WOODS
Musicians: Carlos Jimenez (flute, composer, arranger, bandleader); Hector Martignon (piano); Ruben Rodriguez (bass); Vince Cherico (drums)
Tracks List: You're the Best Pops; Wheelbarrow Blues; Eyes over Dawn; Dreams of Brazil; Woods; Snuggle & Cuddle; Not That Far Away; Bamboo Path; Outside in the Rain
In baseball, the most qualified sport, for us, is Major League Baseball, so with the experience obtained in his musical career Carlos Jimenez managed to assemble a small team of stars for his compositions that he creates with passion and inspiration.
Baseball has a lot to do with Latin jazz and salsa. It's a happy tradition.
When you manage to put together a team with so much experience, you can say I have the best to support my music. Quick facts about the superstars in "Woods": Hector Martignon (Ray Barretto), Ruben Rodriguez (Dave Valentin) and Vince Cherico (Arturo O'Farrill).
"Woods" easily enters the heart and all of our senses, because his music originates in Latin and jazz, with harmonious mixtures of waltz, bolero, pop, bossa, very balanced. Music for everyone!
https://youtu.be/zVmINnSJrfA?si=CgTfl1VsDXM-cCpK
https://youtu.be/zVmINnSJrfA?si=3ONdn1tCyOZ83ncI
There’s a diverse serving of rhythmic grooves in which all four members get to shine. “You’re the Best” and “Bamboo Path” are two “cool jazz” tunes where Jimenez and Martignon improvise effortlessly over the chord changes on flute and piano respectively.On “Wheelbarrow Blues” and the down-home bluesy track, “Snuggle and Cuddle,” Jimenez and Martignon demonstrate their improvisational mastery throughout their solos, with Rodriguez stepping out front with a tasty bass solo on the latter.
“Eyes Over Dawn,” a 6/8 time jazz waltz, features some stellar brush work from Cherico on drums along with another nice bass solo from Rodriguez. The band gets funky on “Dreams of Brazil,” with Cherico tearing it up on drums in tandem with punchy “baby bass” lines from Rodriguez, amid syncopated rhythmic conversations with Martignon on piano.
The breezy laid-back title track, “Woods,” puts Jimenez front and center effortlessly flowing through his solo with expressive flutters dancing over the chord changes, followed by Martignon tickling the ivories of his Fender Rhodes piano with fluid phrasing and perfectly executed rapid musical lines.
“Not That Far Away,” the only true ballad track, Jimenez shines with a lovely lilting melody and solo throughout with a brief bass solo from Rodriguez before taking it home. The ten-minute-plus up-tempo track “Smoketacular” features all in the quartet, highlighted by an intense musical conversational exchange between Martignon on piano and Cherico on drums, reminiscent of pianist McCoy Tyner and drummer Alphonse Mouzon back in the early 1970s.
The album concludes with “Outside in the Rain,” a straight-ahead jazz cooker with an opening melody head that could be a strong candidate for an opening television theme. Jimenez leaves no doubt here about his flawless articulation and improvisational mastery on his instrument, bolstered by a high level of musicianship from the other three, making this a delightful listen from start to finish.
Carlos Jimenez:
Carlos Jimenez is an extraordinary flute player and vocalist, as well as composer and bandleader of Jazz, Latin Jazz, Morld Music and Salsa.
Born in New York, his family moved to Puerto Rico when he was six years old. It was there that his musical training began. From a young age, Carlos had an aptitude for percussion and played timbales, bongos and congas. His first lyrical instrument was trumpet, which he studied under Professor Pablo Leon at Francisco Zayas Santana High School. Carlos soon changed his instrument to flute, feeling inspired listening to the music of Mongo Santamaria and how he utilized the flute in his rrangements.
Carlos returned to New York to pursue his dream of becoming a jazz flutist. He began studying classical flute at the Music Conservatory of Westchester, New York before expanding his repertoire to include jazz, studying privately with master musicians. A few years later, he studied Jazz harmony and voicing with master pianist, Michael Longo.
Carlos has recorded nine albums of his own compositions and arrangements.
Viva The Latin Jazz!!
www.jazzcaribe.blogspot.com
Note: If you want to know more about the illustrious career of Carlos Jimenez, Hector Martignon, Ruben Rodriguez, Vince Cherico and more, I invite you to read or consult "The Bible of Latin Jazz" by Luis Raul Montell (available on Amazon).
