Today’s album of the week is The Magician by Miami based conguero Sammy Figueroa and his Latin Jazz Explosion. I was quite excited to find this album pop up on iTunes; I’ve been waiting for a follow-up to the 2005 album And Sammy Walked In. That album brought a couple of incredible players back to the forefront of my attention – Mike (piano) and Nicky Orta (bass). I originally heard these guys on Paquito D’Rivera’s 1993 album 40 Years of Cuban Jam Sessions. Nicky’s playing on the bass trio feature “Tres Tristes Tigres” really blew my mind – heavy groove and even heavier soloing chops. I went back and checked out some other work by these guys then kind of lost them until I came across Sammy’s album. The jazz intensive chops of these two combined with Sammy’s straight-up latin swing kept that album on constant iPod rotation for quite a while.

Over the past week, this new album has really kept my attention for lots of reasons. First of all, the playing is tasteful, expressive, and interesting. Some additional players have been added this time around, with positive results. Seems that Sammy has two separate bands recorded on different tracks, although I’m not sure which ones. Unfortunately I downloaded this from iTunes, so I don’t have the liner notes. All players cover the job nicely though – the rhythm section work is supportive and interactive, while the solos explore the changes nicely. Another reason I really like this album is the choice of repertoire – a variety of songs by famous jazzers and original compositions. The cover tunes range from the classics, such as Miles Davis’ “Seven Steps to Heaven” to the less obvious such as Cedar Walton’s “Firm Roots” and Wayne Shorter’s “The Three Marias”. I was surprised to see the Shorter tune here – it was originally recorded on one of Wayne’s less popular albums, Atlantis, and in all truthfulness, it wasn’t a highlight. But the arrangement here is outstanding and the playing is intriguing. These changes definitely make the song a highlight on this album. The original tunes also show some range as well – from the traditional mambo feel of “Together” to the laid back cha-cha-cha in “The Magician”, they all stand strongly on their own two feet. Without a doubt, this band has it all – the playing, the jazz repertoire, and the writing; a great combination.

The standout bass moment on this album is without a doubt the band’s arrangement of “Firm Roots” – an unmistakable Nicky Orta performance. Nicky jumps back and forth between a salsa tumbao and a straight-ahead jazz walk. With each soloist, Nicky offers a highly interactive background line that complements the soloist and plays with the other rhythm section members. I love the way that Nicky hits breaks with the percussionists off the cuff. The switches between styles are seamless and serve to push the soloist to the next level. Nicky walks on electric bass with a great sense of swing – that’s tough to do sometimes. Then the bass solo is a real statement – melodic and virtuosic at the same time. Sounds like a horn player building through the changes, I love that sound on electric bass. At times, you hear a bit of Patitucci in the tone, but its unmistakably Nicky Orta – the way he develops ideas melodically and plays off the Cuban rhythms. Nicky has a distinct approach and style in Latin Jazz that stands out distinctly on this track.

This is a great Latin Jazz album, highly recommended! Please check it out!

Some web links:
Sammy Figueroa
Nicky Orta
Mike Orta

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