Carlos Del Puerto took Afro-Cuban bass playing and he pushed it into the future, largely through his work with the legendary group Irakere. Playing alongside Latin Jazz legends like Chucho Valdés, Paquito D’Rivera, Arturo Sandoval, Carlos Averhoff, César López, and more, he found a way to blend jazz, traditional Afro-Cuban music, as well as modern rock and funk into a potent new musical approach. This was a sound built from the bottom up that included the rhythmic ferocity of Afro-Cuban music, the harmonic sophistication of jazz, and the greasy articulation of funk. Del Puerto was a visionary bass player who could see the melding points between these different styles and lay an unshakeable foundation.

In my opinion, the bass playing of Carlos Del Puerto is an essential study for any bass player, especially if they have an interest in playing Latin Jazz or Salsa – so this month’s transcription focuses on a class Del Puerto line, “Bailando Así”. There’s a lot to love in the line – from the unique way that Del Puerto frames the clave to the funky articulations that are woven into the main groove, this line is a lesson in creative energy. Of course, Del Puerto’s groove is like a rock, holding the band together as they fly between vocal improvisations, hard hitting horn lines, and a screaming trumpet solo. The way that he interprets the traditional tumbao is fascinating and really shows him looking into the future. This is an inspired line – I learned a lot from it, I hope you enjoy!

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