Gustavo Cortinas: Live in Chicago

Chicago composer and drummer Gustavo Cortinas is a musician with a message, one of social justice. He delivers it in a style that fuses the melodic sensibilities of his ancestral Mexico with the complex syncopations of jazz. The exciting Live in Chicago documents an unedited, two-set concert that was recorded at Constellation Chicago on December 15, 2022. The quintet interprets ten Cortinas originals, some of which appeared on his magnum opus, the multifaceted and provocative Desafío Candente (Woolgathering, 2021).

The cinematic "Arete" is the embodiment of this Mexican and American cultural mix. It opens with trumpeter Drew Hanson , unaccompanied, before the band states the main theme. Trombonist Matthew Davis takes center stage with warm phrases that rise above the rhythm trio's swaying cadence, one with the sensuality of a jarabe tapatío. This is echoed in pianist Joaquin Garcia's lithe improvisation. Cortinas closes with a colorful and thunderous solo that is simultaneously sophisticated and packing a visceral punch.

Bassist Kitt Lyles starts off the intimate "The Man of Flesh and Bone" with a contemplative and angular extemporization. The group joins Lyle with languid, undulating refrains. The longing frontline notes over Cortinas' soft rustle and Garcia's chiming block-chords give the piece the feel of a funeral march. Hanson and Davis take turns with lyrical embellishments to the melancholic piece.

"La Ruta de Regreso a Guinea está en el Arcoiris," dedicated to the resilience of African culture, has a tense rhythmic backdrop and passionate horn exchanges. Tenor saxophonist Artie Black blows muscular and bluesy lines and engages Davis in a fiery conversation. The ensemble concludes the track with an ebullient performance.

Live in Chicago, more than any other Cortinas release, captures the exuberance of the drummer's work. True, the studio sessions highlight the nuanced hues of Cortinas' sublime compositions; but it is when Cortinas is on stage that all the emotion and unbridled energy of his music becomes apparent. This album is another superb addition to his superlative discography.