''Chanchullo'' (; literally: "scam", "racket", "hustle") is a studio album by Cuban pianist Rubén González. It was recorded over the course of three years under the direction of trombonist Jesús "Aguaje" Ramos, and released on September 19, 2000, through World Circuit. The album was nominated for the Best Traditional Tropical Latin Album at the 44th Annual Grammy Awards on February 27, 2002. It also received a nomination for Tropical/Salsa Album of the Year by a Male Artist at the 2001

Billboard Latin Music Awards The ''Billboard'' Latin Music Awards grew out of the ''Billboard'' Music Awards program from ''Billboard'' magazine, an industry publication charting the sales and radio airplay success of musical recordings. The ''Billboard'' awards are the La ...

Recording

The album showcases the styles of Cuban ballroom music that González cultivated for three decades as a member of

Enrique Jorrín Enrique Jorrín ( Candelaria, Pinar del Río, December 25, 1926 - Havana, December 12, 1987) was a Cuban charanga violinist, composer and music director. He is considered the inventor of the '' cha-cha-chá'', a popular style of ballroom music de ...

's orchestra, primarily

danzón Danzón is the official musical genre and dance of Cuba.Urfé, Odilio 1965. ''El danzón''. La Habana. It is also an active musical form in Mexico and Puerto Rico. Written in time, the danzón is a slow, formal partner dance, requiring se ...

and cha-cha-chá. The opener and title track, "

Chanchullo "Chanchullo" (; literally: "scam", "racket", "hustle") is a danzón-mambo composed by Cuban bassist Israel "Cachao" López. It was first released as a single in 1957 by Arcaño y sus Maravillas. It was the third single released on Cuban independe ...

", is a

danzón-mambo The danzón-mambo (also known as ''danzón de nuevo ritmo'') is a subgenre of Cuban dance music that marked the transition from the classical danzόn to the mambo and the cha-cha-chá. It was also in the context of the danzón-mambo that the Cub ...

written by

Israel "Cachao" López Israel López Valdés (September 14, 1918 – March 22, 2008), better known as Cachao ( ), was a Cuban double bassist and composer. Cachao is widely known as the co-creator of the mambo and a master of the descarga (improvised jam sessions). T ...

in the 1950s. González's recording is in the form of a

descarga A descarga (literally ''discharge'' in Spanish) is an improvised jam session consisting of variations on Cuban music themes, primarily son montuno, but also guajira, bolero, guaracha and rumba. The genre is strongly influenced by jazz and it wa ...

, an improvised jam session.Fordham, John (2000). Sleeve notes from ''Chanchullo'' – Rubén González, World Circuit Records WCD 060, 2000. Other descargas in the album are "La lluvia", recorded by the band when the studio roof was leaking and a downpour of tropical rain meant that there were only minutes remaining before the studio had to be abandoned, and "Pa' gozar", composed by

Tata Güines Federico Arístides Soto Alejo (June 30, 1930 – February 4, 2008), better known as Tata Güines, was a Cuban percussionist, bandleader and arranger. He was widely regarded as a master of the conga drum, and alongside Carlos "Patato" Valdés, inf ...

and first recorded by Pedro "Peruchín" Jústiz. The other ballroom numbers in the album are the danzones "Central Constancia" and "Isora Club", and the classic cha-cha-chás "El bodeguero" and "Rico vacilón", all of which are standards of the Afro-Cuban repertoire. The recording of "Central Constancia", a composition by Enrique Jorrín, features one of the last appearances of violinist Lázaro Ordóñez Enríquez. On the other hand, "Isora Club", written by Coralia López (Cachao's sister), features solos from Jesús "Aguaje" Ramos (trombone),

Manuel "Guajiro" Mirabal Manuel "Guajiro" Mirabal (born 5 May 1933) is a Cuban trumpeter, best known for his work with the Buena Vista Social Club.Orlando "Cachaito" López (bass). American guitarist Ry Cooder, along with his son

Joachim Cooder Joachim Herbert Cooder (born August 23, 1978) is a drummer, percussionist, composer, and keyboardist best known for his collaborations with his father, Ry Cooder. Early life Cooder began to play drums at the age of 5, inspired by Jim Keltner. C ...

, are featured on

tres Tres may refer to: * Tres (instrument), a Cuban musical instrument * Tres, Trentino, municipality in Italy * "Tres" (song) by Juanes * "Tres", a song by Líbido from their album ''Hembra'' * TrES, the ''Trans-Atlantic Exoplanet Survey'' * Templi ...

and drums, respectively, on "Rico vacilón". The album also includes two slow instrumental tracks, the boleros "Si te contara" and " Quizás, quizás, quizás", the latter of which features a solo by

Eliades Ochoa Eliades Ochoa Bustamante (born 22 June 1946) is a Cuban guitarist and singer from Loma de la Avispa, Songo La Maya in the east of the country near Santiago de Cuba. He began playing the guitar when he was six and in 1978 he was invited to joi ...

. In addition, on the guajira-

son A son is a male offspring; a boy or a man in relation to his parents. The female counterpart is a daughter. From a biological perspective, a son constitutes a first degree relative. Social issues In pre-industrial societies and some current c ...

