Dafnis Prieto Big Band in concert - Article

I met Dafnis in Copenhagen in 2008. Back then, he was touring as the drummer for Michel Camillo’s trio with the late Charles Flores on bass. By then, his first album, About the Monks, was already out (my favorite of his discography). Today I saw his work in full force. Dafnis can create intricate compositions with masterful freshness and lightness. His Music reminds me of Frank Zappa’s approach to arrangements: the rigorous musical form with the humorous fun of the performance.

His latest album, though, is something else! Dafnis Prieto Big Band: Back to the Sunset is a masterpiece. The album won a well-deserved Grammy Award for the best Latin Jazz album of the year in 2018. It’s a modern and explorative journey through Cuban traditional rhythms and genres, where the core thought is the Big Band format. Big band albums by soloist musicians are not ordinary. Writing Music for big bands requires a lot of courage, concentration, and talent. And Dafnis touched the pinnacle of his game with this album.

Dafnis Prieto and Orchestra (Sound Check -Copenhagen 2019)

The album was the one presented LIVE in Copenhagen by Dafnis feat. The Big Band from Århus (Denmark). The musicians involved had an intensive introduction to Dafnis’ universe. And they did an excellent job on stage. His rhythm section included Eliel Lazo on percussion and Yasser Pino on bass, both Cubans. Eliel is a master percussionist who plays with some of the best jazz stars -his talent is well-known globally.

Mr. Pino is another amazing Cuban musician and bandleader of The Latin Syndicate. His bass playing is always precise and soulful.

The music performance was so tight that one may think they recorded the album themselves. The musicians were ready for the task; even though they were mostly Danish, they could understand what was set for them to play, and they did a fantastic job. One could feel their respect for the Music and their awareness that this was a significant achievement.

The audience was no less than positively surprised by the concert. Usually, when a Cuban show is announced in Denmark, most of the audience comes with their dancing shoes. However, this time it was not a dance night but a Cuban excellence night; the audience went in awe! And great reviews quickly started to appear in the newspapers. The night was a triumph for Cuban Music and Dafnis Prieto.