The past two weeks have been an inspiring journey over at NPR’s outstanding A Blog Supreme, which started with a post entitled “Jazz Now: Introducing The Music Of The Present Moment.” Lead blogger Patrick Jarenwattananon outlined the focus upon jazz artists of the past in most people’s minds – a good thing for the establishment of historical precedent, but a bad thing for the livelihood of the modern jazz artist. Obviously the need exists to expose a wider audience to the jazz musicians keeping the scene alive in 2009. So Jarenwattananon presented an idea: create a list of five albums you would recommend to somebody looking to get into modern jazz. He called upon several writers to submit their lists, drawing out artists such as the Bad Plus, Darcy James Argue, Gretchen Parlato, and more. Across the jazz blogosphere, writers began to join the party, submitting their lists of modern jazz albums. Fantastic posts from Peter Hum, Jason Parker, David Ryshpan were just the tip of the iceberg in terms of enthusiastic response. It seems like this trend has given modern jazz some fantastic publicity; I’ve found this truly encourage, but I did notice one small gap . . . there was a surprising lack of Latin Jazz represented in this lists.

Latin Jazz has changed drastically in the past twenty years, both in terms of the Latin rhythms found in the music and the approach to jazz improvisation. The inclusion of rhythmic traditions from Puerto Rico, Peru, Colombia, Mexico, Argentina, and greater Brazil has opened the music’s vocabulary to a completely new world. The greater use of folk music and religious traditions to more precisely reference cultural traditions has added depth and meaning to the genre. A diversity of jazz approaches has filtered into Latin Jazz, driving musicians to explore free improvisation, dissonant harmonies, fusion rhythms, and creative arrangements. A deeper investment in modern jazz has driven musicians to push the rhythmic structures into the background and focus upon solid compositions. The Latin Jazz world has undoubtedly expanded, and as a result, it has exploded into a massive amount of artistic directions. It’s time for all of us to cast aside the established stereotyped ideas about Latin Jazz and start looking at the outstanding artistry being displayed in today’s world.

With this in mind, I decided to create my own list of Latin Jazz album to follow the Jazz Now series. I’ve chosen 5 recent albums that reflect the new diversity of approaches and sub-genres apparent in the contemporary Latin Jazz world. I skipped the easy entry points that most people might suggest for a first step into Latin Jazz. I wanted to honestly show the changes in the Latin Jazz world, and I think that each album below represents a piece of that evolving world. Remember, this isn’t a “best of” list; this is a collection of 5 albums that would be a good introduction to the modern Latin Jazz world. So check out the list and see what you think – if you haven’t heard them, check them out and step into the modern Latin Jazz world. And please, leave your thoughts in the comments about your top 5 albums that represent the modern Latin Jazz world – the longer the list, the better! Enjoy!

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1. Si O Si Quartet Live At Jazz Standard NYC - Dafnis Prieto Si O Si Quartet
In early versions of Latin Jazz, compositions generally bent to the will of the rhythmic structures, with percussive arrangements emphasizing the clave at every turn; many contemporary Latin Jazz composers bend rhythms to the will of the compositions, a fact seen clearly on Dafnis Prieto’s latest album. An exciting and spontaneous drummer with a strong technical ability, Prieto contributes a clearly defined presence to any musical context, but in a set of his own music, his brilliant compositions take center stage. He retains a clear link to his Cuban heritage through the use of authentic rhythms, but the presence of these cultural pieces is not absolutely pronounced. Prieto manipulates and embellishes the rhythms with the finesse and knowledge of a master musician, allowing him to paint broad colors while still evoking tradition. He dances around the clave agilely, leaving enough space for improvisatory interaction and modern jazz expression. In many ways, Prieto’s love for Miles Davis’ classic quintet from the sixties informs his music just as clearly as Cuban traditions. There’s shades of color throughout the arrangements, spontaneous leaps between styles, as well as equal shares of beauty and dissonance. Prieto’s music stands strongly among the view of modern jazz artistry, keeping a smart connection to Cuban rhythms.

