Some of the most vibrant Latin jazz you’re going to hear is listed in the catalogue of trombonist Wayne Wallace. This latest one with a quintet including, but not limited to, Murray Low/p, David Belove/b, Colin Douglas/dr and Michael Spiro/perc takes various forms of latin themes and styles and gives them a modern jazz feel, and then turns the complement around by adding some salsa to jazz standards from the likes of Coltrane, Monk and Ellington.
One of the best parts of latin jazz is that the styles are listed as types of dances. A hot little cha-cha of “La Habana” includes Pete Escovedo’s timbales, while “Puertas Y Caminos'” rhumba rhythms feature some marvelous piano work as well as unison work between Wallace and Belove. A liltingly hip reading of “Giant Steps” builds up into a wondrous gallop with Masuara Koga’s tenor adding some extra red meat, and a particularly steamy “Prelude to a Kiss” is delivered in a seductive Bolero. A bunsen burner of a set!
Patois Records