November 22 - Show #100

Theme: Chin chon chow - Louie Ramírez
Song-Artist-Album-Label

Soul drummers – Ray Barretto – Acid – Fania

Soul guajijra – Herbie Mann – My Kinda Groove - Atlantic

Oye como va – Bobby Hutcherson – Montara – Blue Note

La mulata rumbera – Mark Weinstein – El Cumbanchero - Jazzheads

Eight o’clock blues – Phil Hawkins and his ensemble – Sugarcane Suite – P. Note Music

Afro green – Caribbean Jazz Project – Mosaic – Concord Picante

Cherokee – Kristina – Offshore Echoes – Patois Records

Se le ve – Jeno Somlai – Let It Go – Self-produced album: www.jenosomlai.net

Caragua – Grafitti – Grafitti – Self-produced album: www.tomgraf.com

Libertango (Tributo a Astor Piazzolla) – Michel Camilo & Tomatito – Spain Again – Decca

Mira Flores – Eddie Palmieri – Listen Here! – Concord Picante

Fiesta – Gato Barbieri – Caliente! – A&M Records

Zambamalato – Kiki Sánchez – El Sonido del Jazz – Afro-Jazz Peruano – TDV Media
Enterteinment

Hay días como hoy – Pilar de la Hoz – Jazz con Sabor Peruano – Jaguar Records

Endivia – Cecilia Alessandra – El Sonido del Jazz – Afro-Jazz Peruano – TDV Media Enterteinment

Bossa per due – Nicola Conte – Sinners Lounge: The Latin Sessions – Comfort Sounds

Sol tapado – Thievery Corporation – Sinners Lounge: The Latin Sessions – Comfort Sounds

November 15 - Show #99

Latin Soul special edition on Italian song II

Latin Soul dedicated this edition to the second special on Italian popular song today. Luca Morazzano was accompanying me today as guest in the studio introducing and giving information in the songs and the artists in the playlist below. We held a nice music chat for a couple hours talking on classic songwriters, interpreters and great music.


Luca Morazzano, guest in the studio for Latin Soul Italian song special edition II.

Playlist:

Artist-Song

Adriano Celentano – Il tuo bacio e’ come un rock

Adriano Celentano – Io sono un uomo libero

Mina & Celentano – Acqua e sale

Mina – Brava

Mina – Se telefonando

Patty Pravo – La bambola

Etta Scollo – I miei fiori

Domenico Modugno – Piove

Loredana Berte’ – E la luna busso’

Carmen Consoli – Fiori d’arancio

Carmen Consoli – L’ultimo bacio

Rino Gaetano – Gianna

Roy Paci – Up and down

Roy Paci – Malarazza

Arpioni – Ma mi’

Raffaella Carra’ – Tanti auguri

Squillo & Salerno – Siamo donne




Yours truly, David Hervás, host, and Luca Morazzano, guest tonight.


Thanks for listening to Latin Soul on 88.9 KETR!

November 8 - Show #98

Theme: Chin chon chow – Louie Ramírez
Song-Artist-Album-Label

Latin Soul – Ralfi Pagán – Compilation Latin-Soul Descarga & Boogaloo – Manzana Producciones Discográficas

Pata pata – Tito Puente – Compilation We Got Latin Soul! – Charly Records

King of Latin Soul – Joey Pastrana – Compilation The Bad Boogaloo Nuyorican Sounds 1966-1970 – Fania

It’s a good feeling (riot) – Joe Bataan – Compilation We Got Latin Soul! – Charly Records

Eleanor Rigby – Joe Torres – Latino con Soul – Pacific Jazz

What a baby – Joe Cuba Sextet – Bustin’ Out – Tico Records

We got Latin soul – Mongo Santamaría – Compilation Kool It -Soul, Funk & Jazz Go Latin – Harmless

Chan chan – Compay Segundo et al. – Buena Vista Social Club – World Circuit/Nonesuch

Mali Cuba – Elíades Ochoa, Toumani Diabaté et al. – Afrocubism – World Circuit/Nonesuch

Carmen cubana – Klazz Brothers & Cuba Percussion – Classics Meets Cuba – Sony

Aguanile – Irakere – The Best of Irakere – Sony

El cumbanchero – Mark Weinstein – El Cumbanchero – Jazzheads

Doña Olga – Mark Weinstein – El Cumbanchero – Jazzheads

Mas que nada – Lani Hall – Brasil Nativo – Windham Hill Jazz

Aula de matematica – Oscar Castro-Neves & Paul Winter – Brazilian Days – Living Music

