Midnight Jazz Affair
Edy Martinez & His Jazz Orchestra
Jogal Music Productions
A great Latin Jazz composer fills their compositions with a dazzling array of colors that shine brilliantly, resonate with contrast, and clearly illustrate the composer’s musical perspective. A varying rhythmic structure provides a baseline structure for the color scheme, relying upon stylistic elements to act as the grounding force. Diversification of the stylistic elements can broaden the initial palette and the careful integration of other styles can create stark contrast. The construction of a deep and rich harmonic progression gives the work its primary hue, the foundation that catches the attention. This layer need to involves motion, depth, logic, and artistry, and in many ways provides the most important element. Melodic material reflects the light and dark aspects of any color, allowing the composer to explore the true nature of their color scheme. This element creates mood, defines dynamic shading, and guides the listener on their journey; a strong melody takes us deep inside the color, letting us view it from every angle. One of the composer’s most valuable tool is texture, the way in which they apply their colors upon their finished product. Regardless of instrumentation, the composer has a variety of options texturally, and the more that they create contrast and definition with texture, the more vivid their final color presentation. The smart and artistic application of these elements brings the colors screaming from a recording, while the haphazard and sloppy control over these devices leaves the listener with a flat and dry musical product. Pianist, composer, and arranger Edy Martinez brings his pieces to life vividly on Midnight Jazz Affair with a colorful control over musical building blocks that combine into an engaging big band Latin Jazz recording.

Bringing Out Bright Hues In Traditional Latin Jazz
Martinez colors his pieces rhythmically, bringing out a series of bright hues with up-tempo salsa influenced compositions. The trombone section glides through an upbeat melody as the saxes and trumpet weave supporting lines into the texture on “Midnight Jazz Affair,” before the band explodes into a series of moving chords over a dark pedal tone. Trombonist Noah Bless aggressively combines rhythmic lines and strong thematic development, building a solid statement over the thick texture of Martinez’s Fender Rhodes. The wind players push Bless to a screaming finale that leads directly into a short but assertive percussive exchange between conguero Samuel Torres and drum kit player Ernesto Simpson. A muted trumpet and flute join together on a cheerful melody that winds through a series of strong band hits on “Mother’s Day,” as the remaining wind players add accents. Martinez takes his time with a Fender Rhodes solo, reveling in the instrument’s rich textures while his lines build into a distinctive statement. A short interlude leads into Lew Soloff’s energetic trumpet solo that stretches long melodic ideas into a roaring climax topped by a screaming high note. Martinez offers a preview of the melody on “Celebration” with a dramatic rubato introduction before restating it enthusiastically over a smartly orchestrated sea of winds. Martinez runs through an energetic piano solo with quick lines that match the song’s inherent momentum with a seemingly unstoppable forward motion. Saxophonist Peter Braining grabs Martinez’s energy and raises the stakes with a no holds barred solo that furiously tears through the changes with a relentless power. These pieces connect Martinez strongly to traditional Latin Jazz but his rich orchestrations and arranging ideas put a distinct stamp on the style.

Shading The Songs With Shots of Jazz and Funk
Martinez engages in some interesting shading on several pieces by balancing his Latin Jazz sound with elements of traditional jazz and funk. Guest soloist Claudio Roditi glides over a relaxed swing feel as the winds provide groove oriented riffs on “Manuela Si” until an exchange between the winds and Martinez pushes the band into a double time Latin feel. Martinez continues to improvise on piano over an evolving texture, which moves from a funky swagger into a driving son montuno and eventually brash band hits for a quick solo from Simpson. Martinez returns with a quick Fender Rhodes solo, adding to the overall momentum until Braining pushes the song into high gear with a screaming alto sax solo. Ruben Rodriguez’s serious slap bass, Simpson’s heavy backbeat, Martinez’s rich organ sound, and sharp syncopated attacks from the horns all define the funky feeling that saturates the underlying cha cha cha on “Hard Drive Blues.” Martinez makes an interesting statement with the thick texture of the organ, pushing blues licks through the powerful groove. After a dramatic melodic line from the winds, guest soloist Dave Valentin enters with a reverb drenched flute sound that balances between percussive licks and the song’s bluesy nature. Dramatic open voicings and mysterious melodies wind over a quick guaguanco feel on “Suite For Piano, Percussion, & Jazz Orchestra,” coming together into a strong brass attack. Martinez focuses his energy upon rhythmic placement and attack with a piano solo over the guaguanco feel, until the rhythm section flies into a swing feel for the driving force of Martinez on Fender Rhodes. An aggressive montuno announces a distinct change into a modern Latin feel, providing the foundation for explosive solos from Torres and Simpson. Martinez integrates traditional jazz sounds wisely on these pieces, creating different shades of his already defined style.

Adding Contrast Through Other Afro-Cuban Styles
Several songs utilize other Afro-Cuban rhythms, adding contrast to the sharply defined style in Martinez’s previous pieces. Long and lush lines stretch over a jazz influenced cha cha cha rhythm on “Guaneña,” building momentum with masterfully orchestrated intertwining trumpets and saxes. Martinez slides into an understated piano solo that matches the subdued feel of the song, eventually pushing forward with some rapid runs and syncopations. A quick interlude segues into Valentin’s clever improvisation that winds through the changes, embellishes the melody, and plays upon rhythmic sounds effects on the flute. The rhythm section roars into a fast and aggressive 6/8 feel on “Children” before the winds soar over the top with rhythmic melodies, interesting textural combinations, and tension filled background lines. Martinez draws upon the inherent percussive qualities of the piano with an elegant solo that brings out the beauty of the harmony while approaching the instrument like a drum. Valentin returns with a contrasting statement that glides through the solo section with long notes, sound effects, and carefully placed accents. The rhythm section enters with a quiet cha cha cha behind Martinez’s piano solo on “Tres Manueles,” working as a quartet until the saxes introduce the main melody followed by the brass entrance. Braining mixes beauty and fire with a bluesy swagger on his attention grabbing improvisation, playing upon serious chops and a soulful jazz sound. Martinez leaps into his solo with an inspired passion, giving the song a necessary push and delivering a solid statement. These songs allow Martinez to stretch across different Afro-Cuban styles and explore varying moods, textures, and sonic variations, which give the album a distinctly different glow.

Sparkling With Deep and Engaging Color
Martinez’s music pops off the recording with a vivid energy on Midnight Jazz Affair, shining with color and personality, a distinct result of his strong artistic foundation. The compositions form the album’s core strength, providing interesting harmonies, attention grabbing melodies, and inspiring structures that serve as a good springboard for improvisation. He varies his approach with each song, drawing upon various combinations of style and contrasting moods, keeping the album fresh and engaging. The big band arranging provides the icing on the cake, with Martinez’s smart control over textural elements cementing the expression of his ideas. Different instrumental combinations, intertwining parts, and rich stretches of chordal pads bring the album to life as Martinez utilizes the big band format to its full extent. He wisely harnesses the dynamic range of the big band as well, letting in sparkle with understated beauty at times and setting it loose to explode with raging power elsewhere. Martinez’s keyboard work serves as a connecting factor throughout the repertoire, as he delivers consistently strong and inspired performances. His use of a variety of keyboard instruments seem like wise choices, as the integration of Fender Rhodes, organ, and piano all logically fit into the context of the songs. His band supports him with enthusiasm and commitment, interpreting his arrangements with precision and professionalism. Braining delivers an especially inspired performance, leaping out of the recording with several outstanding solo spots. Martinez brings together all the right artistic elements on Midnight Jazz Affair, and in the end, his big band Latin Jazz sparkles with coloristic splashes of beauty, passion, and power.

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