It’s Cruise Night…
Put on your dancing shoes for this latest release from the Spanish Harlem Orchestra, led by piaist Oscar Hernandez and featuring the bold bel canto voices of Marco Bemudea, Carlos Cascante and Jeremy Bosch (who also plays fl ute). Gilberto Santa Rosa jumps in to sing on a sizzling “Llego El Caballero” with vocal choruses passionate on the bright “Las Calles” and penetrating on “Bailador”. The reeds are smooth on “Sentimiento De Mi Son” and the the trumpet simmer on “Ven Goza Conmigo”. If the title track with its bold colors doesn’t get you on your feet, I can turn you on to some Kenny G recordings which may be more to your taste and lifestyle
Playing trumpet and flugelhorn, Jonathan Powell puts together a bold and beautiful team that includes Andrew Gold/as, Jeremy Powell/ts, Jimmy Bosch/tb and an avalanche of a rhythm section including percussionists Camilo Molina, Marcos Lopez, Marcos Torres, Luisito Quintero and Antony Almonte. Manuela Valeara’s keys breeze with Nir Felder’s electric guitar work on “Hope and Louis Vouche’s alto sax is bright and confident on “Juancito”. Vocals by Almonte and bel canto on “Un Dia Bonito” and Itai Kriss’ flute glides like a dove on “Yogananda”, while the leader is as polished as the grill on a 57 Chevy on a clever take of Joe Henderson’s “Inner Urge”. Running on all 8 cylinders.