Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Latin Jazz Orchestra: Havana Blues

Latin Jazz Orchestra: Havana Blues

Item: Havana Blues
Rating: 0
Author: Joel Roberts

By Joel Roberts
June 1, 1998
View read count

With the current vogue for Latin jazz, one hopes this fine new effort by the Latin Jazz Orchestra receives the attention it deserves. The album brings together some of New York's top players for a relaxed set of dance tunes and standards. Led by trumpeter Armando Rodriguez and percussionist Victor Rendon, who have been playing together since their student days at North Texas State in the early '70s, the orchestra (actually more of a small big-band on most numbers) smoothly blends Afro-Caribbean dance rhythms with jazz and blues harmonies for what it calls "New York Flavor."

In addition to some solid originals, standout cuts include upbeat versions of Chick Corea's "Guajira," Kenny Dorham's "Afrodisia," and Horace Silver's "Where You At?" Latin jazz pioneer Chico O'Farrill, who arranged many of the great Machito / Chano Pozo / Dizzy Gillespie dates of the late '40s, is on hand to add some historical weight to the sessions, plus some swinging charts. O'Farrill's son, Arturo Jr., is the orchestra's excellent young pianist.

FOLLOW Joel Roberts and get notified whenever a new article published.
Joel Roberts has been contirbuting to AAJ since its earliest days.

Track Listing

Havana Blues; The Cobra; Palabras de Mujer; Guajira; Afrodisia; Huachinango de Veracruz; Percussion Excursion; Tres Palabras; Blue Mambo; Where You At? (44:37).

Personnel

Latin Jazz Orchestra

Peck Allmond, John Almendra, Igor Atalita, John Berdeguer, Peter Brainin, Pablo Calogero, Milton Cardona, Ray Col

Album information

Title: Havana Blues | Year Released: 1998 | Record Label: Palmetto Records

About Latin Jazz Orchestra

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Have Horn Will Travel
< Previous

High Bias
Next >

Become a Sustaining Member

Since 1995, All About Jazz has championed jazz as an art form and supported the musicians who create it. Over three decades, it has grown into one of the world's leading jazz resources, serving hundreds of thousands of readers, musicians, presenters and industry professionals each month.

Help Build the Future of All About Jazz

Your support helps us continue building All About Jazz for the next generation—expanding our editorial coverage, preserving jazz history, developing new community features and creating better ways to discover the music and the people behind it.

Become a sustaining member for as little as $20 per year and you'll immediately enjoy an ad-free experience along with access to subscriber features and future articles for a full year.

Together, we're not simply sustaining All About Jazz—we're building its future. Thank you for being part of the journey.