timbales, drum set) is the absolute heart of this band with a solid foundation of Latin rhythm section concepts. They..re funky, tight, expressive, spacious with out sounding empty . And that..s just on the first track! Andre does a great job writing for a balance of ensemble & solo work without slighting either for artistic development.
Resurreccion heavily features the of solo work of Holland jazz trumpeter Rik Mol, whose harmonic knowledge, flowing technique and high chops soar out of these arrangements. I highly recommend this CD for fans of Brecker Brothers, TOP, Freddie Hubbard (especially on the title track), Paquito D..Rivera & fans and anyone who enjoys the European Latin jazz fusion.
First Flight has a serious funk/Latin groove and is beautifully orchestrated. It starts out with Joost Kroon..s crisp drums solo accented with horn hits & short lines, then flows into a funk/Latin groove (with a hip pocket!) and the horn soli theme with Rein Godefroy playing an incredibly funky variation of a montuno and bassist Jeroen Vierdag hitting a TOP bass type line but STILL hitting the tumbao loping feel underneath. Trumpet & trombone introduce the theme, and much in the fashion of a mambo section is salsa, the 2nd idea is laid over the top by guitar & alto sax. The bridge has a rich harmonic flow as Rik Mol leads on trumpet, then back into the funkier groove as the horns send off Louk Boudesteijn..s trombone solo. Louk is soulful, lyrical & driving, and nails the intricate chord changes like they were a I-IV -V progression. He..s the first soloist one hears on this CD and he sets the bar high. Rein..s piano solo follows with nice harmonic & rhythmical contrast, his energy in high gear. It..s during Reins solo you really hear the drummer..s & percussionists.. chemistry. They sound like one player - no extraneous percussion sounds. Joost, Stefan Brodte & Matthias Haffner seriously understand the concept & feel of how Afro-Cuban works. First Flight sets the pace for the band, and for what a treat the listener is in for.
Lies is a dark, locrian pulled-back 4/4 Latin funk piece with a lighter Latin 2nd section in 6. Rik Mol solos with a fat, impassioned sound and a solid controlled & articulated upper register. Word has it he..s a rising jazz trumpet star in Europe. No surprise to me - check him out! An angular yet lyrical Horn soli interlude follows, which sets up Louk..s trombone solo, again effortlessly playing melodically trough the chord changes.
Minha Magia is a 5 minute piece that building in intensity. For a full 2 minutes of well paced writing before the soloist takes off. We..re set up with a samba influenced groove using cymbals, bass & electric piano to create a spacier groove, Andre leads with an intense, haunting melody on guitar with a hint of distortion over dissonant horn swells. This pushes into a NASTY Latin funk-rock groove which Rik Mol resets the mood with such round full flugelhorn sound that it took me a few seconds to determine if was him or Louk on trombone. This song really is an ensemble feature with one soloist. Andre..s concept for solos in Panchito are actually often the same as in rock or pop music; they..re used as a way to reach a climax. They are a means to obtain a goal instead of being the goal themselves. The other tracks on Panchito /Resurreccion feature soloing by alto saxophonist Kwint van Dijck & Andre that were as well crafted & uplifting as the soloists mentioned above. There is not one weak track or solo on this CD, and I..m looking forward to their next CD. I pray they make it stateside to see in person. - Jazz24/7 (New York, USA)

This is one of those completely anonymous albums that put a smile the size of a moon on my face. Panchito are a Dutch nonet, led by guitarist André van Berlo, who also composed and arranged all the music, which plays Latin jazz. So what's the big deal you ask? Well the big deal is what is played and how it's played. There are countless Latin jazz bands around the globe, between Cuba and Timbuktu, which beat the hell out of their congas, but only very few of these bands can make Salsa sound like Art. What the members of Panchito lack in their genes (none of them seem to be of Cuban heritage) they amply compensate in their ability to play and improvise. The European musical heritage of preciseness and clarity, combined with the fire in the soul is in this case an overwhelming success. There is none of the sloppiness often found in Latin jazz, which can be charming sometimes but often quite annoying. Every note here is clean as a whistle and exactly right. And if you think this stuff is an anemic version of Irakere, you are dead wrong – just listen to the music and you won't be able to stop yerbuty from sheikin'. Just pour yourself a long drink, put this album on full volume, relax and close your eyes and off you go to tropic paradise… - Jazzis (Israel)

