Ali Bello
Ali Bello ‘The Charanga Syndicate’ releases everywhere 5/9/2025 on Circle 9 Records (C90011)
ALí Bello “The Charanga Syndicate” out Everywhere May 9, 2025
A celebration of the beloved musical tradition of charanga with a modern twist, featuring Arturo O’Farrill, Jeremy Bosch, Silvano Monasterios and others — arrives May 9th, 2025 Circle 9
Alí Bello, a consummate artist whose love for charanga runs so deep that he’s become a prominent champion for the genre, artfully celebrates this beloved musical tradition with Alí Bello & The Charanga Syndicate. A master violinist who’s worked with a spectacular range of musical icons including Johnny Pacheco, Paquito D’Rivera, Doc Severinsen, The Roots, and Beyoncé, Bello’s vibrant alchemy of classics and originals smartly revive charanga for a new generation of adoring audiences.
“At some point, you realize ‘This is mine!’ and you move beyond interpretation to create something that’s really new,” says Bello. Featuring guest artists pianist Arturo O’Farrill, vocalist Jeremy Bosch and keyboardist/arranger Silvano Monasterios, Alí Bello & The Charanga Syndicate takes charanga to spectacular new heights, ingeniously weaving inquisitive historical narratives into lively opportunities to experience Cuban musical heritage while you dance the night away.
Alí Bello ‘The Charanga Syndicate’ (C90011)
Joe Syrian, the veteran drummer and leader of the Motor City Jazz Octet, understands this dialogue — and their new album, Secret Message, out November 15 via Circle 9 Records — is an effervescent toast to elite popular music in all its forms, from standards like Ray Henderson’s “Bye, Bye Blackbird” and Cole Porter’s “Night and Day” to pop/rock classics like the Beatles’ “Here, There and Everywhere,” Leon Russell’s “This Masquerade.” and Stevie Wonder’s “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing.”
“...the octet ... is sharp and well-grounded on every number, ...every solo is strong and engaging. The rhythm section, anchored by drummer Joe Syrian, does its part to enliven the party... Syrian is especially impressive thumping the tom toms on a Latin-flavored version of “All or Nothing At All””
“Popular music resonates with people and works for many audiences,” Syrian says simply. “We just take that and mold it to our unique framework.” And he has the best men for the job in pianist Adam Birnbaum, guitarist Paul Bollenback, acoustic and electric bassist Lorin Cohen, trombonist Doug Beavers, alto and baritone saxophonist Carl Maraghi, and trumpeter and flugelhornist Nick Marchionne. (Tenor saxophonist Tim Reis, and tenor saxophonist and bass clarinetist Dave Reickeenberg, each appear on a handful of tracks.) Along with Birnbaum and Beavers, Dave Hanson, John Fedchock, David Caffey, and David Berger demonstrate their impressive arrangement acumen.
“Real fun, with an emphasis on mellow hipness.” “Here’s a band that takes you back to the soul-jazz days...”
“It’s kind of a little big band, having eight guys. Everyone is more exposed musically,” Syrian says of the Motor City Jazz Octet, a rotating lineup of players not only from Detroit, but now all over the country. “But there are enough instruments there to really make good music, beyond just good solos. When everyone’s playing together, it feels like a large band. So as a musical concept, I just love the size of it.”
For Secret Message, Syrian programmed “common tunes that most people would know — but with our musical twist to it.” The disc kicks off with a medium-swinging, Hanson-arranged “Bye, Bye Blackbird,” — famously performed by everyone from Miles Davis to Peggy Lee and Joe Cocker — with outstanding solos by Birnbaum, Bollenback, Maraghi, and Marchionne. This leads into Gene de Paul and Don Raye’s “Star Eyes,” oscillating between a Birdland-like meter and swing and featuring an excitable arrangement by Fedchock.
Thom Bell and Linda Creed wrote “People Make the World Go Round,” and Philly soul legends the Stylistics first recorded it in 1971. Syrian and the Motor City Octet’s ebullient version, arranged by Beavers, enlists further talents in vocalist Kenny Washington, vibraphonist Joe Locke, and percussionist Luisito Quintero.
After a Latin-tinged ride through Wonder’s “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing” — a tip of the hat to Detroit, where Wonder grew up — Birnbaum turns in this stellar arrangement of “Here, There and Everywhere,” Paul McCartney’s magnificent love ballad from the Beatles’ Revolver. Caffey gives Russell’s “This Masquerade” a similarly unexpected yet winning lilt.
Secret Message concludes with two standards: “Night and Day” — another Berger arrangement — and Axel Stordahl, Paul Weston, and Sammy Cahn’s “I Should Care,” arranged by Fedchock. Both are uptempo, electrifying, and indicative of these songs’ durability and perenniality. Not to mention the power of the Motor City Jazz Octet — that “little big band” that could.
“It was just everybody standing on everybody else’s shoulders,” Syrian says of the joyous Secret Message recording session, with a hint of awe. “I just can’t say enough about these guys. This is the biggest thing for me right now.” From “the D” to the world over: message received. — Morgan Enos
Secret Message releases November 15 on Circle 9 Records.
Production Credits
Produced by Doug Beavers
Executive Producer: Joseph Syrian
Recorded May 16-19, 2023at Trading 8s Studios, Paramus NJ, engineered by CHRIS SULIT
Mixed by DOUG BEAVERS at Circle 9 Studio, Jersey City NJ, USA April 2024
Graphic design by NADJA VON MASSOW / nad.works
Tracklist
1 – Bye, Bye Blackbird – 05:27
2 – Star Eyes – 05:53
3 – People Make the World Go Round (feat. Joe Locke & Kenny Washington) 06:04
4 – Here, There and Everywhere – 06:30
5 – Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing – 05:28
6 – This Masquerade – 06:44
7 – Night and Day – 05:48
8 – I Should Care – 04:54
Personnel
Joe Syrian - drums, leader
Adam Birnbaum - piano
Paul Bollenback - guitars
Lorin Cohen - acoustic and electric bass
Carl Maraghi - alto and baritone saxophones
Tim Ries - tenor saxophone (1,2,4,5,6)
Dave Riekenberg - tenor saxophone (7,8), bass clarinet (3)
Nick Marchionne - trumpet, flugelhorn
Doug Beavers - trombone
Special Guests:
Kenny Washington - vocal (3)
Joe Locke - vibraphone (3)
Luisito Quintero - percussion (3,5)
compact disc & vinyl
Joe Syrian Motor City Jazz Octet ‘Secret Message’ on Limited Collector’s Edition, 12” Vinyl; includes a one-sheet insert with full credits liner notes written by Michael Ambrosino, with design by Nadja von Massow of nad.works in London. Ships TBA.