Dave Samuels and the Caribbean Jazz Project
Released in 2002
Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz Album 2003
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/0kZGwhs8zb69cZAjmKDFnj?si=jtOQuKhvRI6faQG20jm2Lg
About:
This disc is the latest release by this group which is co-led by Dave Samuels and Dave Valentin. The Caribbean Jazz Project was founded a decade ago and under the watchful eye of co- founder Samuels has undergone a series of stylistic and personnel changes over the years. Valentin came on board a couple of years ago and the special guest appearance of Paquito D’Rivera marks the welcome return of one of the band’s earliest members.
Like so many successful recordings the material is a healthy balance of originals and standard jazz repertoire. It is especially interesting to hear the ensembles’ version of the sadly neglected Thelonius Monk classic “Bemsha Swing.” In recent years musicians from the Caribbean have certainly been making their mark on the world of Jazz and this album is no exception. Perhaps one of the most noticeable aspects of the players from this background is their high level of technical accomplishment on their chosen instruments. Cuban born Paquito D’Rivera is surely one of the most proficient saxophonists of the present time and he is certainly amongst the fieriest of performers – there are many fine examples of this to be heard on this offering.
Dave Valentin, who is of Puerto Rican origin, is one of the most distinctive flute players to appear on the scene in recent years. His execution is purer and closer to the classical tradition than that of many of his contemporaries, but he is an improviser of great facility and creativeness. He has his own language and his fund of ideas seems to have no limits.
However, perhaps the most striking aspect of the music contained here is the interplay between the front line and the rhythm section. The overall group sound is obviously paramount in the concept of the joint leaders. Such classics as Oliver Nelson’s “Stolen Moments” are adapted to fit the Latin ideal of this band, but the adaptation is in no way contrived and the piece loses nothing because of this. The original numbers are all of a high standard and the level of performance is excellent throughout. This disc would serve as an excellent introduction to contemporary Latin Jazz.
Dick Stafford
Track Listing:
1. Rendezvous (Dave Samuels) 5:21
2. Stolen Moments (Oliver Nelson) 7:27
3. See You in a Minute (Dave Valentin) 4:53
4. The Gathering (Dave Samuels) 5:54
5. Bemsha Swing (Denzil Best / Thelonious Monk) 7:38
6. Libertad (Rubén Rodríguez) 4:51
7. El Guarachero Intrigozo (The Scheming Party Animal) (Dafnis Prieto) 5:36
8. The Path (Dave Samuels) 5:49
9. Masacoteando (In the Groove) (Richie Flores / Dafnis Prieto) 3:04
Personnel:
Dave Samuels: vibraphone, marimba
Dave Valentine: flute
Dario Eskanazi: piano
Ruben Rodriguez: electric bass
Dafnis Prieto: drums & timbales
Richie Flores: congas (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9)
Roberto Quintero: congas (6) & percussion (1, 4, 5, 7, 8)
Paquito D’Rivera: alto saxofone (1, 5)
Recorded at BearTracks, Suffern, NY
Produced by Dave Samuels
Executive Producers: Glen Barros and John Burk
Engineered, Mixed and Mastered by Phil Magnotti
Review:
The latest album by the Caribbean Jazz Project finds the ensemble continuing to blend Latin jazz styles with jazz improvisation, albeit with a slightly altered lineup. The group is still fronted by vibraphonist Dave Samuels and flutist Dave Valentin, but Argentine pianist and onetime member Dario Eskenazi has rejoined the band and adds a distinctive rhythmic element to the cohesive rhythm section comprised of drummer and timbalist Dafnis Prieto, bassist Ruben Rodriguez, conguero Richie Flores and conga player-percussionist Roberto Quintero.
The Gathering is a collection of stylistically diverse compositions performed with no shortage of energy and verve by this tight ensemble. Saxophonist and onetime member Paquito D’Rivera helps ignite “Rendezvous” with his high-spirited soloing, and he and Valentin blow with alacrity throughout the Thelonious Monk classic “Bemsha Swing,” which Samuels reimagines as a high-octane mambo.
Even though Samuels and Valentin take the lion’s share of the solos, the Caribbean Jazz Project isn’t the Dave and Dave Show; the rhythm section also gets opportunities to shine on the album, particularly Rodriguez, who turns in an inspired solo on the title track, and Eskenzi, who steps out on the vibrant Valentin composition “See You in a Minute.”
The Gathering is a gem, and here’s wishing that this lineup will be on board for the next Caribbean Jazz Project recording.
Lucy Tauss (JazzTimes)
