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Arturo O’Farrill
And The
Afro-Latin
Jazz Orchestra
Song For Chico
ZOHO 200804
★★★★
Conrad Herwig
The Latin Side Of
Wayne Shorter »
HALF NOTE 4535
★★★★ 1 /2
Bands intent on staying al corriente in jazz
should learn to embrace the rich Latin traditions
brilliantly put forth by these distinctive, exciting
recordings. Arturo O’Farrill’s concert band follows
and builds on his father Chico’s Latin traditions,
impressive writing studded with few solos,
and Conrad Herwig’s jam-happy septet reignites
vintage bebop with burning clave.
O’Farrill, pianist in his father Chico’s latterday
studio orchestras and heir to his brilliant ideology
of an embracing pan-jazz scope and living
homage, exquisitely frames repertorial portraits
that are vividly detailed and enrich Latin bigband
heritage. While Arturo’s writing and scoring
is crisp and concise like Chico’s, it’s more
serious, less playful and grand, but every track
has its personal subtext. O’Farrill attracts superb
players and composers in
the tradition. Papo Vasquez
crafts “Caravan” as a robust
mambo with a lively conversation
in joyous tribute to
Duke Ellington trombonist
Juan Tizol. Drummer Dafnis
Prieto contributes the richly
layered title track as a stirring
memorial. “Picadillo”
stands as a lively epitaph for
late tenor sax legend Mario
Rivera. Trumpeter Jim
Seeley’s seething take on Tom Harrell’s
“Humility” is an unexpected blast, and his closing
duo with the leader emits a moonlit sigh of
nostalgia
The third volume of trombonist Herwig’s
bolder-than-life “crossover” reimaginings of bop
classics (after Miles Davis and John Coltrane)
veers into rockier terrain, as Wayne Shorter’s
early tunes (1964–’67) don’t transition as cleanly
from post-bop to clave cruising. He offers no
Davis-era wry twists or wispy ballads: slow as
we go is medium sultry on “Masqualero,” a
darkling showpiece with Herwig ululating a
zaghareet.
Cut live at the Blue Note, Herwig’s churning
charts flash teeth and his Latin Side compadres
(seven with the punch of 14) get the crowd
howling to the raw, earthy grit of hypnotic lines
(“Tom Thumb,” “Night Dreamer”), dazzling
ensembles and all-out solos (Ronnie Cuber’s
blues bari sax on “Tom Thumb” or blistering
“Adam’s Apple”; Brian Lynch’s angelic flight
on “El Gaucho”; Luis Perdomo’s exquisite
ruminations on “This Is For Albert”).
Iconic salsero Eddie Palmieri blesses the date
and lifts it into regal nuyorican Afro-jazz as he
lashes swirling montunos that toll mesmerizingly,
like untuned church-bells. Even on disc, this
is one compelling head-turner of sizzling salsafied
Shorter.
—Fred Bouchard
Song For Chico: Caravan; Such Love; Picadillo; Song For Chico;
Starry Nights; Cuban Blues; Humility; The Journey. (49:42)
Personnel: Reynaldo Jorge, Gary Valente, Luis Bonilla, Doug
Purviance, trombone; Michael Mossman, Jim Seeley, John
Walsh, Michael Rodriguez, trumpet; Bobby Porcelli, Erica von
Kleist, Mario Rivera, Ivan Renta, Pablo Calogero, saxophones;
Arturo O’Farrill, director, piano; Ruben Rodriguez, bassed; Vince
Cherico, drums, timbales; Jimmy Delgado, timbales, bell,
bongo; Tony Rosa, tumbadora.
»
The Latin Side Of Wayne Shorter: Ping Pong; Tom Thumb;
El Gaucho; Night Dreamer; This Is For Albert; Adam’s Apple;
Masqualero; Footprints. (71:46)
Personnel: Conrad Herwig, trombone; Brian Lynch, trumpet;
Eddie Palmieri (6–8), Luis Perdomo (1–5), piano; Ronnie Cuber,
baritone saxophone; Ruben Rodriguez, bass; Bobby Ameen,
drums; Pedro Martinez, congas.
»
Ordering info: zohomusic.com
Ordering info: halfnote.net
82 DOWNBEAT September 2008