HutchFan

Enjoying this so much that I'm giving it a second spin: Ray Barretto - The Other Road (Fania, 1973) Interesting write up about this LP and its impact here: "Revisiting Ray Barretto’s The Other Road"

I think Jackie gets more love than Cannonball from the "critical establishment." But Cannonball was (is?) more well-known. Both are supreme artists of the first order, IMO. They just did different things, had different sorts of appeal. And Dolphy too. That is, Dolphy is another "child of Bird" who took Parker's vocabulary and did something unique and personal with it.

More Buddy Defranco:

A proverbial "Keeper of the Flame" if there ever was one. R.I.P.

Gorgeous and (seemingly) effortless.

Mongo Santamaria - Mongo Magic (Roulette, 1983) Despite the title, this one's more mediocre than magic. Oh well. Like they say, "Sometimes the magic works, and sometimes it doesn't."

This again:

I love that photo of the band on the back of the cover.

Al Di Meola Project - Tirami Su (Manhattan, 1987)

Sorry to hear this news. R.I.P.

Tito Puente, Buddy Morrow, and Their Orchestras - Revolving Bandstand (RCA, 1974)

Now: Grupo Folklorico y Experimental Nuevayorquino ‎- Lo Dice Todo (Salsoul, 1976)

Looks like interesting music. One of the photos on the cover caught my eye. I've never seen the instrument that's directly under the word "IN" in the phrase "IN THE BASEMENT". Is that a valved bass trombone?

My memories of that time are vague too! When the LP was originally released, I was in the fifth grade. Of course, I didn't hear it back then. I discovered the record a few years ago when I was working on my 70s jazz blog. It's good music. All four guys in the band were working for Mongo Santamaria at the time. I guess Jasmine was a side project.

Now on my 'table: Jasmine (West 54, 1979) with Roger Rosenberg (bs, ss, cl, fl); Bill O'Connell (p, kybd); Lee Smith (b); Steve Berrios (d, cga, perc); Carmen Lundy (vo, 1 trk only)

Now: The Janet Lawson Quintet (BBE; originally released on Inner City in 1981) Janet Lawson (vo) with Roger Rosenberg (bs, ss, fl); Bill O’Connell (p); Ratzo Harris (b); Jimmy Madison (d)

Duke Ellington - The Private Collection, Vol. 7: Studio Sessions: 1957 & 1962 (Saja/Atlantic) Lots of cuts with Paul Gonsalves as the featured soloist.

Disc 2 - originally released as The Sun Is Out in 1987

Great album!

Now:

Earlier today: and Now playing: I've been immersed in Latin music lately, reading books and listening to the music. One of the authors I've read referred to the "Latin Jazz Explosion" in the 1990s. (The latter two discs above are from this decade.) I wasn't following Latin Jazz closely back then. Since I'm so late to the party, I was wondering if this is a common understanding of the time. In other words, are the 1990s understood to be a a "golden time" for Latin Jazz that's comparable to, say, 1965 to 1975 for Soul Jazz? Alternatively, I suppose the term "explosion" might simply be referring to more music being made in the sub-genre; quanity as opposed to quality. And I would guess that many of the artists who formerly focused on dance-oriented music may have migrated to Latin Jazz as Salsa's popularity declined and other Latin musics became more popular with dancers. (Of course, the number of people who actually dance also continued to decline.) One clear example of this shift is the record above: Ray Barretto's Taboo. Barretto formed his Latin Jazz band "New World Spirit" in the early 90s, and that style of music continued to be his primary focus for the rest of his life. Of course, the line between Latin Jazz and "not-jazz" Latin music continued to be a Venn diagram, with huge overlap. In other words, the distinctions are often not differences at all; just matters of focus or angle. That's one of the reasons I think it's so interesting. Thoughts?

Ray Barretto - The Rhythm of Life (Fania, 1982)

Ray Mantilla Space Station with Bobby Watson - Dark Powers (Red, 1989)

Charlie Palmieri & Meñique - Con Salsa y Sabor (Cotique, 1977)