Prieto’s latest release Live At Jazz Standard NYC illustrates these points with precision and clarity. The clever drummer introduces “Si o Si” with a broken son montuno pattern that dramatically rises into an Afro-Cuban 6/8 behind saxophonist Peter Apfelbaum’s searching tenor. There’s a ferocious intensity to pianist Manuel Valera’s repeated pattern on “Claveteo” that leans more towards a classical line than a scorching montuno, opening the door for a squelching improvisation from Apfelbaum. Although Prieto leans towards a more traditional son montuno rhythm on “Ilu-Uli,” the melody’s angular attacks inspire distinctive statements from Valera and Apfelbaum. “Me Neither” jumps frenetically between a contrasting mish-mash of styles while Apfelbaum and Valera trade ideas on saxophone and melodica. Prieto displays a mind-boggling ability to phrase around the clave on “Intro Absolute” as he maintains a blistering rumba clave while scatting a percussion solo. This impressive display leads directly into “Trio Absolute,” a showcase for the drummer’s amazing dexterity, creativity, and ability to spontaneously create a work of art. Live At Jazz Standard NYC provides a perfect introduction to authentic uses of Cuban rhythms among a new generation of Latin Jazz musicians expressing their personal voices.

2. Nuevo Mundo - Gabriel Alegria
Latin Jazz built its reputation and history around the combination of jazz harmonies and improvisation with Cuban and Brazilian rhythms; while these styles still dominate the modern Latin Jazz scene, the style has been infused with a spark of creativity through the use of diverse traditions from across the Caribbean and South America. The African influenced music of coastal Peru has found an important place among the modern jazz scene, with rhythms like festejo and lando appearing extensively in many new recordings. The traditional Latin Jazz rhythm section of timbales, congas, and bongo is being augmented or replaced by a drum kit and cajon as well as cajita and quijada. In many cases, guitar replaces the piano, vocals appear on a regular basis, and a thinner, spacious texture fills each song. Musicians from Peru are studying jazz and stateside musicians are taking the leap into Peruvian rhythms, with incredible results. Fortunately, these musicians have decades of Latin Jazz history to build upon, and they have open ears to the past. While Afro-Peruvian Jazz artists have taken the opportunity to place the rhythms beneath some jazz standards, there has been a greater movement towards original composition. Musicians have built ideas around Peruvian folk music, integrated rich jazz harmonies, and opened the door to jazz improvisation. With the advent of Afro-Peruvian Jazz, a whole new approach to Latin Jazz has hit the style’s refresh button, invigorating another side to the genre.

Trumpet player Gabriel Alegria has made great strides over the past few years to produce, promote, and perform Afro-Peruvian Jazz, as seen on his 2008 release, Nuevo Mundo. Alegria builds an organic combination of Afro-Peruvian rhythms and traditional jazz, giving the impression that both styles were meant to be performed side-by-side. Drummer Hugo Alcazar storms into a blazing quick swing rhythm while the horns wrap modern jazz melodies around the groove on “Buscando a Huevito” before percussionist Freddy “Huevito” Lobaton jumps into the mix with a traditional cajon rhythm. Alegria growls with a heartfelt blues edge on the classic jazz standard “Summertime” while the rhythm section provides a simmering lando. A Miles Davis tinge flows through the melody on “Piano de Patio (y bongo)” as Lobaton comments assertively on both bongo and cajon. Alcazar plays cajon while Lobaton inserts a colorful cajita groove behind a mysterious melody on “El Norte,” leading into a tasteful guitar solo from Walter “Jocho” Velasquez. Alegria displays a strong lyrical ability on “ Las Hijas Del Sol,” spinning long melodic lines over a quiet lando rhythm and chordal support. Alegria provides a wonderful mix of high-level musicality, traditional Peruvian rhythms, and jazz artistry on Nuevo Mundo, creating a wonderful introduction into the world of Afro-Peruvian Jazz.

