Harvie S: Funky Cha

The music finds its muse in the various styles that make up the body of Latin jazz. Even Thelonious Monk does not escape treatment. So how does "Rhythm-a-ning work? Well indeed, to the beat of the rumba. Jay Collins' tenor sax sets a big and bold tone, but pianist Daniel Kelly widens the window, playing with a spirited gait that is egged on by drummer William "Beaver Bausch. Collins draws the final lines of the circle, brawny yet supple, to complete the enticement.

On the other hand, "What is This Thing Called Love is given an odd treatment. It starts as a gentle caress on the piano, invested with pliancy by the bass and then the plaintive voice of trumpeter Philip Dizack, against which nestles the tenor sax of Scott Robert Avidon. Avidon nails an energetic, deep-drawn and hardy line, but he tends to go over the top in a blaze of twisting arcs. Once he's done, the tune settles into calm repose once again.

The octet outing, "Mariposa en Mano, is stunning. The melody is immediate, its delectable sway captured by the flute, the horns riding it into improvisation without letting the rhythm escape attention. Harvie S composed this and five other tunes, including "Coco Loco, whose Latin beat is irresistibly sensuous, once again finding Collins feeding the fire along with conguero Wilson "Chembo Corniel and the leader, who lets his bass whomp and boom for the pulse.