Pachito combines all of my favorite musical elements in one amazing package: powerful performances, pristine production, boundless energy, original arrangements, and phat Latin rhythms. The result is a sound that's so joyous, so strong, and so irresistible, I actually look forward to the room's reaction when I spin their tracks in a club - it's always euphoric! Pachito's songs are hip enough for the most discriminating NYC nightclubbers yet commercial enough for national radio play on my syndicated American jazz mix show "The Groove Boutique". Muy sabroso, muy caliente, muy increíble - amo Pachito!!! - The Groove Boutique

(Translation to English below)

Latin-jazz made in Holanda. Lejos de imitar a Dizzy o a Sando-
val, mucho ma´s cerca de un sonido en clave cubana personal y contun-
dente.
Ese sonido es Panchito, y el disco en cuestio´n (su disco inau-
gural, por lo dema´s), Resurreccio´n.
"First Flight", tema que abre la placa, completamente escrito
y arreglado, nos deja en claro la propuesta de estos jo´venes mu´sicos,
quienes eludiendo las comodidades de una copia a distancia, han
hecho un disco de temas propios, con una claridad y una bu´squeda de
arreglos, texturas, climas y ritmos sostenidos por la calidad de cada
uno de sus integrantes. Desde el piano a cargo de Rein Godefroy, con
destellos de un lu´cido Hancock, pasando por los claros bronces de Rik
Mol, Kwint van Dijck y Louk Boudesteijn (trompeta, saxo alto y trom-
bo´n, respectivamente) que arrasan tanto en conjunto como al momen-
to de los solos; sin olvidar la doble percusio´n de Matthias Haffner y
Stefan Brodte, el bajo impecable de Jeroen Vierdag y la contundencia
y precisio´n de la bateri´a de Joost Kroon, co-fundador de Panchito; so´lo
en aras de dejar para el final al compositor/arreglador/productor y
fundador de la banda, el guitarrista Andre van Berlo, quien ante todo
nos ofrece una muestra de creatividad, musicalidad y gusto. Con com-
posiciones de un claro sabor latino, solos bien dosificados, riqueza y
equilibrio; a trave´s de arreglos modernos donde prima un gran desplie-
gue de elementos y una clara consciencia ti´mbrica de la banda, capaz
de descender y quedarse rondando co´modamente la cadencia de un
tema reposado como Sahita (hasta el momento de entrar al tumbado y
volar por lo alto), o groovear con absoluta naturalidad en Lies, donde la
guitarra de van Berlo nos menciona brevemente al viejo Sco; o en el sa-
broso frenesi´ de Templo Isis, la densidad de Resurreccio´n y la violencia
controlada de Hasta siempre, sentido tema con el que Panchito cierra
el disco deja´ndonos satisfechos y con ganas de ma´s.
panchito
resurreccio´n

Latin-jazz made in Holland. Far from imitating Dizzy or Sandoval and much more near a personal sound in Cuban key. That sound is Panchito, and the disc in question (its inaugural disc), Resurreccion.

First Flight, subject that the board opens, completely written and fixed, leave in the musical proposal of these youthes clear, that eluding the comforts of a remote copy, has made a disc of own subjects, with a clarity and one searching of adjustments, textures, climates and rates maintained by the quality of each one of their members.

From the piano in charge of Rein Godefroy, with sparkles of Hancock, happening through the clear bronzes of Rik Mol, Kwint van Dijck and Louk Boudesteijn (trumpet, alto saxophone and trombone) that devastate as much altogether as at the moment of the single ones; without forgetting the double percussion Matthias Haffner and Stefan Brodte, impeccable bass of Jeroen Vierdag and the forcefulness and precision of drummer of Joost Kroon, Co-founder of Panchito; solo for the sake of leaving for the end to the compositor/arreglador/productor and founder of the band, the guitarist Andre van Berlo, who first of all offers a sample of creativity, musicality and pleasure to us.

With compositions of a clear Latin flavor, single good dosed, wealth and balance; to stretches of modern adjustments where prime a great unfolding of elements and a clear timbrica conscience of the band, able to descend and to remain going up to around the cadence of a subject rested like Sahita comodamente (until the moment for entering the fallen down one and for flying by the stop), or to groovear with absolute naturalness in Lies, where the guitar of goes Ber it mentions to us briefly to the old Sco; or in flavorful frenesi of Isis Temple, the density of Resurreccion and the violence controlled of Until always, sense subject with which satisfied dejandonos Panchito closes the disc and with desire of more. - Y sin Embargo Magazine

Panchito the band has a little bit of everything for everyone and I mean everyone....

The band feels like a cross between Irakere, Santana, Chico, Puente, Barreto and the Sal Soul Orchestra of the 70's. The Jazzy Upbeat Latin Rock compositions with a taste of Miami swing are rejuvenating to the listener. Fresh, different.

