A summit meeting between the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra led by pianist Arturo O’Farrill and The Santiago Big Band from Cuba, featuring pianist Marcos A. Fernandez, results in an exciting and sizzling collection of sounds and pulses.
Things open up with O ‘Farrill on a rich prelude, leading to a magnificent avalance of American and Cuban precussion for the sauntering “Cha” and undr Jaspre Dutz’s lith clarinet on the Old School slsa of “Almendra”. The festive “Bilongo includes Ivan Acosta’s flying flute and Carlos Miyares’ bold tenor, whiel “Dialogo” is as bright as the headlights of a 57 Chevy for Cesar Lopez’s swirling soprano and Adam O’Farrill’s pungent trumpet. The street party is felt all the way through , with the incessant groove bubbling over likea volcano for solos by Fernando Dewar’s tres and a dialogue of brass rom Alain Dragoni/tp, Raoni Sanchez/tp and Rafi Malkiel/tb on “El Manisero”. The guayabera is dripping with sweat on this one.