Carlos Henriquez Dizzy Con Clave: Live at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola

Carlos Henriquez
Dizzy Con Clave: Live at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola
RodBros Music

Henriquez, the bassist with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra for the past twenty years, leads an octet on an exciting Afro-Cuban tribute to Dizzy Gillespie that was recorded live at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola at Jazz at Lincoln Center in late 2017. His band consisted of trumpeters Michael Rodriguez and Terrell Stafford, trombonist Marshall Gilkes, tenor saxophonist Melissa Aldana, pianist Manuel Valera, drummer Obed Calvaire, and congas/vocalist Anthony Almonte.

It goes without saying that Dizzy Gillespie helped create the 'Cubop' era inspired by trumpeter Mario Bauza and percussionist Chano Pozo. Henriquez devised the superb arrangements of Gillespie's compositions, whether bebop classics like "A Night in Tunisia" or "Groovin' High," or the Afro-Cuban classics such as "Manteca" and "Con Alma" that are performed so powerfully here.

"A Night in Tunisia" certainly gets this recording off to a hot start with Melissa Aldana and Michael Rodriguez both soloing hot against the volcanic rhythm section with a thunderous percussion segment. Muted trumpets open "Groovin' High," before Rodriguez takes off with a blistering Afro-Cuban accented solo before Henriguez displays his facility and imagination before the performance transitions into a hot mambo band romp as Almonte taking the lead vocal with the horns blasting. Like the entire recording, it is an exhilarating contemporary synthesis of modern jazz and the traditional Cuban rhythms.

Then there is the exciting performance of "Bebop," that showcases Stafford's explosive trumpet followed by Aldana's sizzling tenor sax. "Manteca" is taken perhaps at a slightly less blistering pace, but the horn ensemble explodes, and the rhythm percolates like a Yellowstone geyser with Rodriguez brilliant on trumpet here. "Con Alma" is given a lush arrangement and taken at a comfortable pace with all four horns soloing along with pianist Valera. Valera and trombonist Gilkes stand out with their romantic, lyrical playing.

"Dizzy Con Clave" is a wonderful recording by a superb band with compelling performances of the terrific inspired arrangements by the Henriquez that greatly honors the memory and legacy of Dizzy Gillespie.

I received from a review copy from a publicist. This review originally appeared in the March-April 2019 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 383).  Here is a video of Carlos Henriguez playing "Bebop" Live From Dizzy's Club Coca Cola.