Thursday, October 9, 2014

Salsa de la Bahia, Vol. 2, A Collection of Bay Area Salsa and Latin Jazz

The contemporary Bay Area Salsa-Latin jazz scene is vital, judging by the music coming out on the Patois label. Today we have the second 2-CD volume of Salsa de la Bahia, Hoy Y Ayer (Patois PRCD 018).

This of course continues the flow of musical gems begun with the first volume (see the December 6, 2003 posting for a review of that one). If anything, Volume 2 is even more irresistible. Pete Escovedo, Los Kimbos 90's, Bobi Cespedes, La Mixta Criolla, Kat Parra, Wayne Wallace Latin Jazz Quintet, Rico Pabon, and Estrellas de la Bahia contribute 16 numbers, collectively, and it is music of real heat.

It gives you all you need to know about Bay Area Frisco Salsa-Latin jazz today. The rhythm sections have that drive and then some. There are some percussion routines that take away the breath, even.

The vocals are uniformly right, the songs excellent, the call-and-response sections blaze. They will get you off your feet in a hurry. And the brass-reed sections have some really hip writing happening with excellent players and very together soloing. The trombone work is especially outstanding but it all comes at you with that special charge that makes this music a development, a step ahead for the music.

This one should not be missed. A groove it is, very much so. Oye!

No comments:

Post a Comment