Though born in New Mexico, where he first started playing trumpet in his father’s mariachi band, Tony Lujan has developed the versatility, combined with a feel for the numerous variations of Latin music, to tackle the tradition of the trumpet masters without imitating them. The way he does that through his five arrangements on Tribute, as well as on the others arranged by like-minded musicians, is by delving into the rhythms implicit in the original recordings and adapting them to diverse Latin genres suggesting those genres’ complexity and the compositions’ ability to excite.

Take Lee Morgan’s "Ceora," for example. Starting with Robertito Quintero’s dramatic call for attention on cajón, a hint of the excitement to follow surely is contained within, but as soon as Quintero completes the introduction, the feel of the piece changes completely as the group moves into a meringue. Once Lujan comes in with the melody, all of the pieces fit, the hand drumming, the easy trumpet lead, the signature vamp. And Morgan’s well-known composition is subsumed without effort into the Latin meter affixed to it, as if it had been originally written with it in mind. The trading of parts, the piece divided into melodic fragments, works, particularly at the end when "Ceora" concludes abruptly with the clamp of the hi-hat.

Then there’s Clifford Brown’s "Daahoud," the next number, which follows the same pattern of percussiveness which makes sense, since Lujan’s group includes 4 drummers and percussionists out of ten into a straight-ahead, but thrilling, interpretation of the song. Lujan has no fear of hitting the high notes for advancing the tune. Yet, Lujan varies his insights about the adaptation of jazz trumpet to Latin genres, for Clark Terry’s "Sheba" receives string treatment, as it’s slowed into a gorgeous bolero, which Lujan played muted. And then on Lujan’s composition, "Forever My Love," he sets up the arrangement to conform to the Cuban danzón tradition, complete with triple-tonguing trumpet solo, Yosvanni Terry’s unctuous tenor sax contribution and the background strings.

While Miles Davis is represented by "Nardis" as salsa, Dizzy Gillespie’s spirit appears in the form of "Tin Tin Deo," the tentet sounding more like a big band as Lujan changes the tempo of the piece in its middle before the Afro-Cuban polyrhythms resume. And "Tin Tin Deo" lets Lujan develop his own inspiring solo, employing the entire range of his instrument, and then to end the CD literally on a high note. And what a high note it is! Right on pitch, with absolute control of volume, and leaving the listener wowed and wanting to hear more.