Review: Yelfris Valdes: Tour de force performance at London’s Jazz Cafe (Includes first-hand account)

Yelfris Valdés is a talented artist, having supported many big name musicians over the years and being proficient in various musical styles – Latin, Afro-Cuban, electronic, traditional, and jazz-oriented.

Yelfris Valdés performing at the Jazz Cafe, London.

Tim Sandle

Yelfris’s versatility and improvisational abilities have led him to play with Yussef Kamal, Moses Boyd, Nubya Garcia, grime legend Kano MC, as well as Chucho Valdés, Billy Harper, Charlie Hunter, Sugaray, and Quantic. Now the Cuban-born trumpet player has released his debut album and this was showcased at London’s iconic Jazz Cafe.

Jazz Cafe, London. London’s premiere live music venue is back, showcasing the best music from across the world seven nights a week.

Tim Sandle

Yelfris Valdés was born in Havana in 1983, and he began visiting Europe at the age of 16. For the past five years he has been living in London. In 2018 he released his debut EP titled The World of Eshu Dina; this has been followed up by a full-album called For The Ones. Here the incredible Afrocuban Trumpeter player can be heard to the full; although the live performance brought his magnificent playing out even more brightly.

Trumpet player Yelfris Valdés at the Jazz Cafe.

Tim Sandle

On Thursday, October 10, Valdés presented his new album at the Jazz Cafe. The evening contained soaring trumpet lines, with complex harmonies and electronics.

At times the Afro Cuban rhythms were mixed with Yoruban shamanic chants; at other times the harmonies were provided by the audience, at Valdés’s encouragement. Either way the combination created powerful and emotive music.

Yelfris Valdés delights the capacity crowd at the Jazz Cafe.

Tim Sandle

The full-line up was:

Yelfris Valdés: trumpet, flugelhorn
Al MacSween: keys
Josh Barber: bass
Ernesto Marichales: percussion
Sylvain Couesmes: beat, production
Medhi Karimi: drums
Simo Lagnawi (Special guest): guembri, voice

The music had the capacity crowd moving and dancing, to music that sought to connect Yelfris’s personal Cuban musical history to his current position as a member of London’s multi-faceted, multi-rooted music scene. Sometimes the audience were gripped by solo trumpet playing, at other times by trance-like spatial sounds. There was plenty to entrance and surprise.

Cuban trumpet player Yelfris Valdés in action.

Tim Sandle

The electric jazz-themed set was superb, presenting Yelfris Valdés as an important artist to sit up and take notice of.