5. South American Suite - Felipe Salles
Most people associate Brazilian Jazz with the bossa nova collaborations between Antonio Carlos Jobim and Stan Getz seen most prominently on Getz/Gilberto . . . or even worse, they imagine those horrible muzak versions of Jobim’s songs heard on elevators. Today’s Latin Jazz artists find new ways to express Brazilian identity through jazz, moving beyond the safety zone provided by the mass popularity of bossa nova or the comfortable familiarity of samba. The exploration of Brazil’s wealth of rhythmic treasures serves as a starting point for most artists, integrating rhythms from Northern Brazil and beyond. At the same time, modern Brazilian artists are moving past the idea of “pretty” music often associated with early jazz bossa novas. There’s plenty of beauty still inherent in contemporary Brazilian Jazz, but modern artists are taking daring risks compositionally and improvisation ally; while this may not sit well with the elevator crowd, it certainly makes for more interesting music. Interestingly enough, this phenomenon is hardly new – Brazilian composer Hermeto Pascoal has walked the experimental music line for many years, bringing together free jazz, fusion, vast Brazilian rhythms, twentieth century composition techniques, and just about everything else to create a massive body of work. Pascoal’s influence has spread like wildfire among Brazilian artists, but American musicians have been a bit behind the curve on stepping into a more exciting world of Brazilian music. Perhaps the popularity of Jobim, Getz, and the bossa nova circuit sidelined American artists, but times are changing; modern Brazilian Jazz is alive, well, and exciting.

Young saxophonist and composer Felipe Salles opens the door onto a brighter future for Brazilian Jazz on his impressive 2007 album South American Suite. Rogerio Boccato’s pandiero establishes the groove before Salles, flautist Jacam Manricks, and violinist Laura Arpiainen jump into a long and winding melody on “Unborn Choro,” providing a great opportunity for lyrical improvisations from pianist Nando Michelin and bassist Fernando Huergo. Salles and Manricks aggressively plow through a dissonant melody while the rhythm section moves between baião and maracatu on “Seven Days,” building into a wildly personal improvisation from Salles. The rhythm section delivers an upbeat foundation on “Somewhat Frevo” before the melody breaks the mood with rough syncopations and tough harmonies. A breezy swing informs the rhythm on “Xote Manco” beneath a sparse and beautiful melody until sharp attacks introduce a reflective mood and an eventual shift into double time. The clever piece “Three Views” plays upon our perspective of the common samba rhythm by mixing three distinct approaches – sambo-choro, partido alto, and samba in three. Salles’ serious compositional approach, daring performances, and wide view of Brazilian music on South American Suite all present a completely new vision of Brazilian Jazz – the perfect introduction for newcomers.

4. Sube Azul - Sofia Rei Koutsovitis
Vocals have always played a part in Latin Jazz, but in the past, they often pushed the music towards a salsa or dance music direction; this reflects upon the music’s roots, but it also downplays the jazz connection. On the other side of the equation, jazz vocalists from the past and present have made valiant attempts to perform in a Latin context, but their lack of knowledge around stylistically appropriate phrasing made their performances a bit lacking. Today, modern Latin Jazz vocalists are emerging that display the best of both worlds – an authentic connection to Caribbean or South American traditions and a broad understanding of jazz harmonies and improvisation. In many cases, these artists spend their younger lives immersed in the native music of their country and then focus their mature musical development upon jazz, determining some distinct directions for their musical vision. Their connection to traditional Latin music sits in their repertoire – instead of an over reliance on well-worn jazz standards, modern Latin Jazz vocalists are increasingly choosing the folk music of Cuba, Brazil, Peru, Argentina, and more. This creates a distinctly personal connection to the music and offers a new improvisational context for their band mates. At the same time, these vocalists learned the jazz craft in a modern world, connecting with contemporary approaches to harmony, arranging, and improvisation. Their interpretation of folk songs or original compositions may include dissonant harmonies, interesting instrumentation, dips into free improvisation, and more. In today’s Latin Jazz world, vocalists are pushing the envelope with the same forceful artistry as instrumentalists.

