Jazz Articles about Luisito Quintero

About Luisito Quintero

Album Review

Colette Michaan: Earth Rebirth

Read "Earth Rebirth" reviewed by Katchie Cartwright

by Katchie Cartwright
October 17, 2023

Colette Michaan's bamboo flute calls out over a looming drone as Earth Rebirth opens. Instruments emerge out of time to create a watery soundscape that becomes increasingly lush as John Benitez's bass brings in the tempo, with Yusnier Sanchez Bustamante's percussion chattering behind Luisito Quintero's swirling cymbals and Leo Genovese's fluid piano. Michaan mapped the composition minimally. The flute is a suling she acquired in her travels in Indonesia, so she sketched out its scale and gave some harmonic context. ...

Album Review

Spanish Harlem Orchestra: Imagenes Latinas

Read "Imagenes Latinas" reviewed by Angelo Leonardi

by Angelo Leonardi
February 2, 2023

L'ottavo album della Spanish Harlem Orchestra celebra il secondo decennio della formazione e colleziona un'altra nomination al Grammy, dopo averne vinti tre. Guidata dal pianista e compositore Oscar Hernández, la big band è una delle voci più acclamate del latin jazz, e si pone sulla scia dei leggendari Manny Oquendo, Barry Rogers, Andy e Jerry Gonzalez alla cui memoria il disco è dedicato. L'impronta stilistica della Spanish Harlem è ovviamente legata alla quarantennale storia musicale del leader, formatosi ...

Album Review

Oscar Hernandez & Alma Libre: Vision

by Edward Blanco
February 27, 2022

Multiple Grammy Award-winning Latin jazz pianist/composer and band leader Oscar Hernandez and his group, Alma Libre (Free Spirit) issue another shoulder-moving album presenting more of the rhythms he and his bands are so well known for. A true Latin music legend, Hernandez is best regarded for his direction of the 13-piece Spanish Harlem Orchestra that has gathered three Grammy Awards. This album was, in essence, a product of the pandemic situation. Hernandez says: “Recording this album was a way to ...

Album Review

Noah Bless: New York Strong—Latin Jazz!

Read "New York Strong—Latin Jazz!" reviewed by Jack Bowers

by Jack Bowers
December 5, 2020

When it comes to Latin jazz, trombonist Noah Bless is no novice, having gigged in and around New York City for the better part of three decades with such Latin stars as Paquito D'Rivera, Mario Bauza, Oscar D'Leon, Celia Cruz, Willie Colon and Eddie Palmieri, and sat in with the Lincoln Center Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra and Spanish Harlem Orchestra, among others. After so many years toiling in the trenches, Bless has at long last decided to unfurl his Latin chops ...

Album Review

Spanish Harlem Orchestra: The Latin Jazz Project

Read "The Latin Jazz Project" reviewed by Mark Sullivan

by Mark Sullivan
July 31, 2020

When last heard from, the salsa powerhouse Spanish Harlem Orchestra was celebrating fifteen years of playing together with Anniversary (ArtistShare, 2018). There have always been elements of Latin jazz in the group's music, and Artistic Director Oscar Hernández is a noted Latin jazz pianist, so it was only a matter of time until they presented a full program of it. In addition to his arrangements, Hernández contributed several compositions, and is a prominent soloist. The band contains some ...