Album Notes

For Tim Gorman


Additional production, Percussion programming, recorded, mixed and mastered
by Jorge Patrono, Ethnical Audio Arts (ethnical@pacbell.net), Los Angeles, California.
Songo Monk mixed and mastered by Saul Muscardin, Sydney, Australia.


“Palmera” originally formed part of my first long piece for the piano,
“Suite San Juan”, composed shortly after graduation from University.
It was at that same University that I met and was befriended by Tim Gorman
and it was Tim who became not just my friend but also my de-facto piano tutor.
“En La Calle del Cristo” is the title to a song I wrote for [Puerto Rican] folkloric trio. It was destined to appear
on my second CD, “Soñador”. For this instrumental version I have re-arranged it as a Danza.

‘Welcome to the Blen Blen Club’ is the intro for a merengue (“Vamos al Blen Blen”) I wrote for the same
collection. The name, Blen Blen Blen was originally a song by Chano Pozo and “Blen Blen Club” was later used for the
Sunday Latin music events held at the Palladium Club in NYC in the early ‘60’s, where Tito Puente began to gain fame.

*Danza: Predominant musical form in Puerto Rico (and Cuba) in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Danza was melodically rich, piano music in the European classical tradition and later, ensemble music for dancing and inexorably, courting. Danza is to Salsa music what Ragtime is to Jazz. There is sentimental attachment, yes, but the form is still revered in P. R. for its lyricism and purity of expression, as it predates the United States’ occupation, appropriation and eventual cultural takeover of the island.

Gratitudes: Anne Marion and Kip Hale, without whom this recording wouldn’t have been possible.
Jorge Patrono for putting so much heart and spirit into my projects. Special thanks to Steve Clisby and Saul Muscardin. Ever abiding gratitude to my family, Carmen, Marilu, David, Jane, Hnoi and extended family for their constant, loving support, and always: to Lolli and my “Toinkos.” Everything I do is for you.

Album Design: Grafa-ráficos