William Cepeda Music

I bought this because I am putting together some music for a play. The play takes place in Puerto Rico and the music that is called for is "african drumming." As someone who lived on the island, I know that the playwright was referring to bomba. I looked through so many pieces from "Plena Libre" and "Los Pleneros de la 21" but everything had too much instrumentation and sounded too modern. This album was heaven sent! One of my favorite pieces was Amalia No Quiere Ir Ebozo! It is so sweet and heart-felt or should I say soulful. After listening to that particular piece, I wish there was a lot more bomba sang by women! I know that this album is perfect and it will properly convey the intended meaning!!! Thank you a million time Senor Cepeda!

Trombonist, composer, and arranger William Cepeda is a grandson of Don Rafael Cepeda, a composer, performer, and folklorist who dedicated his life to preserving the Afro-Puerto Rican styles of bomba y plena. In Bombazo, which is impeccably recorded and packaged with succinct but informative liner notes, the young Cepeda certainly does his part in maintaining the music. As he sets out to revisit the different variations within those styles, he creates a fascinating, thoroughly enjoyable travelogue. Check the irresistible groove of "San Tomas," the earthy "Yuba Medley," or the breathtaking "El Conde de Loiza," or "Meliton Tombe," featuring the seis corrido, a rhythm played at a breakneck pace. There are also subtle innovations, such as Cepeda's take on "Amalia" ("No Quiere Ir Ebozo"), a song popularized as a salsa tune by trombonist Willie Colon and the late singer Hector Lavoe. Bombazo is a tantalizing glimpse into a rich but little-known Afro-Caribbean tradition.
This recording by Grupo Afro Boricua is an excellent collection of Folkloric Bomba music from, Loiza Puerto Rico. If you expect any trumpets, piano or guitars in this collection, you are not going to get it here. This is not Salsa, nor Plena. This is BOMBA, at its Purest Form. You are going to get a strong mix of African influenced Puerto Rican chants, and singing. Each track on this collection is powerful and moving, and can equally rival even the Bata of the Lucumis of Cuba, in soul and beauty. Essential listening. Highly recomended.

Afro Boricua 5:36 - seis corrido, sica
Yubá Medley 7:14 - yuba cuartino, lero, corbe
Seshuque Y Balance 2:33 - seis corrido
San Tomás 1:34 - sica
El Gallo Canta 4:28 - plena
El Conde De Loiza 2:14 - bomba
Amalia (No Quiere Ir Ebozo) 4:30 - yuba 6/8
Melitón Tombé 2:32 - bomba, seis corrido
Rulé Son Da 2:03 - corbe
Majestad Negra 3:06 -
El Doctor Guenaga 2:30 - seis corrido
Lamento Borincano 6:21 - bomba
Seis Corrido Medley 3:05 - seis corrido
El Belén 3:49 - bomba, plena

Musicians include:

William Cepeda Musical director, conch shell, trombone, piano, vocals
Antonio Martinez Principal vocalist
Nellie Lebron Lead vocals, bass guitar
Roberto Cepeda Vocals
Hector Matos Percussion, lead vocals
Hector Calderon Percussion, vocals
Luis Cepeda Percussion
Angel Mojica Percussion
Harry Diaz Vocals on "Verso Negro"

Finally a CD that actually shows some of the elements of AfroRican LP. This is a great cd that can show you what Latin Percussion in Puerto Rico is all about. Mind you, not all the rhythms of Bomba are covered on this CD but it is still a great and wonderful CD if you are tired of listening to Cuban Percussion which is great but I choose Bomba over RUMBA ANYDAY. This CD is 100% Puerto Rican , not Cuban! do not get it twisted. Other types of Bombas such as Guembe and Holandes are not heard but it is worth buying the CD if you are interested in Afro-Rican music. Good Stuff to dance to when you are tired of listening to salsa and need something different.

This c.d. by Grupo Afro Boricua is an excellen collection of Folkloric Bomba Music from, Loiza Puerto Rico. If you expect any trumpets, piano or guitars in this collection, you are not going to get it here. This is not Salsa, nor Plena. This is BOMBA, at its Purest Form. You are going to get a strong mix of African influenced Puerto Rican chants, and singing. Each track on this c.d. collection is powerful and moving, and can equally rival even the Bata of the Lucumis of Cuba, in Soul and beauty. I recomend this to all Afro-Boricuas, and all BLatinos, and also to the African American who loves African Cultural Music from around the world.

My favorite track is the smooth and African sultry Amalia (No Quiere Ir Ebozo) which start of slow, and gets more energetic as the drums keep playing. I also love, San Tomás and their version of Lamento Borincano, which in my opinion is the best rendition of this Puerto Rican classic. This is a rare treat, sadly to say music as powerful as this is rarely recorded and hard to come buy.

William Cepeda and Afro Boricua show us how it is really done in Loiza. The music Bomba has been around for about 500 years and I am sure that it was never played like this before.I myself am a Bombero (someone who plays Bomba) and I have been around the music for years. It was a treat to have been able to experience this wonderful piece of culture.

The reviewer who complains about the fact that there are a variety of musical elements is correct; there is a real mix here. But so what? Whoever said stew, by definition, has to be bad? This particular one is full of fire and excitement. Taste it and enjoy.

William Cepeda's Branching Out album is incredible! The music is so unique and invigorating. He captures the essence of many different cultural rhythms and blends them together in a unifying example of what the world should be. Every song is a masterpiece unto itself. Bomba Blues is my favorite, with an incredible drum solo by Andres Patrick Forero, whose talent seems to be limitless. The entire album is upbeat and inspiring. Everyone should be rushing out to buy this - you wouldn't want to miss it!

