CD Review: Falcón In Blue  (Alejandro Falcón)
(Dot Time Records, May 1, 2026)
Review by Bill Tilford, All Rights Reserved

What a joy it is to finally listen to Alejando Falcón on a recording made in Cuba but released on a US-based label!   Alejandro truly is one of those artists who can do - and has done - it all from traditional danzón to son to jazz to timba to funk to what Cuba calls academic music; recordings, , small combos, big bands, collaborations with orchestras, film and television soundtracks - unfortunately for connoisseurs of music in the United States, most of the best of his already-ample body of work has suffered from scarce distribution up north due to a combination of adverse political and economic factors. 
Although not prominently named as such in the packaging, this album features Alejandro's small jazz combo Cubadentro at its core (Alejandro Falcón on piano, Arnulfo Guerra on bass, Ruy López Nussa on drums and José Julián Morejón on percussion)  El Rey David is a tribute to Alejandro's son; Ted in Havana honors Ted Nash, who has left a superb  impression on the locals during his visits to Cuba.  In the last track, a quena is an andean flute, and if memory serves, I believe that Alejandro may have had quinista Rodrigo Sosa in mind when first composing the piece. 
I'm going to do something out of character and not analyze the individual tracks.  Rather I am going to tell you that if you made it this far, just go and listen, then go do a deep dive through Alejandro Falcón's other work. His recogniton by North American listeners is long overdue. 

Tracks (All compositions and arrangements Alejandro Falcón)

1. El Rey David  
2. Una Tarde en Puerto Padre 
3. Tambores en colores
4. Falcon's Blues
5. Bolero para Brenda
6. Ted in Havana
7. Olinda
8. Yuca con mojo
9. Un Son para la Quena

Credits