REVIEWS YULIESKY GONZALEZ
REBEL BASE
Yuliesky González 'Cubanero' One World Records 2020
If Latin jazz is your thing, Yuliesky Gonzalez 'Cubanero' will definitely be up your street!
Having a father and grandfather who also played the same wind instrument, the Cuban trumpeter from Camagüey, a city in central Cuba, was destined for a career in music. At the age of ten, Yuliesky enrolled at the Camagüey conservatory, graduating nine years later.
During his military service he formed a first wind quintet and not much later started to share the stage with Cuban greats like Omara Portuondo, Felix Valoy, Changuito and Alexander Abreu, with whom he toured the world.
In search of new musical horizons, Gonzalez moved to Europe in 2010, where, after a short stay in the French capital, he ended up in Berlin, joining the line up of the Berlin Big Band. Personal projects like Cubanaché and Kind of Cuban followed, and since 2015 Yuliesky has played with Danish television orchestra, The Antonelli Orchestra.
With 'Cubanero' he now finally presents his first solo album. In most tracks Yuliesky's trumpet is of course given a leading role, but there's also room for excellent solos by, among others, percussionist Isan Torres (opener 'Very Nice'), guitarist Bjarne Roupé ('Reflections', 'Miles Across'), saxophonist Tomas Franck ('Reflections') and pianist Norman Peplow ('En Cada Amanecer', 'Love Theme From A Dream'). In the odd song (the excellent 'Santisimo', closing track 'Timba Berlin-Habana', perhaps the most Cuban and "commercial" sounding song from the tracklist) apart from his signature trumpet, Gonzalez' voice can also be heard.
Instant Latin-jazz classic by a natural born trumpeter!
Tim Ianna, July 3, 2020 Rebel Base
JAZZISM
Yuliesky González 'Cubanero' One World Records 2020
Latin Jazz
The young Cuban trumpet-composer Yuliesky González, who lives in Germany, shows his class on his remarkable debut. His warm playing is sometimes reminiscent of Miles Davis and is embedded in both Cuban jazz and traditional Cuban music. This is especially evident in a track like Santisimo. Isan Torres' congas playing also contributes to this, as do Swedish musicians such as guitarist Bjarne Roupé and saxophonist Tomas Franck, and the German pianist Norman Peplow. Yuliesky's performance on the flugelhorn in En Cada Amanecer evokes associations with Hugh Masekela. His music is modern Latin jazz of a high level. Love Theme From A Dream is an excellent, very relaxed track after which the Latin fire ignites in Cause I love You.
Rik van Boeckel, March 2021, Jazzism
Yuliesky González 'Cubanero' One World Records 2020
Lira Likes!
"On Yuliesky González's debut album, we get to take part in a lot of beautiful Cuban jazz in different tempos and with different emotions. It is a wonderfully obvious debut he has made that really exudes joy of play and creativity. He was born in 1984 and grew up in Cuba with several professional trumpeters in the family: his father, uncle and grandfather. After several years of studying on the island, he played in various bands in Havana until 2010 when he moved to Berlin. Since then, he has been heard in many different contexts, including in the Berlin Big Band and in Danish TV2's bands. A lot of experience from different contexts that he brings with him when he now releases his first album in his own name. You get to take part in elaborate arrangements for the varied ensemble of eight or more in a luxurious production. A group of international musicians participate, but also some profiled Danes such as saxophonist Tomas Franck and guitarist Bjarne Roupé. Of course, a lot of percussion is included, including timbales, congas and drum kits. Yuliesky González is a sharp musician with great breadth in his expression, from volume strong in high records to sordinarily softer. Now hope that the album gets many listeners, because it is worth it."
Andreas Lagercrantz, LIRA, February 19, 2021
Masterful Debut from Trumpeter Yuliesky González
Yuliesky González 'Cubanero' One World Records 2020
Cubanero is the remarkable debut album from one of the finest trumpeters in the current Latin music scene. Currently based in Germany, Yuliesky González has been involved in various timba, salsa and jazz projects.
On Cubanero, Yuliesky brings together his Cuban musical roots and jazz. It is a fantastic album that features high energy Latin jazz and timba along with exquisite laid back pieces that highlight Yuliesky’s talent as a trumpeter. The album also features a fabulous rhythm section that incorporates various forms of drums and percussion.
Angel Romero WORLD MUSIC CENTRAL December 26, 2020
WMCE
YULIESKY GONZALEZ CUBANERO One World Records 2020
TOP 20 on WORLD MUSIC CHARTS EUROPE November 2020
The WMCE
Once a month 45 radio-Worldmusic-specialists from 24 European countries select their individual top ten favourites out of current Worldmusic releases from their playlists and mail them to Berlin. The nominations are processed in a data-base and the top ten is then published as the WORLD MUSIC CHARTS EUROPE. Only actually released recordings will be displayed in the WMCE.
The Jury
Only producers and presenters who are running a regular Worldmusic program (typicaly one hour per week) in a legal FM radio network in Europe are admitted to the jury (called "The Panel"). Members of the European Broadcasting Union are preferred. There is no quota for countries, but no radio shall be represented by more than three presenters of Worldmusic programs. Each program may only be represented by one person.
The WMCE was founded in May 1991 by 11 radio-producers from 11 countries on behalf of the World Music Workshop of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).
Secretary of the WMCE is Johannes Theurer. The WMCE are looked after by the German company Gift Music GmbH.
