CubaNola
New Orleans Funk hits Cuban Jazz!
"Benedikt Hesse CubaNola" celebrate 50 years of Miles Davis Bitches Brew and let New Orleans funk bang on Cuban jazz!
For the anniversary of the legendary Bitches Brew album, the band plays excerpts of this unique music. Miles Davis thus fused jazz with funk for the first time in 1969 and integrated electric musical instruments into the previously mostly acoustic music.
The quintet led by drummer Benedikt Hesse interprets the repertoire with their own style - a blend of New Orleans funk and Latin jazz.
In addition, the band presents their current album "Gumombo´":
Yes, there are definitely similarities between Cuba and New Orleans. Both areas belong to the Caribbean and are connected by the Gulf of Mexico. From 1762 to 1802, the Spanish kingdom ruled in the two musical strongholds. Even the administration of New Orleans was based in Havana. Both cities have been considered exotic places and blazing cobbles since the turn of the century.
There is also an intersection in the music of the two hotspots: danceable grooves, with characteristic rhythmic figures - called claves, and a deep bow to African culture.
"Benedikt Hesse CubaNola" picks up on this connection and shows its audience what it sounds like when Cuban jazz meets New Orleans funk. In this way you make the unheard and unheard of audible. The boundaries of Latin, jazz and funk are overcome and the 1111 km distance between the two ports is musically abolished.
“Okra is the ingredient in both Quimbombó (Cuba) and Gumbo (New Orleans). I've known that since 2013. My attempt to cook gumbo resulted in a skillful quimbombó, which my bandmates from Latin America confirmed to me. This event marked the birth of CubaNola - Cuban jazz meets New Orleans funk - and our album "Gumbombò" (Benedikt Hesse)
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"They embody the vital desire for Cuban music with fiery salsa or rumba sounds."
(Kölnische Rundschau)
"During the concert... the loft was more crowded than ever."
(Cologne City Gazette)
The drummer's band consists of 5 gourmets:
Roland Peil (percussion) prefers Frijoles Negros with rice, yuca & avocado salad! - He became known through his participation in the Fantastischen Vier, Till Brönner, Peter Maffay or the world tour with Sarah Brightman. Roland lived in Cuba and learned from Changuito - the inventor of the Songo Rhythm - and Pancho Quinto. His playing is groovy, fresh and full of surprises.
Volker Deglmann's (trumpet) favorite dish is schnitzel with fries - he studied at the Manhattan School Of Music with the degree "Master of Music and Arts". In NYC he played in the big band of Bobby Sanabria, one of the most important representatives of Latin Jazz worldwide. Volker's honest way of playing ranges from powerfully spectacular to emotionally sensitive.
Juan Camilo Villa (bass) loves to eat Partacones - for the Colombian bassist, music has no limits. With the deepest tones, it forms a foundation that allows the band to rise to new dimensions. Juan regularly plays with top musicians from Colombia, such as Samuel Torres and Hector Martingnon.
Norman Peplow (piano) loves empanadas - the pianist and composer studied at the Cologne University of Music and has specialized in his musical work primarily on jazz and Afro-Cuban music. Known for his montunos - hypnotizing rhythmic figures on the piano - he has been performing internationally with salsa and latin bands (e.g. La India, Orquesta Guayacán, Joe Bataan etc.) for almost 20 years.
Benedikt Hesse (drums) prefers Gumbo - also known as El Pulpo since 2008 due to his explosive and virtuoso playing style. Benedikt received his training at Drummer's Collective NYC and with Johnny Vidacovich (New Orleans Drumming Legend). With his quintet CubaNola he gives free rein to his passion and inspires the audience in many different ways. Emotionally and always on the cutting edge.