My first single from my forthcoming album Welcome To WallyWorld, Funky Arequita, is finally available! You can hear a sample and buy it in my Music Store on this page. Here is the story of the making of Funky Arequita, who plays on it, and exactly what an Arequita is! Funky Arequita “When I make music, I travel to far away places.” -- Walfredo Reyes, Jr. I am very pleased to announce the first track that I am making available for sale on my website and in digital stores - “Funky Arequita.” This song is from Welcome to WallyWorld, my forthcoming debut album; it’s certainly about time! This release is comprised of a group of tunes with “flavors” from around the globe. Flavors of grooves and music of different cultures I have absorbed in my travels while touring the world. The title could also very well be Walfredo Reyes Jr. Travel Agency, a second choice. The category of music would be classified - although I dislike classifications – as “ethnic jazz” or “world jazz.” Welcome to WallyWorld is a musical continuation of my Global Beats for Drumset & Percussion instructional DVD I did in 2004. In fact “Funky Arequita” and four other songs on this CD are completely re-arranged and re-recorded versions of tunes originally appearing on that DVD. Five songs including this first one were co-written with my late great friend, vibraphonist and keyboardist, Roger Burn. An Arequita is a Venezuelan groove derived from the Joropo, which I heard as a teenager made popular by composer Aldemaro Romero in 3/4 time signature. Romero’s drummer was called “El Pavo”; I used to practice my 3/4 grooves to his music and it became part of my musical vocabulary. “Funky Arequita” is my version with an American funk and jazz influence, also a part of my musical vocabulary. Renowned bassist, Jimmy Haslip, Roger Burn and I originally went into Jon Lowrys Artisan Sound Recorders in 2006 and recorded some tunes including “Funky Arequita. Unfortunately Roger took ill with a devastating form of kidney cancer and we never finished the recordings. I waited to see if he would get better and even attempted to finish the songs at his studio, but it could not happen. Roger passed away in 2009 and the unfinished tunes with Jimmy, Roger and bassist, Alphonso Johnson, just sat on my hard drive. Then I went through a very tough personal time myself. I continued to work, touring constantly, but still had no Wally CD to show for it. Then, light at the end of the tunnel appeared! My musician buddies began to help me, one by one. They all wanted me to bring these pieces of music to fruition. Enter Michael O’Neil on guitar and Matt Rohde on keys, and my recording experts, Joshua Seth Eagan (Studio C at Steakhouse Recording), Derek Jones (Megatrax Studio), Johnny Silas Canfield (mixing) and Keith Howland (mastering). They are the reason this track is completed and here it is, “Funky Arequita.”* As with this piece, the rest of the tunes are the result of a huge effort by an amazing group of friends that helped me achieve this labor of love (meaning “no budget”). Even though not all the songs are completely finished as yet, I can proudly say that the musicians listed below are on various tunes on my album contributing their love, talent and artistry; I am forever grateful. I can’t wait to release them so that you can also enjoy and travel with this music to many far away places! Musicians on Welcome to WallyWorld include: Jimmy Haslip (bass), Michael O’Neill (guitar), Matt Rohde (keyboards), Michael Thompson (guitar), Alphonso Johnson (bass), Kevin Ricard (percussion), Ramon Stagnaro (guitar), Lou Pardini (keyboards), Richie Gajate Garcia (percussion), Katia Moraes (vocals), Ricky Encarnacion (bass, keyboards), Neale Heywood (guitar), David Garfield (keyboards), Oskar Cartaya (bass), Michael Ripoll (guitar), and three generations of the de los Reyes family - Lilliana de los Reyes (vocals), Daniel de los Reyes (percussion), Walfredo Reyes, Jr. (percussion, drums), Walfredo de los Reyes, Sr. (percussion). Produced by Walfredo Reyes, Jr. *©2014 Walfredo Reyes, Jr., Wally King Music (ASCAP) and Roger Edward Burn, Burnin’ Down the House Music (BMI) walfredoreyesjr/store
Posted on: Sat, 28 Jun 2014 10:03:40 +0000
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