Hilario Duran: Cry Me A River

Hilario Duran is a renowned Cuban-Canadian jazz pianist and composer known for contributing to Latin jazz. He does not release big band efforts often, but with the release of Cry Me A River, he has reconstituted his Latin Jazz Big Band to take us on an extraordinary musical journey, effortlessly blending myriad genres into his singular style. Durán's Afro-Caribbean cultural attachment informs the nine works of both originals and covers in this outing, resulting in a unique tapestry of sound.

Opening with "Pacá por Juanito," which is a tribute to Cuban guitarist Juanito Márquez, Durán acknowledges that he learned to arrange for a big band by studying Marquez' scores. He studied well, judging by the command over his craft, in a chart filled with harmonic sensibility. The following track is "Mambo y Tambao," another dedicated composition, this time to Bebo Valdes—who invented the 'batanga' rhythm—and influential bandleader Perez Prado. Durán's skillful and sparkling piano work leads the band through the vibrant arrangement, which skips and leaps around the rhythmic elements.

Moving to "I Remember Mingus," which is a tribute to Charles Mingus the great bassist, composer and band leader, Durán has mapped the arrangement to give prominence to bassist Marc Rogers. He also allocated solo space to high-profile alto saxophonist Paquito D'Rivera and wrote a couple of bars of Mingus-like musical figures. The result is a number filled with sharply etched pulsations.

The two covers are the title track "Cry Me A River" and the Dizzy Gillespie classic "Night In Tunisia." The former was an American torch song written by Arthur Hamilton and made famous in 1955 by Julie London. In a blend of nostalgia and vivacity, Durán integrated these elements to provide a showcase for Elizabeth Rodriguez to demonstrate her vocal talent and instrumental dexterity on violin with a dazzling solo improvisation. The latter number becomes a tour de force for alto saxophonist D'Rivera as he slides through each register with structural perfection in a track infused with throbbing energy.

The closer is Frederic Chopin's composition "Fantasia Impromptu," which is a classical/jazz mash-up and features D'Rivera on clarinet. The complex Brazilian/Cuban overlay that Durán imparts to the Chopin theme and the musicians' virtuosity should satisfy the most discerning jazz purists.