LJC Community Conversations are designed to explore major ideas in the Latin Jazz world together as a community and inspire conversation through comments. My main motivator here is my belief that LJC readers hold a great deal of knowledge and passion around Latin Jazz, and I think that we can learn something from everyone. Whether you’re a seasoned Latin Jazz performer or a newcomer to the music, leave a comment and let your voice be heard!

Last Monday I posted an article on Latin Jazz trends from the first half of 2008; writing this article gave me the opportunity to look back upon all the albums that I’ve reviewed this year. It’s a pretty extensive process to write a complete review on a CD that does justice to the artist’s work. I make sure that I’ve listened to the complete album several times (I generally aim for a minimum of five times). I let myself just soak up the music during the first runs through the recording, but I do some analytical listening as well. I always try to think about the music in relationship to history and the current Latin Jazz scene, searching for ways that the album relates to the greater world. I’ll often do some research on the artist to stay connected to their influences and artistic motivation; I think it’s fair to look at the product from the artist’s perspective as much as possible. Putting all these ideas into words is most likely the hardest part, but really the most rewarding. I feel pretty lucky to do this on a regular basis; I learn so much and stay in touch with a lot of music.

I enjoy the process of reviewing Latin Jazz CDs, but I don’t really think that one person voicing their opinion is a healthy process. My opinion certainly won’t resonate with everyone - music is just too subjective to assume that everyone would like the same album. Regardless of the musical approach, every piece of music will have an audience somewhere. My writing style won’t properly communicate the message to some people. We all process information differently, based on our backgrounds, and we need it presented in different ways. My review process is a bit extensive, so it’s not realistic for me to possibly cover everything all the time either. I need to choose the albums to feature more prominently, providing more promotion to certain artists. Although I’d love to spotlight everyone, there’s just not enough time in the day. One voice offers an opinion; a group of voices provide balance and diversity - I feel like we could use that around here.

So here’s your opportunity to offer a solid review on a current Latin Jazz album. Have you found a Latin Jazz album that everyone should hear? Maybe you’ve got a current favorite that won’t change the world, but it stands as a solid piece of work. Some of you may have spent your hard earned cash on a new Latin Jazz album only to find that you’d rather have the money in your pocket. There are a lot of possibilities here - throw them all at us. I’m not asking for a lengthy article; just give us a few sentences that tell us your opinion on the recording. I think that this could be very enlightening . . .

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WHAT DO YOU THINK?
So what have you thought about the current crop of Latin Jazz album? Again, I’m not looking for a complete article, just your thoughts on a recent album or two. Here are some ideas for things to think about:

* What recent albums have left you inspired?

* What albums would you caution people against buying?

* What do you like or dislike about an album - is there anything different or particularly interesting?

* If you are offering critique about an album, think about your justification behind the critique. This isn’t a flaming session!

* If you haven’t seen a recent album highlighted here that you’ve loved - let us know about it!

JOIN THE CONVERSATION!
LEAVE A COMMENT Let’s hear your reviews! I’m very curious to hear other people’s takes on recent albums. Once you’ve left your thoughts here, don’t forget to visit our past community conversations.

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VOTE IN OUR POLL TOO!
Don’t forget about our ongoing poll in the sidebar. Our current question is: What Latin Jazz Style Gets The Most Attention From You? The modern Latin Jazz world offers a lot of choice, so let’s see which direction most people are headed.

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Do you have an idea for a future Community Conversation? As much as I enjoy exploring my own interests with this regular post, I’d prefer to have this forum address the overall interests of the entire community. Do you have an issue that effects Latin Jazz? Do you have an idea for a fun topic? Let me know so that we can throw it out to the whole community - Leave a Comment or e-mail me.

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