A brilliant meeting of modes from the mighty Arturo O'Farrill – a set that combines a rich tapestry of Cuban styles with American jazz elements from the cubop years and beyond – all into a spacious double-length set of performances that brings together musicians from around the globe, all recording in Havana under Arturo's direction! The tracks are often ambitious, but never overly-complicated – and instead almost take us back to the clarity of vision that we first loved in the older Afro-Cuban experiments of Machito with Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie – and the ability of those records to throw out many ideas at once, yet keep things very fluid and forward-moving at all times. Most tunes were written especially for the project – and titles include "Vaca Frita", "Second Line Soca", "El Bombon", "Just One Moment", "The Triumphant Journey", "Afro Latin Jazz Suite", "Guajira Simple", "Alabanza", "Blues Guaguanco", and "There's A Statue Of Jose Marti In Central Park". (Jazz, Latin)CD
Heavy Latin grooves from pianist Elio Villafranca – working here with a great large lineup that's filled to the brim with heavyweight players! The session's the kind that you'll find at the best Club Coca Cola presentations – one of those rare moments where big money allows a special sort of performance, but the kind that never dampens its edge for the mainstream – and instead chooses that moment to unleash something really special! Villafranca composed and arranged all the tunes – and even produced the setting – and he makes great use of players who include Sean Jones and Terrell Stafford on trumpet, Vincent Herring on alto, Greg Tardy on tenor, and both Willie Jones III and Lewis Nash on drums. The set's also got a fair bit of added percussion – which really intensifies the sound promised in the title – and tracks include "Caribbean Tinge", "Flower By The Dry River", "Mambo Vivo", "Two To Tango", and "Last Train To Paris". (Jazz, Latin)CD
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