Daniel Sadownick: There Will Be a Day

Granted this is an oversimplification, but modern Latin jazz was created when percussionist Chano Pozo and trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie got together in NYC in the late '40s. While percussionist Daniel Sadownick's sense of history is acute on this debut—witness his use of an excerpt from Pozo's "Rumba En Swing" on the catchy solo percussion opener "Dedication"—he has accomplished much more than a tribute to congueros past.

This is a varied program with infectious percussive breaks reminiscent of '70s jazz/rock such as Santana and Osibisa alongside hard boppers and more contemplative pieces. Pianist Rob Bargad artfully injects a post-bop feel and trumpeter Joe Magnarelli blends beautifully with tenor saxophonist Michael Karn for powerful yet elegant voicings. Bassist Scott Colley with drummer Daniel Freedman are up to the task of these rhythmic changes, adding to the structure of the Latin or opening up the rhythmscape to allow the jazz to come out. Keve Wilson's oboe delicately increases the exotica feel of "A Kiss that Whispers," the title cut features altoist David Binney's brilliant lines against a very pretty melody and closer "Steady" is a wonderfully spiritual duet that has vocalist Morley Kamen's rich voice playing equal partner to Sadownick's rhythms.

In her compelling poetic tribute to Pozo—Poetry and Music (Indigo, 1994)—Jayne Cortez asks "What made your technology of thumps so new, so mean?" While the answer to Cortez' query is historical, a valid response to the more contemporary rephrased question "What keeps this technology of thumps so new and so mean" could easily be Daniel Sadownick.