An Essential Piece of History - Arturo Sandoval on Video

I first encountered Arturo Sandoval in 1991, driving home from a gig in the middle of the night. The local jazz station had buried their Latin Jazz show late Saturday nights, so I had a wealth of great music to accompany me on the ride home. I was still fairly new to Latin Jazz, so the show served as both entertainment and an education. This night, I turned on the radio and heard a trumpet sound that immediately grabbed me. When the announcer read the artist name, I actually pulled over to write it down. I rushed to my local Tower of Records the next day and bought Sandoval’s first release for GRP Records, Flight to Freedom.

Since that night, I’ve followed Sandoval’s career with mixed reactions. As he built a sizable body of recorded work, his Latin Jazz material took a decidedly commercial angle, sounding more like product than passion. Despite the intricate arrangements and amazing musicianship, I just couldn’t get past the sterile feel of many albums. He did produce some gems - Reunion, his collaboration with Paquito D’Rivera is a pure classic and I enjoyed The Latin Train - but most releases didn’t hold my interest long. I’ve seen Sandoval perform live several times, and I always leave the show astounded. Most recently, I caught Sandoval with his Mambo Maniacs Big Band; this served as a fantastic setting for Sandoval - the huge sound and multiple soloists complimented his presence greatly. I’ve come to respect Sandoval’s musicianship greatly, and despite the fact that I’ve questioned his intentions at times, I’ve always felt that he remains an important Latin Jazz musician.

As I familiarized myself with Sandoval’s history, I became increasingly curious about his work in Cuba during the 1970s. His performances with Irakere stood as legend among Latin Jazz connoisseurs, but much of it remained hard to attain. I found The Best of Irakere, and I repeatedly listened to “Ciento Años De Juventud” in awe. Both Sandoval and Jorge Varona brought such emotional depth and technical facility to the performance that I had to hear more. I’ve bought many more Irakere albums over the years, but most of them captured the band post-Sandoval. When I discovered that Sandoval led his own ensemble in the late 1970s with musicians such as bassist Jorge Reyes and pianist Hilario Duran, I began a mission to hear it. Unfortunately, I was unsuccessful until recently.

Recordings of Sandoval’s band have surfaced, but I think that these videos paint a good picture of the group. Both songs feature incredible compositions that cross between many styles, which the band covers easily. Sandoval plays with his usual intensity, mixing chops, good taste, and heavy stylistic knowledge. This group stands as an essential piece of Sandoval’s evolution, and they need to be heard. Enjoy!

Campana