Help – Manfredo Fest – Os Sambeatles – Original Roots of Bossa Nova

Yesterday – Manfredo Fest – Os Sambeatles – Original Roots of Bossa Nova

Tacanara – Gonzaguinha – Beleza Tropical 2 – Luakabop

What is this? – Sergio Mendes – Beleza Tropical 2 – Luakabop

No ano que vem – Tania Maria – Compilation The Most of Latin Groove – Jazz FM Records



Highlights of the show:

Latin Soul presented a new album release today. Mark Weinstein has a new album out to enjoy. “El Cumbanchero” was offered two tunes back to back today as a sample of the perfect blend of Latin and jazz music. Next, you can read a review on this album.




One year after release of ‘Brazil’, Mark Weinstein presents ‘El Cumbanchero’. If in ‘Brazil’, Mr. Weinstein went over sounds reminiscent to Brazil and doing takes on Tom Jobim’s compositions, in ‘El Cumbanchero’ Mr. Weinstein goes deeply on inspiration by Cuban musical school. His expertise on flute makes this one a wonderful collection where the sound of this instrument blends to perfection with the rest of the ensemble of percussion and brass. Overall, here you may find a collection of tunes that have a relaxing effect on the listener. The outcome is a good sample of Latin jazz with a great approach to the sounds of Cuban traditional “vieja trova”. Tunes keep a melodious and percussive structure giving way to Mr. Weinstein flute solos which involve the listener in a long almost wonderfully minimalistic tune pretty much every theme of the album. The blend of jazz and Latin came to a perfect state in this album.

November 1 - Show #97

Theme: Chin chon chow – Louie Ramírez
Song-Artist-Album-Label


Har-You Percussion Group – Welcome to the party – The New Latinaires – Ubiquity Records

Happy birthday everybody – Ray Barretto – Latino con Soul – Polydor

Maw Latin blues – Louie Vega & Kenny González-Masters at Work – Nuyorican Soul – Mercury/Universal

Boogaloo Lebron – The Lebron Brothers Orchestra – Compilation The Rough Guide to Boogaloo – Rough Guide

Soul limbo – Cándido – Thousand Finger Man – Blue Note

Flootie – New Cool Collective – Soul Jazz Latin Flavours Nineties Vibe – Club 802
Records

Siempre me va bien – University of North Texas Latin Jazz Ensemble – En Clave – North Jazz Texas

The big idea – Phil Hawkins and his ensemble – Sugarcane Suite – P. Note Music

St. Ogredol – Caribbean Jazz Project – Mosaic

Musica profissional – The Ipanemas – Afro Bossa – Far Out Recordings

Summer samba – Walter Wanderley – Compilation los Años Maravillosos del Brasil – Emin/Wea

Mas que nada – Tamba Trio – Compilation los Años Maravillosos del Brasil – Emin/Wea

A felicidade – Tom Jobim – Compilation los Años Maravillosos del Brasil – Emin/Wea

Listen here – Eddie Palmieri – Listen Here! – Concord Picante

Spain – Michel Camilo y Tomatito – Spain – Verve

Summertime – Gabriel Alegría – Afro-Peruvian Jazz Sextet – Wayruro – WEA/Mercury

Sancochao – Richie Zellón – Landología – Sangosaurus Music

La valse creole – Pamela Rodríguez & Jaime Cuadra – Cholo Soy 2 – Quadrasonic Ideas

Happening mishaps – Quantic – Marula Soul –Music 2 my brothers and sistas – Lovemonk

Un limón en la cabeza (Reguisao mix) – Gecko Turner – Marula Soul –Music 2 my brothers and sistas – Lovemonk



Highlights of the show:

Latin Soul offered today a back to back tune set on Latin vibraphone and steel drums set. From the album “Mosaic” by the Caribbean Jazz Project, the tune “St. Ogredol” was aired tonight. Here, you may read the review you may find at cduniverse.com



Caribbean Jazz Project/Dave Samuels: Christian Howes (violin); Alain Mallet (piano, organ); Alon Yavnai (piano); Dave Samuels (vibraphone, marimba); Boris Kozlov (acoustic bass); Oscar Stagnaro (bass guitar); Andy Narell (drums, steel pan); Mark Walker, Dafnis Prieto (drums); Pernell Saturnino, Robert Quintero (percussion); Paquito d'Rivera.

