Title: Highly overrated
Product review: There has been much fuss during the past years about this cuban pianist. If it is chops that you're after - you've got it. On the other hand, if you're looking for music - turn elsewhere. Chops are what this guy is all about. Techniquely he is truly awesome, but he doesn't really have the faintest clue about the aesthetics of jazz music. The word "groove" cannot even be used in this context, since Gonzalo has no idea of how to swing in a jazz-like manner. His typewriter-like phraziation sounds hysterical as he rushes the time like crazy. Harmonically he makes a huge fool of himself in "Giant Steps", where most of the notes he plays are total garbage and have nothing to do with the chord changes. If you really do want to listen to mr. Rubalcapa, my suggestion is that you try out some of his earlier stuff where he operates in a more latin-american context.
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