"Choco's guajira" (written by trumpeter

Alfredo "Chocolate" Armenteros Alfredo "Chocolate" Armenteros (4 April 1928 – 6 January 2016) was a Cuban trumpeter. He played with artists such as Arsenio Rodríguez, Generoso Jiménez, Chico O'Farrill, Orchestra Harlow, Eddie Palmieri, Cachao and Sonora Matancera. Due to ...

)

Papi Oviedo Gilberto Oviedo la Portilla (9 February 1938 – 31 October 2017),''Papi Oviedo''
Article at EcuRed website. Retr ...

leads on tres, trumpet accompaniment is provided by Manuel "Guajiro" Mirabal, and

Ibrahim Ferrer Ibrahim Ferrer (February 20, 1927 – August 6, 2005) was a Cuban singer who played with Los Bocucos for nearly forty years. He also performed with Conjunto Sorpresa, Chepín y su Orquesta Oriental and Mario Patterson. After his retirement in ...

is joined by

Cheikh Lô Cheikh N'Digel Lô (born 12 September 1955) is a Senegalese musician. Early life He was born to Senegalese parents in Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, and began playing drums and singing at an early age. Career In 1976, he joined Orchestre Volta J ...

on vocals. The son "De una manera espantosa" was one of the first songs González played with

Arsenio Rodríguez Arsenio Rodríguez (born Ignacio Arsenio Travieso Scull; 31 August 1911 – 30 December 1970)Giro, Radamés 2007. ''Diccionario enciclopédico de la música en Cuba''. La Habana, v. 4 p. 45 et seq. was a Cuban musician, composer and bandleader ...

's ''

conjunto The term ''conjunto'' (, literally 'group', 'ensemble') refers to several types of small musical ensembles present in different Latin American musical traditions, mainly in Mexico and Cuba. While Mexican conjuntos play styles such as '' norteño' ...

'' in the early-to-mid 1940s.Sleeve notes from ''Arsenio Rodríguez, El Alma de Cuba – Grabaciones Completas''. RCA Vitcor CD2 1940–1946, Tumbao Cuban Classics TCD 316, 2007. González was hired as the band's pianist shortly after arriving in Havana and thereafter referred to Rodríguez as his single most important musical influence. His cover of Rodríguez's son has been described as "much more faithful to the original" when compared to the popular 1970s salsa renditions of Arsenio's songs.

Critical reception

Reviewing the album for '' Billboard'', Michael Paoletta wrote: "Cuban pianist Rubén González is one of the most fluent and musically gifted players ever to take a seat at the 88s. Listen to González (…) and reflect on the hands and heart of this 80-year-old maestro. (…) He hadn't been active for over a decade when

Juan de Marcos González Juan de Marcos González (born Juan de Marcos González-Cárdenas; January 29, 1954) is a Cuban bandleader, musician and actor, best known for his work with the Buena Vista Social Club and in the 2021 Sony Pictures Animation film '' Vivo'' as the ...

came calling in '96 with his Afro-Cuban All Stars project, ''

A Toda Cuba le Gusta ''A Toda Cuba le Gusta'' is the first studio album by the Afro-Cuban All Stars, produced by Cuban bandleader and musician Juan de Marcos González and Nick Gold, and released on April 9, 1997 on World Circuit Records. This album was the first ...

''. A rejuvenated Rubén has since released several albums. ''Chanchullo'' is a rewarding mix of Cuban styles, from ''son montuno'' to ''danzón'', ''cha-cha-cha'' and ''descarga''."

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...

reviewer Stacia Proefrock commented: "González is an extremely fluid player and his sometimes complex improvisations seem to constantly come off without a hitch, which is amazing considering that he is in his eighties. The songs range from sweet and light to more passionate and forceful, but throughout, González's unique sense of joy shines through. This album also features a brief appearance from vocalist Ibrahim Ferrer, who gained fame with González through his work with the

Buena Vista Social Club Buena Vista Social Club is an ensemble of Cuban musicians established in 1996. The project was organized by World Circuit executive Nick Gold, produced by American guitarist Ry Cooder and directed by Juan de Marcos González. They named the gr ...

. That project has spawned a number of albums which, surprisingly, have nearly all been quality productions. This recording is certainly not the exception to the rule." In his review for ''

fRoots ''fRoots'' (pronounced "eff-Roots", originally ''Folk Roots'') was a specialist music magazine published in the UK between 1979 and 2019. It specialised in folk and world music, and featured regular compilation downloadable albums, with occa ...

'' magazine, Michael Stone stated: "With his second World Circuit release, septuagenarian pianist Rubén González further reveals a virtuoso blend of traditional Cuban ''danzón'', ''bolero'', ''cha-cha-cha'' and ''son'' with classical influences. (…) The saga of González's renaissance with the Afro-Cuban All Stars and Buena Vista Social Club projects is already the stuff of legend, and ''Chanchullos vitality confirms his resonance with the steadfast spirit of Cuban popular music. (…) Would that González had developed his ideas more thoroughly, if only for their exquisiteness (…) But one hesitates to ask more of an album whose stately conception, relaxed take on tradition and effortless virtuosity confirm an enduring talent. Cuban vintage comes no better than this." In 2009, it was awarded a gold certification from the

Independent Music Companies Association The Independent Music Companies Association (IMPALA), originally the Independent Music Publishers and Labels Association, is a non-profit trade association established in 2000 to help European independent record labels represent their agenda a ...

which indicated sales of at least 100,000 copies throughout Europe.