Working a bright, innovative corner of Latin jazz and drawing on Jamaican, Afro-Cuban, Venezuelan, and Peruvian rhythms to create a hybrid mosaic (as the title suggests), the loose, rotating collective that is the Caribbean Jazz Project manages to be many things at once, including a dance band with a hard bop sensibility, and at times the ensemble comes close to being a new age chillout orchestra. Whatever label they wear, CJP have a bright, infectious sound, led by vibraphonist Dave Samuels' bubbling and watery tones and, on three tracks here, the amazing talking steel drums of Andy Narell. Violinist Christian Howes guests on Samuels' "Slow Dance," giving it a wonderfully eerie and wheezing feel. Other highlights in what is truly a compellingly bright mosaic are the angular "Spinnaker," the ever-expanding "Portraits of Cuba," and the interesting version of Miles Davis' "Nardis" that starts off the sequence. CJP, in whatever incarnation (and players vary here almost from track to track with Samuels as the main constant), manage to sound new and fresh, experimental and atmospheric, and yet still familiar and traditional, and often all of these things at once, resulting in music that is as fluid as a wave in the sun. ~ Steve LeggettDown Beat (p.92) - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "On MOSAIC, six lean and edgy studio tracks build in waves to three expansive live tracks that feature steel pan player Andy Narell."JazzTimes (p.92) - "MOSAIC is carefully constructed, flows easily and is full of sounds from the archipelago." Review obtained at www.cduniverse.com

October 4 - Show #96

Theme: Chin chon chow – Louie Ramírez
Song-Artist-Album-Label


Marie Laveaux – Cubanismo – Compilation Latin Jazz -the essential album – Union Square Music

If I only had a brain – Kermit Ruffins – Happy Talk – Basin Street Records

Foforo Fo Firi – Los Hombres Calientes – Vol 3 New Congo Square – Basin Street Records

Mambo in Miami – Cal Tjader – Talkin’ Verve -roots of acid jazz – Verve

Soul sauce – Cal Tjader – Talkin’ Verve -roots of acid jazz – Verve

Way down yonder in New Orleans – Van Alexander & His Orchestra – Compilation Ultra-Lounge Mambo Fever – Capitol Records

Mambo Jambo (Qué rico el mambo) – Dave Barbour – Compilation Ultra-Lounge Mambo Fever – Capitol Records

Mambo de las brujas – Francy Boland – Compilation Mambo Mania talkin’ Verve – Verve

Peter Gunn Mambo – Jack Costanzo & His Orchestra – Compilation Ultra-Lounge Mambo Fever – Capitol Records

Soul drummers – Ray Barretto – Acid – Fania

Devil eyes – Joe Torres – Latino con Soul – Pacific Jazz

I wish you love (part 2) – Joe Bataan – Saint Latin’s Day Massacre – Fania

Yeah! – Los Ros – Compilation Sensacional Soul Vol 2 – Vampi Soul

Sintonía en soul – Jae’s Soul – Compilation Sensacional Soul Vol 2 – Vampi Soul

Nunca nunca (never never) – Los Shakers – Shakers for You – EMI

So danço samba – Wanda de Sah – Compilation Ultra-Lounge Bossa Nova Ville – Capitol Records

Triste – Manfredo Fest – Compilation The Bossa Nova Exciting Jazz Samba Rhythms Vol 5– Rare Groove Recordings

Misirlou – Laurindo Almeida and the Bossa Nova All Stars – Compilation Ultra-Lounge Bossa Nova Ville – Capitol Records

Samba de unma nota só – Zimbo Trio – Compilation The Bossa Nova Exciting Jazz Samba Rhythms Vol 5 – Rare Groove Recordings

Bert’s bossa nova – Bert Kaempfert & His Orchestra – Compilation The Bossa Nova Exciting Jazz Samba Rhythms Vol 5 – Rare Groove Recordings

Coast ride – Peter Reno – Morphine Mambo Jazz Club – Qualiton Imported Labels

Surf del embajador – Jaime Delgado Aparicio – El Embajador y Yo -original motion picture soundtrack – Vampi Soul

Summertime – Herb Alpert – Compilation The Mood Mosaic 7 -the new shapes of sound – Partners in Crime

