La Habana Vive

Various Artists - Jazz - Latin/Afro-Cuban Jazz, Tony Martinez | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 6, 1999)
• Original Release Date: August 4, 1998
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Blue Jackel
• ASIN: B000009OVU
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #451,093 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Powerful debut from Cuban jazzman Tony Martinez, July 29, 2003

By 

J. Levinson (Media, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: La Habana Vive (Audio CD)

Tony Martinez is an enthusiastic and educated Cuban musician, having been classically trained, immersed in Latino-Cuban music, and seduced by jazz. His music is mostly based on traditional rhythms & chants, yet his solos reveal the harmonic sophistication of advanced hard bop. "Coltrane My Giant", the only composition titled in English, reveals one major jazz influence.

Martinez & his group Cuban Latin Jazz are the core septet on all the tracks, yet there is a host of guest players, including three additional percussion/conga players and five backing vocalists. Martinez composed and arranged all the tunes, plays alto & tenor saxes, flute, piano and keyboards. He even takes a piano solo on one track, despite the presence of Gonzalo Rubalcaba, though Gonzalo does get opportunity to display his virtuoso technique on the three tracks he appears on.

This combination of high quality jazz soloing and authentic Latin rhythms should excite and satisfy most Latin-jazz fans.