Track listing

The following track listing is documented in the sleeve notes: # "

" (

) – 5:08 # "De una manera espantosa" (

) – 4:19 # "La lluvia" (

Miguel "Angá" Díaz Miguel Aurelio "Angá" Díaz Zayas (June 15, 1961 – August 9, 2006) was a Cuban percussionist. He was a well-known ''conguero'' who also played the cajón, güiro and timbales. Life and career Miguel Aurelio Díaz Zayas was born in San Juan y ...

, Rubén González, Jesús "Aguaje" Ramos,

Orlando "Cachaíto" López Candelario Orlando López Vergara (February 2, 1933 – February 9, 2009), better known as Cachaíto, was a Cuban bassist and composer, who gained international fame after his involvement in the Buena Vista Social Club recordings. He was nick ...

Amadito Valdés Amadito Valdés (born February 14, 1946) is a Cuban timbalero, best known for his work with Cuarteto Las d'Aida and Buena Vista Social Club. Career Valdés was born in Havana in 1946. Early on, he studied music with his father, Amadito Valdés ...

) – 5:14 # "Central Constancia" (

) – 5:55 # " Quizás, quizás, quizás" (

Osvaldo Farrés Osvaldo Farrés (; January 13, 1903 – December 22, 1985) was a Cuban songwriter and composer best known for having written the songs "", "", "", and "". Early life Farrés was born in 1903 in the small city of Quemado de Güines, Las Vi ...

) – 2:25 # "Choco's Guajira" (

) – 6:46 # "Si te contara" ( Félix Reina) – 1:27 # "El bodeguero" (

Richard Egües Richard Egües, nicknamed "la flauta mágica" (the magic flute), (October 26, 1923 - September 1, 2006) was a Cuban flautist and musician, one of the country's most famous artists. Egües was a member of the Orquesta Aragón band which he joined i ...

) – 5:09 # "Isora Club" ( Coralia López) – 5:32 # "Rico vacilón" (Rosendo Ruiz Jr.) – 4:09 # "Pa' gozar" ( Arístides Soto) – 4:30

Personnel

The following personnel is documented in the sleeve notes:

Musicians

*Rubén González – piano *

– bass *

–

timbales Timbales () or pailas are shallow single-headed drums with metal casing. They are shallower than single-headed tom-toms and usually tuned much higher, especially for their size.Orovio, Helio 1981. ''Diccionario de la música cubana: biográfico ...

– congas *Ángel Terry Domech – congas *Roberto García –

bongos Bongos ( es, bongó) are an Afro-Cuban percussion instrument consisting of a pair of small open bottomed hand drums of different sizes. They are struck with both hands, most commonly in an eight-stroke pattern called ''martillo'' (hammer). The ...

, cowbell, güiro *Alberto "Virgilio" Valdés –

maracas A maraca (), sometimes called shaker or chac-chac, is a rattle which appears in many genres of Caribbean and Latin music. It is shaken by a handle and usually played as part of a pair. Maracas (from Guaraní ), also known as tamaracas, were ...

*Alejandro Pichardo Pérez – güiro,

claves Claves (; ) are a percussion instrument consisting of a pair of short, wooden sticks about 20–25 centimeters (8–10 inches) long and about 2.5 centimeters (1 inch) in diameter. Although traditionally made of wood (typically rosewood, ebony o ...

Manuel "Guajiro" Mirabal Manuel "Guajiro" Mirabal (born 5 May 1933) is a Cuban trumpeter, best known for his work with the Buena Vista Social Club.Jesús "Aguaje" Ramos – trombone *

– flute *Joaquin Oliveiras – flute *Javier Zalba – baritone saxophone *Lázaro Ordóñez Enríquez – violin *

– guitar *

Papi Oviedo Gilberto Oviedo la Portilla (9 February 1938 – 31 October 2017),''Papi Oviedo''
Article at EcuRed website. Retr ...

–

* Ry Cooder – tres *

– drums

Singers

– vocals (2, 6 & chorus) *

– vocals (6) *Jesús "Aguaje" Ramos – chorus *Lázaro Villa – chorus

Production

*Jesús "Aguaje" Ramos – musical director *Nick Gold – producer *Jerry Boys – engineer, mixing, mastering *Tom Leader – mastering *Simon Burwell – assistant recording & mixing engineer *Julío Martínez Rodríguez – assistant recording engineer *Cristina Piza – cover photography *Christina Jaspars – other photography *Susan Titelman – other photography *David Burton – centre page photography *Rubén González – archive photography *Kathryn Samson – cover design *Sigfredo Ariel – research

References

External links

* {{authority control 2000 albums Nonesuch Records albums Rubén González (pianist) albums Spanish-language albums World Circuit (record label) albums