Sol tapado – Thievery Corporation – Sinners Lounge: The Latin Sessions – Comfort Sounds



Highlights of the show:

Latin Soul aired tonight a great set on classic mambo. A few interesting tunes have been played from the album below reviewed by Richie Unterberger from cduniverse.com




When Latin bandleaders popularized mambo in the early 1950s, this set many pop and big band acts scrambling to get in on the action. Mambo Fever, part two of Capitol's Ultra-Lounge series, takes 18 such examples from the vaults, spanning the mid-'50s to the early '60s. Yma Sumac (an exotica singer, not a bandleader) and Billy May are the only readily recognizable names on this compilation, which is akin to hearing competent, somewhat Whited-out derivations of Perez Prado. There are odd touches like Sumac's high-frequency warbles, John Buzon's roller-rink organ runs, and the sheer silliness of Chuy Reyes' "Oink, Oink Mambo." But the results are oddly similar, on one level, to hearing some White bands try to play the blues--in comparison to the most genuine article, it's somewhat sanitized for broader consumption. That's not to deny its considerable fun (if lightweight) qualities; this usually works up respectable heat, in addition to evoking the slightly kitschy '50s mentality that is a necessary ingredient of the space age pop revival. Review by Richie Unterberger at cduniverse.com

September 20 - Show #95

Theme: Chin chon chow – Louie Ramírez
Song-Artist-Album-Label


Djelimady rumba – Afrocubism: Elíades Ochoa, Toumani Diabaté, et al. – Afrocubism – World Circuit/Nonesuch

El son te llama – Orchestra Baobab & Ibrahím Ferrer – Specialist in All Styles – World Circuit/Nonesuch

Afro – The Ipanemas – Afro Bossa – Far Out Recordings

Monte adentro – Mongo Santamaría – Afro Roots – Prestige

Afro – Mongo Santamaría – Afro Roots – Prestige

El rumbón (the party) – Chucho Valdés – Briyumba Palo Congo (Religion of the Congo) –Blue Note

Tres negros – Omar Sosa – Afreecanos – Otá Records

Brazil – Mark Weinstein – Jazz Brasil – Jazzheads

Maramoor mambo – Bobby Matos & his Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble – Beautiful as the Moon –Lifeforce Jazz Records

Los aretes de la luna – David Sánchez – Compilation Latin Jazz La Combinación Perfecta – Smithsonian Folkways Recordings

El toro – Gabor Szabo – Compilation From Latin… to Jazz Dance Vol. 5 – Rare Grooves Recordings

Ibérico Jazz – Quinteto Montelirio – Ibérico Jazz -Las Producciones de Antoliano Toldos 1967/72 – Vampi Soul

Camel walk – The Latinaires – El Barrio -The Bad Boogaloo Nu Yorican Sounds 1966/70 –Fania

Green Onions – Jack Costanzo & Gerry Woo – Compilation Latin Soul Descarga & Boogaloo – Manzana Producciones Discográficas

Forever song – Mosquitos – Mosquitos – Bar None Records

Valencia – Josh Rouse – El Turista – Yep Roc Records

Lágrimas de amor – Vinicius Cantuária & Bill Frisell – Lágrimas Mexicanas – eOne Music

Te amo, I love you – Ely Guerra – Sweet & Sour, Hot Y Spicy – Higher Octave Music

Bueninvento – Julieta Venegas – Bueninvento – Ariola/BMG

Barataria – Palo Viejo – Estás Aquí Ahora – Self-produced album: www.myspace.com/paloviejo


Highlights of the show:

Latin Soul had an awesome first part of the show, if not the whole show!, tonight, being dedicated to the Afro influence in Latin and Brazilian music, which is a lot to say actually. Among all those great tunes, two of them by Mongo Santamaría, out of his album “Afro Roots”. Next, you may read the review from Fernando González from the Editorial Reviews of Amazon.com



