This soundtrack comes from a full-length film dedicated to Latin jazz. Solo piano, jazz trios, and larger ensembles carry the tradition to an audience thirsty for knowledge. As the world gets smaller, the audience for this music grows in size. Jazz, with direct ties to Cuba, Brazil, The Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Argentina, Africa and Europe, makes a pleasurable soundtrack. It's new music for a new world. Director Fernando Trueba calls the film "a musical about music."

Dizzy Gillespie's United Nation Orchestra and his earlier big bands made considerable progress as ambassadors who spread the sounds of jazz around the world. From Sony's 54th Street studios in New York, this cross-section of Latin jazz spokesmen gathered to record the music for Trueba's motion picture. The result is a film that allows the music to speak for itself. By meeting with Bebo Valdés in Sweden, Chucho Valdés in Havana, Jerry González in Puerto Rico (the land of his family), Chico O'Farrill in New York, and Chano Domínguez in Puerto de Santa Maria, Spain, Trueba assembled a film that details the origins of Latin jazz and offers insight as to how it's developed in a century. The soundtrack reflects both the myriad cultural traits that remain, and jazz's fresh, improvisational nature.

Track listing: (1) Panamerica; (2) Samba Triste; (3) Oye Cómo Viene; (4) Earth Dance; (5) From Within; (6) Introducción, Llamerity y Tango/Bolivia; (7) New Arrival; (8) Caridad Amaro; (9) Afro-Cuban Jazz Suite; (10) Lágrimas Negras; (11) Compa Galletano; (12) La Comparsa.

Personnel: (1) Paquito D'Rivera- alto saxophone, clarinet; Diego Urcola- trumpet; Aquiles Baez- guitar; Raul Jaurena- bandoneón; Dave Samuels- vibraphone, marimba; Dario Eskenazi- piano; Oscaro Stagnaro- bass; Mark Walker- drums; Pernell Saturnino- percussion; Milton Cardona- voice and batá (iyá); José Fernández- batá (okónkolo); Abi Holliday- batá (itótele). (2) Eliane Elías- piano; Marc Johnson- bass; Satoshi Takeishi- drums. (3) Chano Domínguez- piano; Guillermo McGill- drums; Javier Colina- bass; Blas Córdoba "El Kejío"- flamenco singer and handclaps; Tomás Moreno "Tomasito"- dance and handclaps; Israel Suárez "Piraña"- cajón and handclaps. (4) Jerry González- flugelhorn, congas; Larry Willis- piano; Steve Berrios- drums; Andy González- bass; Joe Ford- alto saxophone. (5) Michel Camilo- piano; Anthony Jackson- bass; Horacio "El Negro" Hernández- drums. (6) Gato Barbieri- tenor saxophone; Mark Soskin- piano; Mario Rodríguez- bass; Robbie González- drums; Frank Colón- percussion. (7) Tito Puente- timbales, vibraphone; Hilton Ruiz- piano; Giovanni Hidalgo- congas; Mario Rivera- tenor saxophone; Dave Valentin- flute; Joe Santiago- bass. (8) Chucho Valdés- piano. (9) Chico O'Farrill- director; Arturo O'Farrill- piano; Michael Mossman, Jim Seeley, Matt Hilgenberg, Jon Owens- trumpet; Richard Perry- alto saxophone; Marshall McDonald- alto saxophone, clarinet; Peter Brainin, Mike Migliore- tenor saxophone, clarinet; Max Schweiger- baritone saxophone; Rick Stepton, "Papo" Vázquez, Sam Burtis- trombone; Jack Jeffers- bass trombone; Andy González- bass; Joe González- bongos, percussion; Rolando Guerrero- congas; Horacio "El Negro" Hernández- drums. (10) Bebo Valdés- piano; Israel López "Cachao"- bass. (11) Orlando Puntilla Ríos- congas, cajón, voice; Pedro Martinez- congas, cajón, voice; Román Díaz- congas, cajón, voice, batás; Pedro Valdés- shékere; Félix Sanabria- claves; Rosalía Gamboa, Felix Insúa- dance; Carlos "Patato" Valdés- congas; Andy González- bass. (12) Bebo Valdés- piano; Chucho Valdés- piano.

Style: Mainstream/Bop/Hard Bop/Cool
Published: July 01, 2001

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