Home »
Jazz Articles » Album Review » Manteca: No Net
Manteca: No Net
Manteca is just one of the baddest bands out there, and certainly a talent deserving wider recognition. Their instrumentation is much like that of the Cuban band Irakere (two trumpets, two saxophones, keyboards, bass, drums, two percussionists, but no guitar), but Latin is only one of the genres that the Mantecians blend into their own unique sound.
This CD is a set of live recordings made at various times and in various countries between 1990 and 1992. Only two tunes are presented here for the first time, but the others differ enough from their original studio versions that their representation in this live format is most welcome. The masterful soloists sizzle, the drums and percussion function as one, and the compositions are creative and unique, but still highly listenable. The only flaw with this album is that saxophonist Phil Dwyer's solos venture too far outside the chord changes and are often reduced to just honking and squawking as a means to generate excitement. But that's just a quibble; this is an excellent, exciting album from a richly talented band.
Personnel
band / ensemble / orchestra
Album information
Title: No Net
| Year Released: 1997
PREVIOUS / NEXT
Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make 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.
Go Ad Free!
To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to
future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves 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.