Released by the label Prestige in 1989. A compilation of Cuban conguero Ramon "Mongo" Santamaria's first two albums for Fantasy Records, Afro Roots features not only an all-star percussion section, including Willie Bobo, Francisco Aguabella, Carlos Vidal, and Armando Perazza, but also musicians such as flutist Paul Horn, vibist Cal Tjader, and saxophonist Jose "Chombo" Silva. This disc also includes the original version of Santamaria's classic "Afro-Blue" (a simmering, sensual reading featuring Horn). The music, closer to traditional Cuban music than to any notion of Latin jazz, sounds as fresh and engaging as when it was recorded, in 1958. The set includes nods to traditional Afro-Cuban religious ritual music ("Afro-Blue," "Bata," "Imaribayo") and classic rumba ("Chano Pozo," "Meta Rumba," "Yambu," "Columbia") but also conga ("Conga Pa Gozar"), merengue-rumba ("Che-Que-Re-Que-Che-Que"), and an elegant but forceful mambo ("Mazacote," featuring Tjader). – By Fernando González, from Editorial Reviews at Amazon.com

September 13 - Show #94

Theme: Chin chon chow – Louie Ramírez

Song-Artist-Album-Label


Besito pa ti – La Lupe – Compilation Lo Mejor de La Lupe – EMI Latino

Don’t squeeze the peaches – Jack Costanzo & Gerry Woo – Latin Percussion with Soul – Vampi Soul

Latin Soul Square dance – Joe Bataan & Los Fulanos – King of Latin Soul – Vampi Soul

El manisero – Anita O’Day – Compilation Latin Jazz – Jazzclub/Verve

It’s not unusual – Willie Bobo – Compilation Latin Jazz – Jazzclub/Verve

Trinidad – Willie Bobo – Compilation Latino Blue -Blue Note Jazz con Sabor Latino – Blue Note

Mambo Inn – Grant Green – The Latin Bit – Blue Note

The bullfighter from Madrid – Lionel Hampton and His Orchestra & Quintet – Jazz Flamenco – RCA/BMG

(Se acabó) la malanga – Bobby Hutcherson – Montara – Blue Note

Mini Skirt – Mambo Zombies – Mambo Zombies – Self-produced album: MamboZombies.com

You belong to my heart (Solamente una vez) – Esquivel and his Orchestra – Latin-Esque – RCA/BMG

Andalucía – Mr. Ho’s Orchestrotica – The Unforgettable Sounds of Esquivel – Self-produced album: www.orchestrotica.com

Somewhere over the rainbow – Peter MacDonough – The Wizard of Oz -A Latin Jazz Suite – Self-produced album: www.petermacdonough.com

Candombe – Antonio Restucci – Crisol – Petroglyph Records

Samba de Orpheus – Grant Green & Big John Patton – Iron City – Savoy Jazz

Ticket to ride– Manfredo Fest/Os Sambeatles – Os Sambeatles – Fermata/BBR

Help – Manfredo Fest/Os Sambeatles – Os Sambeatles – Fermata/BBR

Arroz con cocolón – Yuri Juárez – Afroperuano – Saponegro Records

Sonido amazónico – Los Mirlos – Back to Peru -The most complete compilation of
Peruvian underground 64-74 – Vampi Soul

La valse créole – Jaime Cuadra & Pamela Rodríguez – Cholo Soy 2 – Quadrasonic Ideas

Mediterráneo – Joan Manuel Serrat – Compilation Cantautores – Ariola/BMG

Pongamos que hablo de Madrid – Joaquín Sabina – Compilation Cantautores – Ariola/BMG


Highlights of the show:

Latin Soul presented today an original Esquivel composition and two renditions to different tunes by him. Following, you may see a review by Mark Betcher from http://artworkbymanicmark.blogspot.com/2011/09/latin-esque-esquivel-and-his-orchestra on the album “Latin-Esque”, originally released by RCA in 1961.





This is a marvelous Stereo Action entry from Esquivel. Stereo Action was a series of records RCA issued to help cash in on the emerging "stereo" trend. Each album featured a different artist who may or may not have worked with engineers to get the most out of the "stereo" technology. All of the jackets were made of heavy cardboard with some sort of die-cut that allowed the 4-color printed sleeve that was also made of cardboard, to peek through.

