We’ve passed through a little more than half of 2008, so it’s time to look back upon some of the great work produced by Latin Jazz artists. It’s been another exciting year so far, with plenty of inspiring albums pushing us forward. Latin Jazz has moved in every direction this year, touching upon several elements of jazz and a wide spectrum of Latin influences. It’s been a bit overwhelming for me to follow all of the outstanding releases this year, and I’m a bit of a fanatic. I figured that many LJC readers might have missed some highlights, so I thought we should revisit some 2008 releases.

I’ve broken our list into several trends that I’ve noticed in Latin Jazz during the first part of 2008. It’s impossible to place every release into a trend, but these topics cover some of the main ideas becoming apparent in the music this year. The links will take you to the LJC reviews of these albums, giving you a chance to catch-up on recordings that you may have missed. I’ve added streaming players to most of these reviews so that you can hear the music as well. These albums represent some of the best Latin Jazz of 2008 thus far; so take a minute to check it out. Enjoy!

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1. Latin Jazz Big Band Albums
Latin Jazz in the United States originated with large orquestas dominating the scene, but things have changed over the years. In the 1940s and 1950s, Dizzy Gillespie, Machito, Tito Puente, and more all lead large ensembles through a vast repertoire of instrumental jazz tunes, mambos, and dance numbers, thrilling New York audiences. As the American audience turned their attention to rock, these large jazz groups became financially unrealistic. Smaller Latin Jazz combos became the major force on the scene, changing the art form completely.

Latin Jazz big bands never disappeared completely, but they haven’t come back onto the scene in large numbers until recently. Large ensembles have built momentum over the past couple of years with some quality albums, including the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra’s 2005 album Una Noche Inolvidable and Bobby Sanabria’s 2007 release Big Band Urban Folktales. These albums, along with a renewed interest in Latin Jazz history and education, pushed Latin Jazz big bands into focus, inspiring a number of current releases. So far, we’ve seen high quality, a respect for tradition, and an avid exploration of modern ideas in 2008’s big bands releases, resulting in some exciting music. The good news is that big bands show no sign of slowing down - we can expect at least a couple more releases before year’s end. This is one trend that I would love to see continue!

Arturo O’Farrill & The Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, Song For Chico

Papo Vazquez & The Mighty Pirate Orchestra, Marooned/Aislado

Caribbean Jazz Project, Afro Bop Alliance

2. Small Groups That Are Stretching Boundaries of Latin Jazz
Big Bands may be a major piece of the tradition, but small groups have long explored a variety of Latin Jazz approaches. Combos and small groups began their assent with the massive popularity with Cal Tjader’s groups, and took charge once big bands lost momentum. Beginning in the 1970s, Latin Jazz combos began to see a wide range of directions, spearheaded by Jerry Gonzalez and the Fort Apache band. Straight-ahead groups led by artists such as Tito Puente, Poncho Sanchez, and Ray Barretto dominated the 1990s, but experimentation remained popular with many groups.

2008 has seen experimental Latin Jazz small groups becoming the norm, led by several well-trained musicians. Freedom of expression rose to the top of the priority list, and the confining quality of dance rhythms moved aside. Artists leaned heavily upon the flexible nature of modern straight-ahead jazz and often implied Latin influences. Composers took inspiration from Cuban folkloric styles and music of often-unexplored South American styles. The spontaneity, diversity, and innovation inherent in these recordings resulted in some exciting recordings that demand multiple listens!

Dafnis Prieto, Taking The Soul For A Walk

Elio Villafranca, The Source In Between

David Sanchez, Cultrual Survival

3. Afro-Peruvian Jazz
In a genre dominated by Cuban dance rhythms, Afro-Peruvian styles have risen to the forefront as an important source of musical possibilities. After years of hearing panpipes everywhere, most of the North American world was unaware of Afro-Peruvian styles. The 1995 release The Soul of Black Peru found major success, fueled by a magical performance from Susana Baca. Since then, musicians have increasingly put more attention upon Afro-Peruvians styles. Festejo, Lando, and other Peruvian styles hold rich rhythmic ideas, and the typical percussion instruments such as cajon add another color to a group’s sound. Several Peruvian artists have entered the jazz scene, and Afro-Peruvians Jazz has finally found its place in the Latin Jazz world.

Artists incorporating Afro-Peruvian styles are not creating music in isolation; they have learned from their counterparts that have used Afro-Cuban styles for many years. Some artists have placed Afro-Peruvian rhythms beneath jazz changes and used them as inspirations for jazz improvisation. Musicians have found subtle relationships between straight-ahead swing and Afro-Peruvians rhythms, allowing them to move between genres freely. Other artists actively experiment with new concepts, referring to Afro-Peruvian styles as their foundation. These albums are far from stiff combinations of jazz musicians and Afro-Peruvian rhythms; they are rich and artistically produced statements that will hopefully continue for years to come.

Gabriel Alegria, Nuevo Mundo

Edward Perez, The Year of Two Summers

Eric Kurimski, Réplica

4. Female Vocalists Fronting Latin Jazz Groups
Female vocalists have been a major piece of the jazz tradition throughout its history. Dating back to early blues artists like Bessie Smith, female vocalists have been icons of the music. Big bands found popularity among dance audiences by using vocalists, making their messages less obscure to their audiences. Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday became jazz legends; their unique phrasing and improvisations put them on par with instrumentalists like Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. Modern jazz artists such as Diane Reeves and Diana Krall have continued this tradition, boosting jazz sales with their mass audiences hungry for a vocal connection to jazz.

The majority of Latin music vocalists have found more success in salsa than jazz, but a group of female musicians have extended the bold jazz tradition into Latin styles during 2008. While modern jazz vocalists have touched upon Latin Jazz, it always seemed superficial; these releases scream with authenticity. From the arrangements to the performances, every element reflects a deep study of the style and a quest for a unique artistic personality. They’ve hired musicians thoroughly entrenched in the music, who show a commitment to the vocal approach and a tradition soaked aesthetic. These releases are becoming an important piece of the Latin Jazz tradition, and hopefully we’ll hear more soon!

Venissa Santí, Bienvenida

Kat Parra, Azucar de Amor

Layla Angulo, Mientras…

5. A Variety of Brazilian Jazz
Brazilian rhythms took hold of the North American audience in the early 1960s, and they never let go. The Getz/Gilberto album encountered massive success, and it became the first jazz album to win the Album of the Year Grammy award. The Bossa Nova has become an essential part of the jazz repertoire, and it can be found in a variety of popular and smooth jazz contexts. Samba also found an audience among jazz listeners, who thrilled from the music’s rhythmic content and strong forward motion. Pop and jazz artists have loosely interpreted these styles through the years, while most Latin Jazz musicians have reached towards authenticity.

The Brazilian Jazz scene has grown tremendously over the past decade, and the diversity of 2008’s Brazilian releases reflects this expansion. Some artists still focus upon samba, and to a lesser extent Bossa Nova, but they’ve integrated jazz structures much more extensively. Brazilian structures have always shown a good degree of flexibility, but modern musicians are stretching the boundaries of the rhythms to emphasize jazz improvisation. The music never looses its connection with traditional styles though; it just opens its reach. In other cases, artists are exploring lesser-known styles of Brazilian music, exposing us to the wealth of styles inherent in the large country. It’s been an exciting ride with some intriguing music!

Jovino Santos Neto, Alma do Nordeste (soul of the northeast)

Hendrik Meurkins, Sambatropolis

Trio Da Paz & Joe Locke, Live at JazzBaltica

It’s been a great year so far, and I’m looking forward to more inspiring Latin Jazz!

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