Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Romero: Cuban Jazz Funk

194

Romero: Cuban Jazz Funk

By

Sign in to view read count
Romero: Cuban Jazz Funk
OnCuban Jazz FunkMiguel Romero hand-crafts a tasty Latin-jazz fusion that breathes fresh new life into an often stale art form. This ensemble grabs ears from the very first tune, as powerful conga beats are hammered out beneath Romero’s stylish piano ostinatos and Larry Jackson’s warm tenor sax. After a couple of minutes of simmering, new images break through the steam as Romero switches to electric piano and bassist Kurt Mitchell moves from drone to ultra-funky Jaco lines. Hot organ briefly wails in to close the piece abruptly. Sold American!

Besides being a notably talented keyboard player, comfortable with everything from trad Latin piano to shimmering fusiony Rhodes, Romero is also a fine composer. Track #2 is a simply beautiful tune with a subdued Latin undercurrent, a little reminiscent of War in their more relaxed moments. Papa Michael’s vintage guitar tones bring #5 right back to the 70s, while #3 is a bullet-fast, fragmented soul romp with Romero’s chameleonic piano, Jackson’s fluttering flute, and dispersed samples of rollercoaster sounds. Jackson is an especially vital part of the whole proceedings, particularly his non-cloying soprano sax tone. The percussionists are also to be commended for their technical facility and creative rhythmic support.

Cuban Jazz Funkis a very entertaining disc that deserves much public attention. Bravo to Miguel Romero for such a choice issue. I expect that he will become a force to be reckoned with, as Latin jazz continues to evolve over the next decade.

Track Listing

Descarga Palmieri; Sunrise; Zorro

Personnel

Romero
piano

Miguel Romero, keyboards and percussion; Larry Jackson, saxophone and flute; Count Mbutu, congas and percussion; Kurt Mitchell, bass; Tad Gulley, drums; Hassan Ortiz, bongos and batas; Anthony Papa Michael, guitar on track #5 only.

Album information

Title: Cuban Jazz Funk | Year Released: 2001 | Record Label: Alafia Music

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Sensual
Rachel Z
Over and Over
Tony Monaco Trio
Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.