Bill O'Connell and the Afro Caribbean Ensemble The Wind Off The Hudson

Bill O'Connell and the Afro Caribbean Ensemble
The Wind Off The Hudson
Savant Records

Bill O'Connell first big break in the New York scene came playing with Mongo Santamaria in 1977. Latin Jazz has always been a significant part of his musical world along with straight-ahead jazz over the past four decades. This newest release is in the Latin jazz vein with the Afro Caribbean Ensemble. Its members include Andrea Brachfeld – flute and alto flute; Craig Handy – alto sax and soprano sax; Ralph Bowen – tenor sax; Gary Smulyan – baritone sax, Alex Sipiagin – trumpet and flugelhorn; Conrad Herwig – trombone; Lincoln Goines – electric bass; Robby Ameen – drums; and Roman Diaz – congas.

With names like Handy, Smulyan, Sipiagin, and Herwig in this little big band, one's ears perk up. Add the leader's arrangements and own playing, and one has expectations for a fabulous recording. These expectations are met starting with the title track with its Afro-Cuban grooves and a charging, robust baritone solo from Smulyan against the percolating heated rhythms and the many-faceted orchestration of the horns followed by O'Connell's driving solo and Handy adding a short chorus. O'Connell's "Jerry's Blues" is a display in the integration of rhythm and melodic invention as the baritone sax and rhythm section plays a rhythmic motif as Sipiagin blasts off with some fiery trumpet followed by some surging tenor sax and more brilliant piano and a tight drum solo.

As good as the originals are, the covers stand out from the originality and inventiveness of the arrangements and the superb playing starting with Tito Puente's classic "Oye Como Va," taken at a slightly slower pace than the better-known versions by Puente and Santana. Besides Brachfeld's sonorous flute, Smulyan digs deep on the baritone sax. O'Connell provides a sterling orchestration for Juan Tizol's "Perdido," with Handy and Bowen but playing quite dynamically on alto and tenor respectively. O'Connell is brilliant sounding part McCoy Tyner and part Eddie Palmieri, and Herwig takes an energetic gruff-toned solo.

The most radical arrangement is on Duke Ellington's "C Jam Blues," which many people would not guess the tune if listening in a blindfold test. The arrangement remakes a song that historically has been a jam vehicle into an orchestrated showcase for band members which includes trading of fours by Smulyan and Bowen as the others provide atmosphere. O'Connell's again solos brilliantly, even inserting a phrase from Monk's "Rhythm-a-ning," before the horns play a riff during the drum and percussion solo that takes this to its close. Also fascinating is the rendition of John Coltrane's "Transition," a composition from Coltrane's freer recordings. O'Connell's orchestration provides the foundation for terrific solos from Handy (on soprano sax), Smulyan and Herwig before the leader's solo backed by the high-level ensemble playing by the band. It is another first-rate performance on a superlative recording that is likely among the best albums of this year.

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here is "Oye Como Va" from this CD.

 

Little Johnny Rivero Music In Me

Little Johnny Rivero

Music In Me
Truth Revolution Recordings

Veteran Latin percussionist Little Johnny Rivera has his second effort as a leader titled, “Music in Me.” Rivero has performed on nearly 100 recordings with La Sonora Ponceña, Eddie Palmieri, Bebo Valdés, Charlie Palmieri, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Paquito D' Rivera, Brian Lynch, and Conrad Herwig among others. Growing up he was exposed to a wide range of music "including Tito Puente, Machito, Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, Tony Bennett, all of which my father had in his record collection. Also, there were always rumba jams. Inside of me is a Latin Jazz Rumba."

On "Music in Me" he has assembled a band featuring trumpeter Brian Lynch, alto saxophonist Louis Fouché, pianist Zaccai Curtis and bass player Luques Curtis. Special guests on this program of nine compositions include trombonist Conrad Herwig, trumpeter Jonathan Powell, violinist Alfredo de la Fé, percussionists Anthony Carrillo and Luisito Quintero, vocalists Manny Mieles and Edwin Ramos and Giovanni Almonte (spoken word).

The opening selection, "Mr. LP," dedicated to Marty Cohen the founder of Latin Percussion, establishes the tenor of the recording with its Afro-Cuban danceable grooves. Anthony Carrillo's percussion added here with pianist Curtis laying down his sound along with Herwig's robust contribution followed by a percussion interlude before Herwig and Lynch add some brass fireworks. Pianist Curtis and Rivera composed the title track, a hot jazz rumba with some terrific trumpet from Lynch, one of today's most brilliant trumpeters whether playing Latin jazz as here or hard bop (like when he was with the late Phil Woods). Fouché also solos with authority here. Zaccai Curtis' "Let's Do It Again" is built on a nice hard bop line but transformed into a smoking Afro-Cuban groove with Afonso at the fore. Andy Guzman contributed what Rivera describes as a Latin jazz mambo, "Little Giants," with Jonathan Powell playing the hot trumpet and guest Anthony Carrillo smoking on the bongos.

