NEW REGENCY ORCHESTRA

Description

Announcement of the debut album from one of the most electrifying groups in London, New Regency Orchestra. An Afro-Cuban big band of 18 musicians, inspired by the musical melting pot of New York in the 1950s, but with the punch and power of a multitude of the best Latin and jazz musicians in London. By breathing new life into these compositions, the album is a re-imagination of some of the best music from this golden age. From the early 1950s, René Hernández and Tito Puente, to the 1970s salsa of Rafael Labasta and Orlando Marin, have produced and performed with a new flame.
NRO is the result of the imagination of its artistic director and the man behind Total Refreshment Center and Church of Sound, Lex Blondin. With a long-standing passion for jazz, Lex discovered the explosive Afro-Cuban rhythms of the mid-1940s in New York through the godfather of Afro-Cuban jazz, Mario Bauzá. A time when two musical worlds collided in a fusion of creativity and energy, jazz greats like Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker joined forces with Cuban legends like Machito and Chano Pozo. This vibrant sound was music to dance to and found its place at the New York Palladium, a formative space of freedom and expression that was key to the development of the scene.
Although dance-focused, these early recordings are not often heard in modern club environments, and Lex dreamed of telling their story with contemporary dynamism. A moment of serendipity followed, as a slot in a new festival opened up, and Lex jumped at the chance to make this idea a reality, a big band of 18 musicians breathing new life into these beloved songs.
By calling on the expertise of some of the best talent in the capital, Lex and co-captain Andy Wood, from Como No Fame, assembled a selection of world-class talent. By bringing in Eliane Correa as musical director and conductor, a fluid and interchangeable group of 18 musicians was formed.