Jose Conde

• function: artist/producer/label
• company: PiPiKi Records

participation in

• WOMEX 2006
• WOMEX 2009
• WOMEX 2010

Singer,Songwriter, Producer, Label Owner


Jose Conde glides the line between Latin heritage and American storyteller traditions sliding poetically from universal themes of nature's beauty to personal expressions of romantic longing and loss. His new song based, funkified, pan Latin project (band and upcoming cd) evolve from his critically acclaimed work with the more Cuba centric band Ola Fresca. In 2 albums with that group, AY! Que Rico (PiPiKi/Universal), and (R)Evolucion (Mr Bongo UK - IMA 2008 Best Latin Album winner), as well as with the Baby Loves Salsa children's album (Rope a Dope/Sony), Conde delved in and deviated from Cuban rhythms, juxtaposing and fusing styles and playing with language and metaphor to achieve a unique signature sound. Conde's many tours, performances, and multiple licenses for Putumayo and Rough Guide world music compilations, have garnered him praise for what the Boston Globe calls a "singer-songwriter's trademark whimsy that stretches across multiple styles and is utterly swinging. "With heavy emphasis on rhythm and atmospheric world groove mutations as a backdrop for Conde's sweet honey vocals and poetic stories, the "nu Latin Groove band includes world beat drummer Gintas Janusonis, Brazilian multi percussionist Ze Mauricio, Cuban conga master Roman Diaz , Cuban groove bassist Jorge Bringas, guitarist Rafael Gomez, and Jose Conde on voice, guitar, and keys. Conde has a new solo album is in the works he is co producing with drummer Gintas Janusonis with a release expected in the winter of 2010. In the last couple years Conde has performed in notable venues such as Chicago World Music Fest, Montreal Jazz Festival, NY Central Park Summerstage, Bocafest in Veracruz Mexico, Green Apple Festival Miami, Santa Monica Twilight Dance Series, Kennedy Center DC, NY Global Rhythm Festival, New Orleans Voodoo Festival, and was also musical director, songwriter and singer for Baby Loves Salsa on Rope a Dope Records/Sony. In two critically acclaimed albums, Ay! Que Rico- 2004 (PiPiKi/Universal) and the award winning, (R)Evolucion (Mr. Bongo Records UK)- 2007, Conde traversed Puerto Rican bomba to Haitian compas, Cuban son to New Orleans swamp "funk creating a sound which has been hailed the world over as a "brilliant and thrilling" (Billboard) "smorgasbord of sounds that keeps listeners in a diasporic daze" (Trace). Five Jose Conde songs from both his Ay! Que Rico and (R)Evolucion albums have been featured in international compilations on Putumayo and Rough Guide Records. Conde's recent song and video, Respondele a Obama, which to date has 200,000+ views on Youtube, became an anthem of the US 2008 presidential campaign.

Aside from his mentioned pursuits, Jose Conde has undertaken the project of writing and recording a song as a gift for the village of Makuleke in South Africa for the cause of building a library in order to put the tools of education and eradication of poverty, directly in the hands of the people. The song "Munghana Wamina" (my friend) appears in this Sonicbids page in demo format. It will ultimately be recorded using vocals by people from the village singing the chorus and Conde singing verses with lyrics in Tsonga by Makuleke people put to Conde's melodies. The project is coordinated by Sharing to Learn, a NY based NGO. It is Mr Conde's hope that the song and an accompanying viral internet video, will bring awareness and help to the people of Makuleke.

Like an elephant walking through the front doors of a tourist hotel to eat from his favorite mango tree, described beautifully in his song "Elefante en Hotel," Jose Conde is a phenomenon in his own right. Like the elefante in the living room (or hotel lobby, as the case may be), Conde arrives with a poignant and graceful power that cannot be ignored.

NORTH AMERICA BOOKING - Contact
MONDOMUNDO AGENCY mel@mondomundo.com
or Jose Conde directly at JLC3d@aol.com

QUOTES:
NEW YORK TIMES: "Conde's vocal understatement is unusual. He formulates an Afro-Cuban music with an emphasis on songs with characters, wordplay and mild social ideas and brings together son, with New Orleans funk, Nigerian Afrobeat, James Brown rhythms, Haitian compas, New York City boogaloo and even jam-band stuff."

BOSTON GLOBE: "José Conde displays a singer-songwriter's individuality and trademark whimsy that stretches broadly across multiple styles that makes complete historical and musical sense and is utterly swinging."

MONTREAL GAZETTE: "Sexy and fearless Cuba-centric with great shake your booty grooves."

VINILMANIA ITALY: "Explosive originality and style that gives new light to Cuban Music".

TRACE: "A heart stopping smorgasbord of sounds that keeps listeners in a diasporic daze"

TIME OUT NEW YORK: "Displaying finesse, subtlety, and respect, Cuban-American Jose Conde evolves beyond the Cuban Revolution to a state of harmonic coexistence across conventions."

NEW YORK POST: "(R)Evolucion busts past musical boundaries and makes listeners get up and dance. It will have you shaking that booty, for sure."

LATIN BEAT: "A deep work of art that is poetic, sexy, multi-lingual, multi-generational, proudly analog, fearlessly hybrid, and above all fun."

NEW YORK FREE PRESS: "Looking back to the tradition and experimentation of Ray Barretto or Irakere with an ear towards the future, Jose Conde y Ola Fresca deliver high energy."




Instrumentation
Jose Conde performs with a sextet - the Nu Latin Groove. It is a phenomenal band composed of master World Beat Funk Drummer Gintas Janusonis, Brazilian multi percussion wizard Ze Mauricio, Cuban Groove Bass player Jorge Bringas, legendary Cuban Conga player Roman Diaz, Venezuelan Electric Guitarist and resident elctro soundscaper Rafael Gomez, and the songwriter and multi intrumentalist and singer Jose Conde. This is a super powerful sure bet band capable of headlining large venues which plays Conde's songs beautifully with maximum energy and joy.
Jose Conde is also available in other configurations (quintet/quartet/trio) and is also available to play his songs as a special guest collaborating with other bands or solo/duo acoustically

Discography
Discography
1. Ay! Que Rico - PiPiKi Records 2004
2. (R)Evolucion - PiPiKi /Mr Bongo UK 2007
3. Baby Loves Salsa -Rope a Dope/Sony 2008
4. Putumayo Cafe Cubano CD (El Chacal)
5. Putumayo World Salsa Compilation (AY! Que Rico)
6. Putumayo Children's Playground CD (Bolitas de Arroz con Pollo)
7. Putumayo Jazz Cafe CD (Cumbamba)
8. Rough Guide to Nuevo Latino (Ride la Ola)
9. Rough Guide to Salsa Clandestina (Cafe Con Sangre)
10. Rough Guide to Latin Funk (Oshiri Pan Pan)