Si usted alguna vez ha tenido el privilegio de escuchar las grabaciones recientes de la Orquesta Expresión Latina, entonces sabe que uno de sus cantantes es un joven costarricense de nombre Carlos Cascante. Y esto es seguro: Una vez escuche su voz, nunca lo olvidará. Este artista es una de las grandes promesas en el futuro de esta música que llamamos salsa.  En ésta, su primera producción con líder de Tumbao, su propio grupo, podrán darse cuenta del por qué.

     Antes de escuchar el CD, pensé que Cascante iba a presentar un formato como el de Expresión Latina. Cuál fue mi sorpresa al descubrir que no fue así, debido a que su Tumbao tiene su propio sonido y su propia identidad. Esto se nota inmediatamente con “Mi Tumbao”, número “atimbado” que abre excelentemente el trabajo, con un solo coquetón de saxo por Ted Dortch.  Otro sabroso solo es el que ejecuta Thomas Marriott con su trompeta con sordina en una nueva versión de “Bilongo”, donde también se nos presenta una belicosa moña (descarga de vientos).  Mis preferidas, sin embargo, son “Robertica”, a manera de timba con salsa, donde se incluyen buenos mambos de trompetas; “El Negro tiene tumbao”, con un fascinante arreglo; y una nueva versión del clásico “Obsesión”, que comienza como danzón y cambia a una esplendida guajira.  El compacto cierra alegremente con “Cayuco ven”, que también nos presenta unas calientes moñas.  Además del gran cantar de Cascante, se destaca la labor del pianista Julio Jáuregui, quien produjo, hizo arreglos y escribió algunos de los temas de esta producción.

     Con invitados especiales como Joe Santiago, Paoli Mejias, Ray Vega, Doug Beavers, y otros, Carlos Cascante ha generado un debut impresionante, con un álbum muy melódico, que deja la salsa de Seattle, Washington bien en alto.  (EEG)

Erick Gonzales, HERENCIA LATINA WEB SITE

Carlos Cascante y su Tumbao, Recuerdos (Bettrmusik). In the flood of Latin jazz CDs, Cascante’s stands out for its spirit, good humor and variety within the idiom. The singer, a Costa Rican who lives in the US, leads his quintet through montuno, salsa, chacha and other clave patterns. Over group vocals and arrangements by the band’s music director, Julio Jáuregui, Castante sings infectiously with intonation as reliable as his time. Jáuregui is an impressive piano soloist. Drummer Jeff Busch, bassist Dean Schmidt and conga drummer Frank Jr. Medina drive the band. Thomas Marriott has blazing trumpet solos. Assorted Latin stars, including trumpeter Ray Vega and bassist Joe Santiago, are guests, but Cascante’s outfit is the hot core of this rewarding collection.

Doug Ramsey - December 2005
(Jazz Times, Down Beat, The Washington Post)
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Recuerdos

CD (Tumbao.us 2005-022), Released 2005;

Editor's Pick:
The album opens with a Cuban timba sabor, with Cascante singing about Havana. He’s actually from Costa Rica, and the band’s from all over, recorded in Seattle. It sure feels good though; with Julio Jauregui on piano, and a pile of good soloists. The swing is there, and traditional tunes — Bilongo, Obsesion — work over the modern sound of an electric bass and Jauregui’s piano eruptions, lower register clusters that sound vaguely like thunder in the distance. When he solos, harmony gets played with; Jauregui knows his way around a bunch of modern jazz and latin harmonic languages. Ray Vega and Joe Santiago show up on a few tunes. Highly Recommended.

Peter Watrous, 2005-11-18
DESCARGA.COM

'Cascante Caliente'
Carlos Cascante and his hot Latin ensemble Tumbao (www.tumbao.us), which among other things is the house band at the Century Ballroom, release their new CD, Recuerdos, at the Century Ballroom (915 E Pine St, on Capitol Hill) at 9:30pm. The six-piece band performs a joyful, energetic repertoire of traditional salsa mixed with modern timba and Latin Jazz. The album, whose title means 'memories', has eight originals and four covers, in salsa, chacha, son montuno, and bolero styles. Led by Costa Rican vocalist Carlos Cascante, the band also includes Julio Jauregui (piano), Dean Schmidt (bass), Thomas Marriott (trumpet), Jeff Busch (drums), Pedro Vargas (congas) and Carlos Cascante (vocal). Guests on the recording included some heavy hitters: Ray Vega (trumpet); Ted Dortch (saxophone); two members of Eddie Palmieri's band, Joe Santiago (bass) and Doug Beavers (trombone); Paoli Mejias (congas), whose current album Mi Tambor is nominated for a Grammy; as was a disc by Jovino Santos Neto, Canto do Rios, on which Jeff Busch appears. The newest member of the band, Pedro Vargas, grew up in Cuba and brings a rich Cuban influence to Tumbao. He has toured the world and played with many great traditional Cuban artists, such as the stars of Buena Vista Social Club, Los Van Van, and sierra Maestra. Thomas Marriott is an outstanding Seattle-reared trumpeter who has already recdorded four of his own CDs. [his] Carlos Cascante's knowledge of all types of Latin rhythms combined with his creative improvisational talent make him one of the up-and- coming Soneros in the Latin scene.

