New York based Carlos Jimenez puts rich muscle in his flute work on this album of ten wide ranging originals. His team of drummer Vince Cherico, bassist Ruben Rodriguez and pianist Martignon are flexible and adept in every mood, ranging from the upbeat swingers like “You’re The Best Pops” to the groove jammer “Smoketacular”. Jimenez is rich around the late night piano blues on the late night casual “Snuggle and Cuddle” and he is deft floating over the waltzing brushes of the feathery “Eyes Over Dawn”. Rodriguez and Cherico dig in deep on the Latinized “Bamboo Path” and Rodriguez plugs in and gets the team funky on the back beating “Dreams of Brazil”. The team slinks well on “Wheelbarrow Blues”, but things get real interesting when the team pairs down to a duet, with Jimenez and Martignon get dreamy on the pastoral “Not That Far Away”. While most albums stick to one color or feel, Jimenez shows that the woodwinds can blow in any direction. Impressive breezes.
