Charanguea’o En TÍpico
This chapter looks at flute player George Castro’s improvisational style in this ‘trombanga’ [trombones and flute] line-up. This combines charanga and conjunto elements, providing the template for the New York ‘salsa dura’ [hard salsa] sound later developed by the likes of Willie Colón. Here Castro’s típico 5-key soloing style is compared to La Perfecta II’s 21st-century versions by Eddy Zervigón and Dave Valentín to further explore manifestations of cubanía, sabor, Latinidad, jazz inflection, and freer forms of extemporization. The legacy of Eddie Palmieri’s experimental approach is also evaluated here.