Argentinean vocalist Sofia Rei Koutsovitis brings all these elements together into an intoxicating mix on her 2009 release Sube Azul. Koutsovitis phrases freely over a guitar backdrop, intertwining around lines from cellist Dana Leong on “Sube Azul” until an assertive cajon pushes the song into an assertive forward motion. The rhythm section drives a sparse groove as Koutsovitis sing with a sensitive touch and broad range on “Instante de Vos,” leading into a passionate solo from Leong. There’s a brilliant sense of shape on “Las Cáscaras” as Koutsovitis uses her wide dynamic range to build from nothing into a completely commanding presence. The tasteful use of electronics and overdubbing bring “Coplera’ to life as Koutsovitis layers her voice into rich washes of harmonized textures. Bassist Jorge Roeder establishes a strong bass line over a powerful festejo while Koutsovitis takes control of the melody on “El Mayoral,” eventually making way for a trombone solo from Leong and a captivating scat solo from Koutsovitis. The rhythm section creates a melancholy mood while guitarist Juancho Herrera riffs around Koutsovitis’ understated vocal on “Imaginaria” rising into a moving groove for improvisations from pianist Leo Genovese and saxophonist Dan Blake. There’s a lot of deep artistry throughout Sube Azul and an absolutely engaging vocal performance from Koutsovitis, providing a great example of modern Latin Jazz vocals at their finest.

3. Off & On - The Music Of Moacir Santos - Mark Levine And The Latin Tinge
All of the other artists on this list reside on the East Coast, but it’s important to remember that the West Coast holds a rich and thriving Latin Jazz scene. Both the San Francisco Bay Area and the Los Angeles area have long housed a number of important artists that in many cases haven’t received the same historical accolades as their New York counterparts. Still, the reality exists that the West Coast Latin Jazz scene carries a great deal of history that involves some pretty influential Latin Jazz figures. Musicians such as Cal Tjader, Francisco Aguabella, John Santos, Rebeca Mauleon, Pete Escovedo, Justo Almario, and more have called the West Coast their home and established a defined sound for the area. While the West Coast Latin Jazz sound often gets typified by Latin Rock or Latin Fusion approaches, artists have long shown greater depth. West Coast artists have freely incorporated more stylistic mash-ups into Latin Jazz and taken some serious time to experiment. Many West Coast musicians have made strong connections to Cuban musicians, and over the course of the past ten years, a number of Cuban musician have moved into Los Angeles and San Francisco. As a result, much of the music’s sound has leaned in a decidedly modern Cuban direction. At the same time, the musicians have kept solid connection to Brazilian music and more. For many years, the West Coast has held a clear vision of Latin Jazz, one that continues into the modern day.

San Francisco based pianist Mark Levine and his group The Latin Tinge dive fully into a West Coast Latin Jazz sound with their 2009 album Off & On - The Music Of Moacir Santos. The repertoire draws upon the work of Brazilian composer Moacir Santos, who developed a relationship with Levine during his time in Los Angeles. Levine became a huge fan of Santos’ work, and this creative collection of his compositions serves as a fitting tribute. Santos’ most popular piece “Nana” gets an energetic facelift through a cha cha cha groove and lively improvisations from Levine and flautist Mary Fettig. A smart arrangement finds Levine and Fettig playing off each other on “Early Morning Love” as the rhythm section provides an upbeat samba. A strutting bass clarinet line moves the groove ahead on “Suk-Cha” before the group leaps into a catchy melody and engaging solos from bassist John Wiitala and Fettig. A racing rumba flies behind an active exchange between Fettig and Levine on “Haply Happy,” moving towards a solo from Fettig and an exciting conversation between percussionist Michael Spiro and drummer Paul van Wageningen. Fettig switches to soprano sax over a driving baião rhythm on “Tomorrow Is Mine,” providing an perfect setting for Levine’s masterful improvisatory skills. There’s a dual jolt of West Coast Latin Jazz here with a dive into the Music of Moacir Santos and the powerful performance of Mark Levine and the Latin Tinge – an essential introduction to West Coast Latin Jazz.

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Check Out These Related Posts:
8 Cal Tjader Albums To Kickstart Your Latin Jazz Record Collection
10 Latin Jazz Perspectives On Miles Davis
Celebrating Women In Latn Jazz: 5 To Female Artists
Latin Jazz Quick Picks: Coast To Coast

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