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Gracias Maestro

by Amaury Acosta, Candido

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about

It's not everyday you get the distinguished honor to produce a 96 year old legend in a studio. I first met Candido, when I was 15 years old at the Town Hall in New York. He was playing with the Conga Kings. A riveting performance of absolute mastery to say the least. At the age of 16, I had the good fortune to perform with him in Miami Beach, the legendary Cachao came to the rehearsal and jammed with us. It was an unforgettable and riveting week of music. He was always the most elegant and gentlemen-like, and he always encouraged me to be the best version of myself. My father Ivan Acosta, worked in Film, Concert Promotion, and Creative Direction for Ad Agencies. He began to know him more personally after working with him on various projects over the years. My father eventually made a film entitled “Hands of Fire, over time he became a close friend of my family, and was like our adopted uncle. We spoke regularly, he gave me a lot of sage advice. But, the one that he impressed upon me every time I saw him "Alejate de las malas compañías, Aléjate de los malos consejos, y aléjate de los malos vicios" “Avoid bad Company, Avoid Bad Advice, and Avoid Bad Habits''.

As I began to know him more intimately; I would visit his home, hear the stories and see the pictures of him playing with many of the world's most famous artists. I was particularly inspired by the jazz albums he participated like, Elvin Jones, Bobby Hutcherson, Randy Weston, Art Blakey, “Dizzy”, “Bird”, John Coltrane, Wynton Kelly, Erroll Garner, Duke Ellington, and so many more. Candido performed on so many iconic records, but his funk and disco albums represent the pinnacle of his mastery to me.

In 2015, he agreed to let me rework some of his iconic songs like Jingo and Thousand Finger Man. But I also wanted to shape his sound into something relevant to my generation. The plan was to record him playing by himself and then I would sample, chop, flip, and rearrange what he played. When I told him my plans he was ecstatic. He welcomed the idea with open arms, and encouraged me to push the musical boundaries forward. He immediately started giving me ideas to contribute to the process. We even made a few beats together in Ableton.
Finally, in 2017 I reserved some time at my friend Louis Benedetti's amazing analog studio Thompson Studios in Soho. It was a bright sunny spring Wednesday afternoon, and Candido showed up impeccably dressed in a suit ready to rock & roll. An hour early. He immediately wanted to be involved in the process. He asked me what grooves should he play and what tempos, what vibe I was looking for. Being the perfectionist that he was after every take he asked me if it was good enough. After many years of sitting and contemplating on the material. I began to chop up his performance and this particular groove caught my attention. I later added the piano, bass, synths, and drums. And slowly it came to life.

This song resonates with me deeply. It reminds me of the warm feeling of the many walks I used to take up tenth avenue to visit his place on West End Avenue. And specifically the last one I took in the fall of 2020. It evokes many memories of sitting in his living room on his leather couch hearing him talk about his epic life.
The ending voiceover was an iphone voice memo of the last time I visited him i knew it was an important moment that needed to be documented, He was relaxing at as his home attendant Cyrila was making coffee and as she telling me that he wants to go to the beach and play his congas.

I'm releasing this song today on Candido's 100th Centennial Birthday Celebration. I hope he's smiling with his leopard skin suit on :-)


This song is dedicated to "El Viejo's " Extended Family -
Julian, Bigi Ramos, Ivan Acosta, Bobby Sanabria, Cyrila. Robert Marrero, Al, Martin Cohen, Maria Pozner.


✌️ ❤️ 🎵

-A

credits

released April 22, 2021
Composed, Arranged By Amaury Acosta

Drums, Percussion, Synth Bass, PIano, Juno 106, Mini Moog - Amaury Acosta

Congas- Candido Camero

Recorded at Klave's Paradise Studios (NYC) 2020

Candido Recorded at Thompson Studios (NYC) 2017

Engineered by Amaury Acosta, Louis Benedetti

Produced by KIngKlavé

Mixed and mastered by Paul "baebro" Wilson (Brooklyn, New York)

Released exclusively Klave's Paradise Records

Artwork by : Laura Sofia Perez

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Amaury Acosta New York, New York

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