Albare - Plays Jobim Vol. 2

Albare -  Plays Jobim Vol. 2 - Alfi Records

This CD is the second volume by the guitarist Albare devoted to the legendary father of bossa nova, Antonio Carlos Jobim. Like the first volume, there are ten renditions of Jobim's signature songs along with the classic "Summer Samba." Albare co-produced this with Phil Turcio, who did the mixing and mastering. Like the first volume, Joe Chindamo is on piano. Chindamo also made all the arrangements and conducted the orchestra. Ricardo 'Ricky' Rodriguez is on bass again, while Pablo Bencid is on drums on most of this recording, and Luisito Quintero is on percussion. Antonio Sanchez plays drums on two songs, Nestor Torres plays the flute for two, and Randy Brecker plays trumpet on two selections.

Reviewing Albare's earlier volume of Jobim's music, I wrote, "Albare is a romanticist as a guitarist, with his guitar (whether electric or acoustic) in a melodic and lyrical mode. His single-note playing sings the lyrics while adding with genial embellishments to the melody while provided with a light, subtle backing." Like the earlier recording, strings provide a lush, breezy feel for "Dindi," "Summer Samba," "Girl From Ipanema," and "So Dança Samba." Nestor Torres' flute adds a nice touch to "Summer Samba," while Randy Brecker's bright trumpet adds some heat to "So Dança Samba," which also sports an appealing guitar solo. Torres' also adds color to Albare's treatment of "How Insensitive," as does Brecker' again enlivens's muted trumpet on "Favela." Albare's picking lends a poignant case to "A Felicidad" and a reflective interpretation of "Trieste." The album closes with the calming, relaxed "Meditation."

Like the prior Jobim tribute, these are relaxed performances where Albare plays with a deft touch. The resulting music is another easy to listen to recording full of charm that captures Jobim's music's beauty.

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here is "How Insensitive" from this album.

Noah Bless New York Strong - Latin Jazz!

Noah Bless
New York Strong - Latin Jazz!
Zoho Music

On the back cover of "New York Strong," Arturo O'Farrill is quoted, "Noah Bless is New York Strong. I've seen him on the finest bandstands representing this great city, in a manner that honors that NYC tradition of purposefulness. He is equally at home in swing, rumba, or samba, but always strong." Trombonist, composer and leader Bless is a 30-year veteran of New York City's rich Latin Jazz scene. Bless, in the words of Bill Milkowski, "has immersed himself in Afro-Cuban music, soaking up mambo and rhumba while getting the clave ingrained into his DNA." He toured with legends such as Mario Bauza, Celia Cruz, Eddie Palmieri, Ray Santos, the Spanish Harlem Orchestra, and Arturo O'Farrill's Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra. On this recording, Bless leads a band of Mike Eckroth on piano, Boriz Koslov on bass, Pablo Bencid on drums, and Luisito Quintero on percussion. Alejandro Aviles adds flute to two selections.

Bless is a trombonist who can exhibit a lyrical side as own his "Chasing Normal" or add heat to the surging Afro-Cuban groove of Rudy Calzado's "Ganga." This latter number places the spotlight on Bencid and Quintero. Bencid is on electric piano on the delightful Baden Powell samba, "Canto De Ossanha," with the spotlight on Bless' cashmere wool tone trombone. There is also considerable charm to Bless' interpretation of Jobim's "Ligia," which again shows his melodic side. Bless, in fact, says, "That melodic things always been my strong suit."

Bill Mobley's "49th Street" is transformed from a hard bop composition into a relaxed Afro-Cuban performance with Aviles' flute complementing Bless fluid solo flight over the effervescent groove. Aviles is also present on Bless' original "The Key," a rhythmically charged composition with alternating leisurely and feverish tempos that provides solo space to everyone. An unexpected delight is Bless' arrangement and the group's rendition of James Taylor's well-known folk composition, "Fire and Rain." It is another selection that results in Noah Bless' long-overdue debut as a leader being such a marvelous listening experience.

I received a review copy from a publicist. This review originally appeared in the January-February 2021 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 394). I have made a couple minor edits. Here is "Sunny Ray" from the album.

Spanish Harlem Orchestra Anniversary

Spanish Harlem Orchestra
15 Anniversary
Artistshare

The title of the latest recording from the celebrated Latin jazz and salsa band is that it celebrates the Spanish Harlem Orchestra's 15th year. After decades of session work, composing, arranging and producing, bandleader Oscar Hernández was approached by producer Aaron Levinson in 2000 about the idea of assembling and recording a Latin jazz orchestra. The result was "Un Gran Dia en el Barrio," the 2002 debut recording which received a Grammy nomination for Best Salsa Album and a Latin Billboard Award for Salsa Album and led to Hernández and SHO touring and wowing audiences. They have won two Grammy Awards in the years since and continue to dazzle audiences.

Certainly, this latest recording will wow listeners with contributions from all the members of this exciting band (with Randy Brecker a guest on one selection). Unquestionably, the opening "Esa Nena" by vocalist Marco Bermúdez and conga player George Delgado gets this very hot recording off. There is plenty of heat, although at a more relaxed tempo on "Yo Te Prometo," with a volcanic trumpet break and crisp solo while the latin percussion trio of Delgado, Luisito Quintero on timbales and Jorge González provide the hot rhythmic percolation with the vocalists of Bermúdez, Carlos Cascante and Jeremy Bosch do their spirited singing while Mitch Frohman's baritone along with Gerardo 'Jerry' Madera's bass helps anchor the performance along while Hernández is superb whether as part of the rhythm section or his imaginative soloing.

Other tracks to note highlight include a couple from Hernández, "Goza El Ritmo" and "Somos Uno," with the latter features some brilliant Randy Brecker trumpet, as well as a lyrical solo from the leader. One could easily discuss all of the other performances as the Spanish Harlem Orchestra dazzles throughout with their vibrant music that will thrill dancers and listeners on a terrific recording.

I received my copy from Artistshare as a participant. This review appeared in the September-October 2018 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 380) although I have made minor stylistic edits. Here they perform "Somos Uno" live.