  [ LINK ]  November 2005 - Earshot Magazine

July 2005 - All About Jazz Tumbao is a six-piece Latin ensemble that plays a variety of rhythms from Boleros to Timba and Joropo to Danzon. Their exhilarating Latin American and Caribbean music helps kick off outdoor concerts on the City Hall Plaza in a festive style. Tumbao is comprised of some of the Seattle area’s finest musicians who hale from Costa Rico, Mexico, Kenmore, Panama, Puerto Rico, & Pullman. The Mayor’s Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs hosts “Seattle Presents” free lunchtime concerts every first and third Thursday at Seattle City Hall. The spring and summer performances feature some of Seattle's best performers.

There are several things you need to do before you start to listen to this CD. First move all the furniture against the walls, you'll need dance room, second invite the neighbors (joy such as this should be spread around), third turn up the volume (those that don't fit in the house still need to hear this) and lastly put the disc on repeat mode (once is definitely not enough). Recuerdos or "Memories" is an exuberant, joyful, energetic and amazing musical ride that soars and swings. It demands that you sit up and listen.  More importantly, it asks you to go along for the ride.  Trust me when I say that you will be more than willing to go.

December 2005 - Jim McElroy

Sarei almost tried to use the adjective 'splendid' to define this Cuban salsa album, very refined while very danceable and original. I underline: Tomasito, dedicated to the contribution  of the trumpet player Thomas Marriott; Robertica, on horseback between Cuban salsa and timba. ..; "Al vaiven de mi Carreta" , great chacha with piano and trompet solos that flow in the Latin Jazz. Also great last two pieces 'Obsesion' (standard-LatinCha) and 'Cayuco Ven'. Another standard proposed (determined in all them. ...salsa) is 'Bilongo' that we find on the second track. - 54' of excellent Cuban music with all of the flavors, with many excellent pieces for the disco. The album is distributed in Italy, Go Buy It!

December 2005 - ROBERTO@SALSA.IT

Full of life from Begining to end, singer Carlos Cascante sings salsa music, filled with elements of Timba, Jazz, Traditional Salsa and masterful solos by Grammy award nominee Paoli Mejias, Ray Vega, Thomas Marriott and Julio Jauregui.

November 2005 - CD Baby

The nice thing about Tumbao is it's not just another salsa band playing airy dance music. Anchored by piano player Julio Jauregui, the band keeps one foot firmly planted in Latin jazz as it roams various dance beats. As singer Carlos Cascante said, during a between-sets break, 'We try to touch a little bit of the Latin flavor and the Caribbean flavor and also keep the jazz flavor.

-- Tom Scanlon / The Seattle Times

At Tula's, trumpeter Thomas Marriott lights it up with popular Afro-Latin combo Tumbao. It has the highly talented Carlos Cacante on vocals, Julio Jauregui on piano, Dean Schmidt (bass), Jeff Busch (drums), and Frank Medina Jr (percussion). All those, as well, of course, as Thomas Marriott, one of the finest trumpeters the region has produced in many years.

September 2005 - Earshot Jazz

July 2005 - All About Jazz 'Tumbao is a six-piece Latin ensemble that plays a variety of rhythms from Boleros to Timba and Joropo to Danzon. Their exhilarating Latin American and Caribbean music helps kick off outdoor concerts on the City Hall Plaza in a festive style. Tumbao is comprised of some of the Seattle area’s finest musicians who hale from Costa Rico, Mexico, Kenmore, Panama, Puerto Rico, & Pullman. The Mayor’s Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs hosts “Seattle Presents” free lunchtime concerts every first and third Thursday at Seattle City Hall. The spring and summer performances feature some of Seattle's best performers.

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