Yuliesky Gonzalez 'Cubanero' One World Records 2020
Review by Tim Ianna, Tropicalidad, October 6, 2020
"If you like a dash of excellent Latin jazz, we would certainly recommend this Cubanero by Yuliesky Gonzalez ! The Cuban trumpet player from Camagüey, a city in central Cuba, has the music virus in its blood because his father and grandfather also played the same wind instrument. At the age of ten, Yuliesky enrolled at the Camagüey Conservatory, where he retired at the age of nineteen. During his military service he formed a first wind quintet and not much later he started sharing the stage with Cuban greats such as Omara Portuondo, Felix Valoy, Changuito and Alexander Abreu, with whom he toured all over the world. In search of new musical horizons, Gonzalez moved to Europe in 2010, where, after a short stay in the French capital, he ended up in Berlin and there the line up of the Berlin Big Band.conjugated. Own projects such as Cubanaché and Kind of Cuban followed and since 2015 Yuliesky has been playing with the Danish television orchestra The Antonelli Orchestra .
With this Cubanero he now finally presents a first solo album. In most tracks, Yuliesky's own trumpet may of course shine in the first place, but there is also room for excellent solos by percussionist Isan Torres (opener Very Nice ), guitarist Bjarne Roupé (Reflections, Miles Across), saxophonist Tomas Franck (Reflections), Love Theme From A Dream ), pianist Norman Peplow (En Cada Amanecer , Love Theme From A Dream), and here and there, the excellent Santisimo, closing by Timba Berlin-Habana (possibly with the most Cuban and "commercial" song from the tracklist), you can even hear Gonzalez's voice. Instant Latin jazz classic from a true natural talent on the trumpet!"
Tim Ianna Tropicalidad October 6, 2020
KEYS & CHORDS Music Magazine
Yuliesky Gonzalez 'Cubanero' One World Records 2020
'One World Records releases the debut album from jazz trumpetist Yuliesky Gonzalez. Eight compositions that triggers the body and caresses the senses. You may love Miles Davis or Louis Armstrong, but this young guy beats them all.
The trumpet player Yuliesky Gonzalez stands for lively afro cuban jazz. Tried and tested with the brass instrument via father and grandfather since birth, the young boy started his training at the age of ten. Later wanderings via Paris, Berlin, Copenhagen (re) formed his roots in a mix of European, Cuban and even African rhythms. Cubanero is his debut album after years of active in various (big) bands. To be fair, I must admit that I am neither a jazz connoisseur nor a real fan. For Yuliesky, however, I make a genuine exception. His virtuosity manifests itself with deftly bound notes in a wide register, perfectly integrated with his 'companeros' Tomas Franck on sax and Bjarne Roupé on guitar. Two Swedes with a long track record, even together with our own Toots Thielemans. An indispensable element is also the talented German pianist Norman Peplow, as a clever glue between the various solos. Cubanero or 'child of Cuba' caresses the senses and triggers the body to try out a salsa or just enjoy warm Latin jazz.'
Marino Serdons KEYS and CHORDS Music Magazine 22 Sept 2020
SOLAR LATIN CLUB
Yuliesky Gonzalez 'Cubanero' One World Records 2020
Cuban trumpeter, arranger and composer Yuliesky Gonzalez debuts with the Cuban phonogram. The Camaguey-rooted in Berlin-began at the young age of 10 at the Camagüey music conservatory while his father and grandfather taught him all the secrets of the trumpet. His palm groves, with a vertiginous career, led him -with only 19 years old- to accompany artists of the stature of Omara Portuondo, Feliz Valoy, Changuito, Manolito Simonet, Pupi Pedroso, Pedro Lugo "El Nene" and Alexander Abreu himself. . In Cubanero -edited by the Danish label One World Records- we hear the work of Hugo José Días Sanchez in the mix and Luis Damian Güell in the mastering. The disc, in turn, highlights the trumpeter's ability to adapt to different sound surfaces, both Jazz, Classical Music and, naturally, Afro-Cuban rhythms. His expertise makes him one of the most representative exponents of Latin Jazz today.Cubanero, an album that includes 8 cuts, all of them authored and arranged by Yuliesky Gonzalez himself - with some collaborations by Norman Peplow, Tomas Franck and Bjarne Roupé-, reviews the different time of Afro-Cuban music with elements from Jazz, Blues and Classical Music.
The album opens with the title Very Nice, a complex reading of Latin Jazz and two solos by the Danish Tomas Franck on the saxophone, as well as by the German Norman Peplow on the piano, to leave the way served to Yuliesky for an incomparable performance on the trumpet , for a masterful closing of Isan Torres in the tumbadoras. The lilting Reflections, with a little more than 7 minutes, presents the performances of Bjarne Roupé (guitar), Tomas Franck (tenor saxophone), Yuliesky González (trumpet), Bjarne Roupé (guitar) and Wiljoph Mounkassa Williams (drums). Santísimo, number that opens with a solemn and introspective musical speech, proposes an approach to Yoruba music with the participation of the guests Yohan Ramón in the cajón and Leonid Muñoz and Carlos Guillén in the chekere and batá drums, respectively. In Every Dawn, a composition by Norman Peplow, is a ballad that highlights Yuliesky's solo, this time in the flugelhorn. Initially treated as a Comparsa, the explosive Cause I love takes on Funk overtones with the notable participation of Martin Mattuck on the electric bass, as well as Wiljoph ‘Bebito’ Mounkassa (drums) and Tony Moreaux (percussion). In Cha Cha Cha Miles Across's time, as the name implies, it is a tribute to the legendary American trumpeter, figure and decisive influence on Gonzalez's career. In the Timba Berlin-Habana play, Yuliesky, who also does the vocal part, establishes bridges between Timba and a jazz discourse.
DJ El Chino Solar Latin Club 3 July, 2020