Cuban Fantasy – Ray Bryant
A vivid journey through different Cuban jazz styles. Available in the original E-flat concert as well as in B-flat concert with a minus-melody MP3 track.
- Recording: Cal Tjader - Concert On The Campus
- Recorded on: April, 1960
- Label: Fantasy (LP 3299)
- Concert Key: E-flat
- Style: Latin (Mambo)
- Vibes - Cal Tjader
- Piano - Lonnie Hewitt
- Bass - Eddie Coleman
- Drums - Willie Bobo
- Percussion - Mongo Santamaria
Video
- Live in Japan, 1962: The Frank "Machito" Grillo Orchestra. Mario Bauza, Leslie Johnakins, Mauricio Smith, Eddie Chambler, and Danny Turner: sax section; Aldolphus Doc Cheatham, Alfredo "Chocolate" Armenteros, and Pedro Rafael Chaparro: trumpet section; Rene Hernandez, piano; Sarrail Archila, bass, Ubaldo "Uba" Nieto, timbales; Julian Cabrera, bongos and campana; Virgilio Marti, conga; Frank "Machito" Grillo, director
Don Sickler: "Ray Bryant spent a lot of time crafting his original compositions. I feel it's important for you to see his original notes, rhythms and chord progressions. Therefore, our lead sheets show all the nuances of Ray's composition. Ray's intention on Cuban Fantasy was to have soloists use the chord progression of the composition, as George Shearing did in 1955. Cal Tjader, however, took a less complicated solo approach. Our lead sheets contain the best of both worlds. One, you can play along with the solo section chord progression Cal Tjader used, as indicated in the lead sheet solo section. Two, you can solo on Ray's chord progression since it's indicated above the melody."
Also check out the second album cover pictured above, which features an accompaniment-only track in B-flat concert.
Also check out the second album cover pictured above, which features an accompaniment-only track in B-flat concert.
Ray Bryant originally introduced this composition to George Shearing, who was the first to record it in April of 1955. Shearing kept it in his repertory, as evidenced in a "live" CBS TV broadcast in NYC on April 30, 1958. The Cal Tjader recording, in the spring of 1960, with legendary percussionists Mongo Santamaria and Willie Bobo, reached a different audience, the Latin-jazz community. Tjader's recording was live [originally issued as "Concert On The Campus" (Fantasy)]. Next Machito recorded it, then Cal Tjader recorded it again both in 1977 and 1984, and Clare Fischer recorded it in 1987. Many other Latin-jazz artists, including Tito Puente and David Shanchez, have recorded it since.
The Big 3 Palladium Orchestra / Live At the Blue Note
David Sanchez / Obsesión (Instrumental)
The Estrada Brothers
Estrellas Cobo / Descarga del Milenio
Irazú / Vicio Latino Vol.1 (Latin Vice Vol. 1)
Lucas van Merwijk and His Cu-Bop City BB / The Machito Project
Salsamba / Mambo del Sol
Machito At the Crescendo (Live)
Tito Puente Cuban Carnival
Unfortunately, George Shearing's recordings of Cuban Fantasy aren't easy to find, but some of you may still have Capitol's "The Shearing Spell," recorded in 1955, with Shearing, Johnny Rae, Toots Thielmans, Al McKibbon, Bill Clark and Armando Peraza.
The Big 3 Palladium Orchestra / Live At the Blue Note
David Sanchez / Obsesión (Instrumental)
The Estrada Brothers
Estrellas Cobo / Descarga del Milenio
Irazú / Vicio Latino Vol.1 (Latin Vice Vol. 1)
Lucas van Merwijk and His Cu-Bop City BB / The Machito Project
Salsamba / Mambo del Sol
Machito At the Crescendo (Live)
Tito Puente Cuban Carnival
Unfortunately, George Shearing's recordings of Cuban Fantasy aren't easy to find, but some of you may still have Capitol's "The Shearing Spell," recorded in 1955, with Shearing, Johnny Rae, Toots Thielmans, Al McKibbon, Bill Clark and Armando Peraza.
- Recording: Ray Bryant - Ray Bryant Songbook: accompaniment only
- Recorded on: November 23, 2002
- Label: jazzleadsheets.com (JLS 1003)
- Concert Key: B-flat
- Style: Latin (Mambo)
- Piano - Ray Bryant
- Trumpet - Don Sickler
- Alto Sax - Bobby Porcelli
- Tenor Sax - Patience Higgins
- Baritone Sax - Jay Brandford
- Bass - Tim Givens
- Drums - Vince Cherico
- Arranger - Don Sickler
Here's a way for you to play this composition and experiment with Ray's solo progression. Get the play-along MP3 version: Cuban Fantasy in B-flat concert.