Definitley a CD must have for all Latin Jazz fans. Looking forward to the future of Panchito. - Latin Jazz Magazine

Translation Below

PANCHITO
La "Resurrección" del Latin Europeo


Dijo Ignacio Piñeiro: "el son es lo más sublime para el alma divertir", creo que el jazz también lo es.

Dicen que el jazz llegó a Europa durante la Primer Guerra Mundial a través de los diferentes regimientos de soldados norteamericanos que participaron en ella y se afirma, además, que quien lo hizo fue el teniente Jim Europe (Jeames Reese Europe) director del batallón de infantería No. 369 del ejército estadounidense y, el jazz, se quedó definitivamente allí.

Además del jazz, otras músicas de ascendencia negra tuvieron una gran aceptación en el continente europeo, principalmente las provenientes de las Américas, las cuales lograron, gracias a su origen mestizo, despertar el interés tanto en los académicos como en los empíricos.

Con estos antecedentes, es de suponer que en Europa surjan artistas que desarrollen un estilo influenciado por estas músicas y que, por otro lado, ofrezcan propuestas innovadoras y de gran ejecución. Es el caso del grupo holandés Panchito, que surge como una creación del guitarrista y compositor André van Berlo y el baterista Joost Kroon.

Panchito tuvo su primera reunión en otoño de 1999. En primera instancia el grupo interpretaba composiciones de Paquito D'Rivera, Mario Bauza, Ray Barreto y Oscar Hernández, con arreglos de André van Berlo. Con el paso del tiempo sus propias composiciones se fueron incorporando al repertorio del grupo, combinándolas con los aportes de los diferentes músicos, fundamentando así su propio estilo. Desde entonces, la música de Panchito se ha basado en la sinergia entre el Jazz Latino, el Rock Sinfónico y el Nuevo Tango y, las composiciones de van Berlo, le han dado un aire propio a la música de la agrupación.

Conformado por 10 miembros, Panchito grabó su primer álbum, Resurrección, en el año 2006, algo más que buena música, un disco lleno de melodías frescas y rejuvenecedoras en lo que al lenguaje del jazz se refiere.

Los estilos que pueden considerarse influencian al compositor André van Berlo y a los músicos de Panchito son: Latin Jazz, MPB, Tango Nuevo, Rock, Funk, Soul, Fusion, etc., y las bandas de una influencia significativa son: Paquito D'Rivera, Benny Moré, Mario Bauza, Tribal Tech, Brecker Brothers, Chick Corea, entre otros.


TRANSLATION:

PANCHITO
The "Latin Resurrection" of the European


Ignacio Piñeiro Said: "they are is the most sublime core to
amuse", I believe that the jazz also is it.

They say that the jazz arrived at Europe during the First World war
through the different regiments from North American soldiers that they
participated in her and it affirms, in addition, that who did it she
was lieutenant Jim Europe (Jeames Reese Europe) director of the
infantry battalion no. 369 of the American army and, the jazz,
remained definitively there.

In addition to the jazz, other musics of black ancestry had a great
acceptance in the European continent, mainly the originating ones of
the Américas, which obtained, thanks to its racially mixed origin, to
as much wake up the interest in the academic ones as in the
empiricists.

With these antecedents, it is of supposition that in Europe artists
arise who develop a style influenced by these musics and that, on the
other hand, offer innovating proposals and of great execution. It is
the case of the Dutch group Panchito, that arises like a creation from
the guitarist and composer André van Ber it and the drummer Joost
Kroon.

Panchito had his first meeting in autumn of 1999. In first instance
the group interpreted compositions of Paquito D'Rivera, Mario Bauza,
Ray Barreto and Oscar Hernandez, with adjustments of André van Ber
it. With the passage of time their own compositions went incorporating
to the repertoire of the group, combining them with the contributions
of the different musicians, thus basing their own style. Since then,
the music of Panchito has been based on sinergia between the Latin
Jazz, the Symphonic Rock and the New Tango and, the compositions of go
Ber it, have given him an own air to the music of the grouping.

Conformed by 10 members, Panchito recorded its first album,
Resurrection, in 2006, something more than good music, a full disc of
melodías fresh and rejuvenecedoras in which to the language of the
jazz it talks about.

The styles that can be considered influence the composer André van
Ber it and to the musicians of Panchito they are: Latin Jazz, MPB, New
Tango, Rock, Funk, Soul, Fusion, etc., and the bands of a significant
influence are: Paquito D'Rivera, Benny More', Mario Bauza, Tribal
Tech, Brecker Brothers, Chick Korea, among others. - Charanga Y son/Carlos Mantila