The cha-cha-cha "Palmieri, Much Respect" was composed by pianist Curtis and dedicated to the great Eddie Palmieri with the leader on timbales and Curtis wonderful with his spicy melodic invention. A celebration of Africa, the home of all drumming is Brian Lynch's "African, My Land" with a recitation of a poem by Giovanni Almonte and strong saxophone from Fouché. and Rivera and Manny Mieles chanting over the percussion near the end. After the explosive, percussive "Bombazúl," there is the funky "Afro Rykan Thoughts," with its jamming feel and blazing playing from Lynch and Fouché, along with Curtis' memorable piano.

"Alambique," named after a beach in Isla Verde, Puerto Rico, sports a timbales solo by Luisito Quintero and a violin solo from Alfredo de la Fe (both stellar), and is the final performance on a terrific Latin Jazz recording full of excellent ensemble work, intriguing arrangements and hot, driving dance grooves. Little Johnny Rivera has put out a recording with some very big sounds.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review originally appeared in the November-December 2016 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 369) to which I have made minor corrections. Here is a video of Little Johnny Rivero in performance.

Marvelous Spanish language Nat King Cole Tribute

It says so much about highly Cuban singer Issac Delgado is regarded, that his new CD, “LOVE,” (Calle 54 Records), is the first tribute to Nat King Cole, that Cole’s brother Freddie Cole participated in. The album is centered around the three albums Cole recorded that were recorded for Spanish speaking audiences and includes several other Cole recordings that Delgado sings here in Spanish (some of the songs on this Cole recorded in Portuguese or English). Backing him is a rhythm section of pianist John di Martino; bassist Charles Flores; drummer Dafnis Prieto and percussionist Pedro Martinez. Also present are trumpeter Brian Lynch, trombonist Conrad Herwig and saxophonist-clarinetist Ken Peplowski who contribute to various of the twelve songs. Freddie Cole adds his English vocals to two of the performances. As Will Friedwald observes in the liner book, Cole sang Spanish and Portuguese phonetically when he recorded the three albums for Latin audiences, and recorded these albums in Havana, Rio de Janeiro and Mexico City. This was a point that endeared Cole to these audiences, and even though Delgado was not even born when Cole’s albums were released, “he grew with them.”


I have not heard the original Nat King Cole recordings nor speak Spanish, but to listen to Issac Delgado sing is a joy through his intimate, sensual and romantic delivery which is matched by the marvelous musicians backing him. The rhythm section is sublime and adding the warm trumpet and flugelhorn of Lynch on the opening “Perfidia,” is magical. Peplowski’s clarinet helps set the tone on “Quizas, Quizas, Quizas/ Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps,” one of the two duets with Freddie Cole who comes in after Peplowski’s solo and whose vocal provides an intriguing contrast to that by Delgado. “Tiernamente” is better known as “Tenderly,” and breaks from guitarist Romero Lubambo and pianist Martino help embellish the warm sensuality of Delgado’s baritone. The mood switches from the light latinized rendition of “Tiernamente ,” to the hot Cuban salsafied (to use Friedwald’s decription) of “Ay Cosita Linda,” with Martino’s brilliant arrangement and a fiery Lynch solo.” Then there is the bossa nova flavor of “Suas Maos” with some lovely trombone from Herwig, while on “A Su Mirar Me Acostumbré,” the lovely Spanish rendition of “I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face,” only the rhythm section provides the sublime accompaniment. Freddie Cole opens “Green Eyes/ Aquellos Ojos Verdes,” with Peplowski providing some alluring tenor sax before Delagdo enters almost with as a whisper before again drawing the listener in with the sensualness he provides. The title track was one of Nat King Cole’s last hit records and opening with a bass vamp features spirited playing from Lynch that takes this performance to new heights.


In the liner booklet, Will Friedwald makes the claim that Delgado brought the “same combination of remarkable chops, musicianship and overwhelming, loving warmth that Cole himself brought to the songs of Cuba, Mexico, Brazil and elsewhere … .” The music on “LOVE,” substantiates the claim. The combination of Delgado’s vocals and the exquisite accompaniments result in this being one of the year’s most enchanting recordings.

Review copy of CD provided by publicity firm for the recording label. Review has been published in September 2009 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 329) at jazz-blues.com.