The lyric version of Cuban Fantasy, known as Fantasy For Two, is available in our Singers' Corner. The MP3 track for vocalists to sing along with is in B-flat concert rather than Ray's standard instrumental key of E-flat concert. Because of the melodic range, vocalists usually have to sing in a key other than the standard instrumental key, and that was the case with Tina May, who wrote the lyric and recorded the vocal version. She also sang it a bit slower, to get all the words in. However, playing melodies and soloing in different keys, at different tempos, is valuable training for instrumentalists, so we decided to make instrumental lead sheets available that will work with the accompaniment-only MP3 track. We've labeled these additional lead sheets B-flat concert, and the MP3 is labeled MP3 accompaniment B-flat concert.
The MP3 (accompaniment only) track format: an eight-measure instrumental introduction / melody chorus / 2 solo choruses / melody chorus and ending. If you purchase vocalist Tina May's Fantasy For Two recording, you'll hear two soloists, two choruses each: first, alto saxophonist Bobby Porcelli, then pianist Ray Bryant.
The lyric version of Cuban Fantasy, known as Fantasy For Two, is available in our Singers' Corner. The MP3 track for vocalists to sing along with is in B-flat concert rather than Ray's standard instrumental key of E-flat concert. Because of the melodic range, vocalists usually have to sing in a key other than the standard instrumental key, and that was the case with Tina May, who wrote the lyric and recorded the vocal version. She also sang it a bit slower, to get all the words in. However, playing melodies and soloing in different keys, at different tempos, is valuable training for instrumentalists, so we decided to make instrumental lead sheets available that will work with the accompaniment-only MP3 track. We've labeled these additional lead sheets B-flat concert, and the MP3 is labeled MP3 accompaniment B-flat concert.
The MP3 (accompaniment only) track format: an eight-measure instrumental introduction / melody chorus / 2 solo choruses / melody chorus and ending. If you purchase vocalist Tina May's Fantasy For Two recording, you'll hear two soloists, two choruses each: first, alto saxophonist Bobby Porcelli, then pianist Ray Bryant.
"Ray Bryant Songbook: Accompaniment Only" was recorded at the legendary Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs.
In 2002, vocalist and lyricist Tina May, from the UK, fell in love with Ray's music and wrote a clever lyric, turning Ray's Cuban Fantasy into a Fantasy For Two. That lead sheet is also available from jazzleadsheets.com, along with the complete track from the CD "Tina May Sings The Ray Bryant Songbook" and a no-vocal, no-melody accompaniment MP3. Tina talked Ray into recording it with her, so that CD marks the first time Ray recorded and soloed on his own composition.
The MP3 without vocal, without melody, in B-flat, is available here with lead sheets for all instruments, as is the complete MP3 with vocal.
In 2002, vocalist and lyricist Tina May, from the UK, fell in love with Ray's music and wrote a clever lyric, turning Ray's Cuban Fantasy into a Fantasy For Two. That lead sheet is also available from jazzleadsheets.com, along with the complete track from the CD "Tina May Sings The Ray Bryant Songbook" and a no-vocal, no-melody accompaniment MP3. Tina talked Ray into recording it with her, so that CD marks the first time Ray recorded and soloed on his own composition.
The MP3 without vocal, without melody, in B-flat, is available here with lead sheets for all instruments, as is the complete MP3 with vocal.
Playing melodies and soloing in different keys, at different tempos, is valuable training for instrumentalists, so we decided to make instrumental lead sheets available that will work with the accompaniment-only MP3 track. We've labeled these additional lead sheets B-flat concert, and the MP3 is labeled MP3 accompaniment B-flat concert. The complete track includes vocalist Tina May singing her lyric, while the accompaniment-only track has no melody.
Ray Bryant
December 24, 1931 – June 2, 2011
Following performances in his native Philadelphia with guitarist Tiny Grimes and as house pianist at the Blue Note Club with Charlie Parker, Lester Young, Miles Davis and others, Ray Bryant came to New York in the mid-1950s. His first jazz recording session in New York was with Toots Thielemans (August, 1955) for Columbia Records. That session led to his own trio sessions as well as sessions with vocalist Betty Carter for Epic Records in May and June ("Meet Betty Carter and Ray Bryant"). On August 5, 1955, Ray recorded with Miles Davis, and on December 2, 1955, with Sonny Rollins, both for Prestige Records. Read more...