I'm a big fan of world music--worldbeat, world fusion, world jazz. So when I saw this CD, I picked it up, noting that aside from the Latin jazz musicians, there were some interesting additions--koto and tabla, for example.

Sorry to say, the album, in my estimation, is not strong enough to merit a high rating. It feels like Mr. Cepeda was trying so hard to fuse so many musical elements that the results were very often much weaker than they could (and should) have been. One piece uses the above-mentioned koto, but only at the beginning and the end, and does not come close to fully integrating Japanese music into the piece. Even what should be full-on Latin jazz tracks suffer from this overly eclectic approach.

Only two tracks on the album are successful. Plena Proxima is what it should be--a Latin jazz piece whose rhythms and melody really move. And Bomba Flamenca is what it says--a well thought out fusion of the Spanish flamenco and the Puerto Rican bomba. This one worked because Mr. Cepeda reined in his all-over-the-map impulses and focused on these two musical forms with keen precision.

Hopefully, he will continue to make more music like these two tracks, with focus and intensity. I look forward to his next release.

William Cepeda has done it again, with his fusion of culture and rhythm... his sound is completely unique, from his conch shell soul baring sounds to the integration of japanese instruments, poetry and other instruments. Cepeda unites people from all over the globe, his music is a microcosm of what the world should be. Cumba blues (track 8) is invigorating and energetic! Drummer Andres Patrick Forero performs an outstanding drum solo, which is just a taste of his talent. No matter what your taste in music, this album is sure to make you feel alive!

William Cepeda has come out with two new CDs on the Blue Jackel label which show, by their differences, the skill and flexibility of this fine Puerto Rican trombonist.

The first, "Bombazo" by el Grupo Afro Boriqua is pure percussion driving African call-and-response singing and chants. We are treated to a glimpse of African Puerto Rico that we don't often get to hear, though the Plena and Bomba rhythms provide the bases of the music. "Bombazo" evokes images of a drum circle, playing, singing and dancing under the palms which provide shade from the tropical sun. The strong African sound is tempered only by the Spanish of the lyrics as the singer chants out a line and the coro responds in unison or simple harmony. Very beautiful...

"My Roots and Beyond" by William Cepeda and Afrorican Jazz is much much more cerebral than the physical "Bombazo". We get the Nuyorican perspective of the mainlanders, "Beyond" plays a bigger part than "My Roots". Many of the same rhythms drive the music, but there the similarity ends. This is a jazz album, players in dark glasses late at night, after hours, hip, urban, cool. Horns work together in complex harmonies and apart on soaring solos. Trap drums and electric guitar provide the rhythmic underpinning. Synthesisers and Miles Davis give as much to this music as the transplanted African rhythms of la isla. Very beautiful...

Each of these CDs is a worthy effort. But together they provide a vision beyond that of each alone.

I had the pleasure of hearing William Cepeda and AfroRican Jazz play at a local college cultural diversity fest(10/29/99). The group played mostly songs from this CD. I bought the CD after hearing them perform the first song! The songs are very moving and spiritual. You can feel the blood running through your body, only it's to the beat of the music! Cepedas music direction is phenomenal! The percussion(drums) and bass really come through with a strong rythem that will get your whole body moving. The drummer Andreas Patrick Forrero, who was with AfroRican Jazz at the college diversity fest, was by far the best drummer I ever had the pleasure to hear play! Kudos Patrick. I must add that it was a pleasure to personally meet Cepeda and AfroRican Jazz. They were warm friendly, and inviting... like a friend you had known forever. Cedpeda and the band graciously signed autographs and talked with the audience members. I even got a hug from the drummer(Patrick, thanx!). If you are a true lover of music, this is a must buy!

William Cepeda has come out with two new CDs on the Blue Jackel label which show, by their differences, the skill and flexibility of this fine Puerto Rican trombonist.

The first, "Bombazo" by el Grupo Afro Boriqua is pure percussion driving African call-and-response singing and chants. We are treated to a glimpse of African Puerto Rico that we don't often get to hear, though the Plena and Bomba rhythms provide the bases of the music. "Bombazo" evokes images of a drum circle, playing, singing and dancing under the palms which provide shade from the tropical sun. The strong African sound is tempered only by the Spanish of the lyrics as the singer chants out a line and the coro responds in unison or simple harmony. Very beautiful...

"My Roots and Beyond" by William Cepeda and Afrorican Jazz is much much more cerebral than the physical "Bombazo". We get the Nuyorican perspective of the mainlanders, "Beyond" plays a bigger part than "My Roots". Many of the same rhythms drive the music, but there the similarity ends. This is a jazz album, players in dark glasses late at night, after hours, hip, urban, cool. Horns work together in complex harmonies and apart on soaring solos. Trap drums and electric guitar provide the rhythmic underpinning. Synthesisers and Miles Davis give as much to this music as the transplanted African rhythms of la isla. Very beautiful...

Each of these CDs is a worthy effort. But together they provide a vision beyond that of each alone.

I had the pleasure of hearing William Cepeda and AfroRican Jazz play at a local college cultural diversity fest(10/29/99). The group played mostly songs from this CD. I bought the CD after hearing them perform the first song! The songs are very moving and spiritual. You can feel the blood running through your body, only it's to the beat of the music! Cepedas music direction is phenomenal! The percussion(drums) and bass really come through with a strong rythem that will get your whole body moving. The drummer Andreas Patrick Forrero, who was with AfroRican Jazz at the college diversity fest, was by far the best drummer I ever had the pleasure to hear play! Kudos Patrick. I must add that it was a pleasure to personally meet Cepeda and AfroRican Jazz. They were warm friendly, and inviting... like a friend you had known forever. Cedpeda and the band graciously signed autographs and talked with the audience members. I even got a hug from the drummer(Patrick, thanx!). If you are a true lover of music, this is a must buy!