Dang! Does David Murray ever stop re-inventing himself? We think not – and this album is great proof of that fact! The set's a really tasty batch of Latin Jazz numbers – played to perfection by Murray and a host of excellent New York musicians, working together in large group format with a sound and style that's at the peak of perfection for this sort of recording. Murray wrote all the tunes, so the album goes way past the cliches of Latin-ized standards that you're probably sick of hearing anyway – and it's steeped in a soulful approach to the genre that really grabbed our ears from the first note! Titles include "Giovanni's Mission", "Sad Kind Of Love", "Mambo Dominica", "Break Out", and "Aerol's Change". (Jazz, Latin) CD

West coast Latin jazz legend John Santos digs even deeper than usual here – serving up a set of tracks that trace the roots of the Cuban descarga style, but all with some of the warmth and personality that have made his previous records so great! John's core group features the leader on percussion, Melecio Magdaluyo on saxes, John Calloway on flute and piano, Marco Diaz on trumpet and piano, Saul Sierra on bass, and David Flores on drums. But there's plenty of contributions from older Latin legends – like Jerry Gonzalez on trumpet, Orlando Maraca Valle on flute, and Orlando Torriente on vocals – part of an expanded lineup that also changes up the sound a bit too, in way that isn't strictly a recreation of the late 50s/early 60s descarga modes – but instead shows how much those roots have evolved to inform the modes of Latin jazz. Titles include "14 Mission", "Juego De Ajedrez", "Lo Tuyo No Va", "Descargarara", "Tichin", "Descarga Con Changui", and "Los Misterios". CD

Stan the man, grooving in a sweet Latin mode! The paring of Kenton modernism and Latin rhythms might seem an odd combination – but it works beautifully on this session by adding in rich tones and shades of colors to the lively percussion in the set! Kenton's orchestra is augmented by a great percussion section that includes Mike Pacheco, Willie Rodriguez, and Tommy Lopez – and horn players like Don Sebesky, Charlie Mariano, and Rolf Ericson really flesh out the tunes with some fluid ensemble work. Titles are mostly originals by Roland, and include "Siesta", "Mission Trail", "Agua Marine", "Chocolate Caliente", and "Opus In Chartreuse Cha Cha Cha". Plus, added to the album are 6 bonus tracks from Artistry In Bossa Nova – recorded in 1963, and including "Artistry In Bossa Nova", "Interlude", "Jump For Joe", "Loco Nova", and "Concerto To End All Concertos". (Jazz, Latin) CD

A masterful meeting of Eric Dolpy and The Latin Jazz Quintet – a record that shows a rare Latin side of Dolphy's talents, but one that's totally great! The core group here are the ensemble led by conga player Juan Amalbert with vibes, piano, bass, and percussion – a group who helped push the Latin jazz style of earlier 50s work into much hipper territory during the 60s – usually by adding in a reedman like Dolphy! Eric's blowing here on alto, flute, and bass clarinet – showing a great sensitivity to the core groove of the record, but also managing to cut in these edgier moments that really open things up! The mix of vibes and Dolphy alone is worth the price of admission – especially when heard in an "inside" way that's quite different than his later meeting with Bobby Hutcherson – but the overall groove really holds the record together wonderfully, and makes it appealing for fans of both Latin and modern jazz! Titles include "Mambo Ricci", "Sunday Go Meetin", "First Bass Line", "Caribe", and "Blues In 6/8". (Jazz, Latin) CD