Jazz Articles about Oscar Hernandez

About Oscar Hernandez

Live Review

Oscar Hernández & Alma Libre at Jazz Alley

by Paul Rauch
November 25, 2025

Oscar Hernández & Alma LibreJazz AlleySeattle WANovember 19, 2025 The appearance of legendary Latin jazz pianist Oscar Hernandez at Jazz Alley brought with it a special designation. His performances in Seattle have largely been as part of the Spanish Harlem Orchestra, the award-winning ensemble that Hernandez leads. His Alma Libre Quintet is aptly named, considering that the smaller ensemble indeed frees the soul of the pianist/composer to engage in full expression as a instrumentalist. ...

Album Review

Spanish Harlem Orchestra: Swing Forever

Read "Swing Forever" reviewed by Angelo Leonardi

by Angelo Leonardi
July 4, 2025

La prorompente miscela di “salsa dura" con elementi afrocubani e influenze jazz torna in questo nono disco della Spanish Harlem Orchestra, sempre guidata dal suo fondatore Oscar Hernández. Se il precedente album era dedicato alla memoria dei grandi bandleader Manny Oquendo, Barry Rogers, Andy e Jerry Gonzalez stavolta ci si ispira allo swing delle big band, ovviamente sul modello latino. La funzione di questa musica è radicata nel ballo e un giudizio estetico superficiale può giudicarla troppo codificata: il suo ...

Album Review

Gino Amato: Latin Crossroads

Read "Latin Crossroads" reviewed by Richard J Salvucci

by Richard J Salvucci
October 24, 2024

The urge to take advantage of a successful commercial genre never really dies. Back in the 1960s, a studio orchestra nominally assembled by bandleader Glen Gray released a recording, Sounds of the Great Bands in Latin (Capitol, 1964). It took tunes like “Early Autumn" or “A String of Pearls" and added a “Latin" flavor with jazz enhancements. No doubt, this was an early recognition of the success of Cal Tjader. The vinyl may or may not have done well, but ...

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

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 ...

Radio & Podcasts

Oscar Hernandez, Louis Armstrong, Ron Carter and More

by Joe Dimino
December 7, 2019

Kicking off the 623rd Episode of Neon Jazz is a towering figure in the world of Latin Jazz, Mr. Oscar Hernández who teamed up with Alma LIbre with a cut off his latest album Love the Moment. From there, we hear from some of the biggest names in jazz, from Dave Miller and his trio to Spirit Fingers, we have some fresh sounds on this hour of music. We also profile the new works of Laurence Hobgood, Joshua Jern and ...