Bobby Sanabria: Vox Humana

The opening track on Vox Humana could easily have been the encore of this live performance recorded at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, part of Jazz At Lincoln Center in New York City. It is a rousing version of the Duke Ellington crowd pleaser "Caravan" and a boisterous Latin tinged big band version it is, with Matthew Gonzalez 's barril de bomba and requinto pandereta, bandleader and drummer Sanabria and others on congas, bongos and bells prominently leading the percussionists and portending the unfettered upbeat joy to come.

It might help with the lyrics, but you don't have to speak Spanish to understand this music because melody, rhythm and music are universally understood forms of communication and the top notch performances by vocalists and instrumental soloists express it so wonderfully in these songs. The second track, "Capullito De Aleli," is another stand out cut, and features vocals by Jennifer Jade Ledesna as well as great solos by pianist Darwin Noguera and Andrew Gould on alto sax.

The good-time music continues on track five with Antoinette Montague singing the 1946 Louis Jordan hit "Let The Good Times Roll" featuring Armando Vergara on the trombone with plunger mute. Then a couple of tracks later the tempo slows a bit with Montague again singing the Gershwins' "I Love You Porgy."

On the tenth track vocalist Janis Siegel of the The Manhattan Transfer steps up front with a great version of "Spooky" featuring some fine scat vocals. A couple of cuts later she sings the Steely Dan hit "Do It Again" along with Ledesna and Montague joining in, and Noah Bless on trombone and Gabrielle Garo on flute.

While the intention of this album seems to be to feature vocalists, the instrumental soloists and the big band as a whole all shine with tight arrangements and inspired solos. The final track, "Mi Congo," shows us this with violinist Benjamin Sutin starting an array of solos including trumpets and saxophones and percussionists.

In 2023 it may be hard to imagine a time when jazz music was a mainstream popular music, where people would go to clubs, concert venues and dance halls to dance and party. This album recalls those times with updated arrangements and perfect execution.

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