I can't say I love all of the Stereo Action entries and still have others I need to collect to help make comparisons. But, on a few that I have in the collection, RCA tended to mess with channel switching to the point that the "stereo action" becomes annoying. But, this Stereo Action rocks. The music is a great blend of late 50s and early 60s space age, easy listening vocals and ping-pong. Esquivel could arrange so that each tune was interesting and different, yet fit into a theme. Review taken from Mark Betcher at http://artworkbymanicmark.blogspot.com/2011/09/latin-esque-esquivel-and-his-orchestra.html

September 6 - Show #93

Theme: Chin chon chow – Louie Ramírez

Song-Artist-Album-Label



Rundrum – Tómas Einarsson – Compilation Putumayo Presents Latin Jazz – Putumayo Records

Milestones – VW Brothers – Muziek – Patois Records

El alquimista – Pete Rodríguez – El Alquimista – Conde Music

Pop Moish – Bobby Matos & his Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble – Beautiful as the Moon – LifeForcejazz Records

Barcelona – Bill O’Connell – Latin Jazz Fantasy – Random Chance Records

Melodious funk – The Craig Russo Latin Jazz Project – Mambo Influenciado – Cagoot Records

Go East – Jeno Somlai – Let It Go – Self-produced album: www.jenosomlai.net

Brigas nunca mais – Jacob Melchior – It’s About Time – Self-produced album: www.jacobmelchior.com

Nuthern’n like thuther’n – Willis Jackson - Nuthern’n Like Thuther’n – Prestige

Bert’s bossa nova – Bert Kaempert & His Orchestra – Compilation The Bossa Nova

Exciting Jazz Samba Rhythms Vol. 5 – Rare Groove Recordings

Minha saudade – Cannonball Aderley – From Latin… to Jazz Dance Vol. 5 – Rare Groove Recordings

Deve ser amor – Herbie Mann – From Latin… to Jazz Dance Vol. 3 – Rare Groove Recordings

A felicidade – Tom Jobim & Vinícius de Moraes – Nova Bossa -Red Hot On – Verve

Surfboard – Roberto Menescal e Seu Conjunto – Nova Bossa -Red Hot On – Verve

The girl from Ipanema – Stan Getz, João and Astrud Gilberto & Tom Jobim – Nova Bossa -Red Hot On – Verve

Las morillas de Jaén – Pedro Iturralde – Jazz Flamenco Vols. 1 y 2 – Hispavox

Nefertiti – Chano Domínguez – NFS New Flamenco Sound – Verve



Highlights of the show:

Latin Soul aired the closing track of Pete Rodríguez’s 2008 album ‘El Alquimista’. From an impressive album, this last track was an impressive moment in the early stages of the show tonight. Next, you may read the review from this album from cdbaby.com



Trumpeter, vocalist, percussionist and composer Pete Rodriguez has played with some of the best musicians in the world, including many of Latin music’s luminaries, such as Celia Cruz, Johnny Pacheco, La India and Tito Puente, including singing on Puente’s Grammy and Latin Grammy winning album, Mambo Birdland. Pete is the son of Pete “El Conde” Rodriguez, a music legend in the Latin music world who gave “Lil’ Pete” the responsibility of directing his 12-piece orchestra while also playing the trumpet and singing. While excelling in the Latin field, Pete also pursued his love for jazz and has been fortunate to have performed with such high profile bandleaders as Eddie Palmieri, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Chico O’Farril, and Carlos “Patato” Valdez, including performing on Eddie Palmieri and Brian Lynch’s Grammy-winning album, Simpatico. Pete is currently performing internationally with Eddie Palmieri as well as with both the nonet and all-star big band of the legendary Afro-Cuban jazz bandleader Bebo Valdez.

Pete’s recently recorded third CD, El Alquimista/The Alchemist, has just been released. El Alquimista/The Alchemist includes all original compositions, featuring Grammy-winning saxophonist David Sanchez, as well as Luis Perdomo, Henry Cole and Ricky Rodriguez. His debut CD, Mind Trip, released in 2006, received critical acclaim, garnering the attention of, among others, jazz great Kenny Barron, who said the following about Pete’s playing and compositions on Mind Trip:
“He possesses a full rich sound on both trumpet and flugelhorn and his technique is incredible…. [But] it is as a composer that his development is even more amazing. The melodies he writes are full of complex and quirky rhythms, making unusual dips and turns. … Each of the original compositions, of which there are eight, on this CD is a unique entity unto itself, full of surprises and strange twists and turns. However, one can be assured that Mr. Rodriguez does have a full grasp of the history of the jazz tradition. One need only listen to his reading of Mal Waldron’s beautiful ballad ‘Soul Eyes,’ or Herbie Hancock’s tone poem, ‘Dolphin Dance,’ to hear his respect and love for tradition. I, for one, look forward to many more musical statements from this evolving young artist.” Review from cdbaby.com.