The leader of the Jazz on the Latin Side All Stars and radio personality Jose Rizo pays tribute here to one of his heroes, conguero Mongo Santamaria. Combining Santamaria classics with some newer compositions, Rizo has assembled a ten-piece group to produced a fine album of Afro-Cuban jazz with a retro sound that still feels fresh and fun.  

The influence of Latin and Afro-Cuban music on jazz goes way back, but the mambo craze exploded in the 1950s. The Jazz Orquestas collection is a tasty assortment of perf…

Arturo Sandoval has recorded his first live album, and Half Note Records, which has recorded some excellent live albums at the legendary Blue Note jazz club in New York, no…

Though the term fusion has come to mean a very specific thing in the minds of most, the truth is - all jazz is fusion. Always has been and always will be. Through the early…

Viva Cubop 3 is the third compilation of Afro-Cuban and Latin Jazz Tracks from recent CuBop releases as well as unreleased music. This is old school Latin Jazz , music I gr…

On the CD Mambo Jazz, two master percussionists, John Santos and Bobby Matos have come together to record an explosive Afro-Cuban Jazz CD. The recording was made in the spi…

The 8 selection CD titled AFRO CUBAN JAZZ is a delight, and full of highly imaginative music, such as "Oya Ye Ye" composed and performed by Davide Giovannini, "El Campeo…

MALLET HANDS is Ray Armando at his finest! Great Cubop music is in every selection. If you like jazz, be it Brazilian, Latin, or Cuban, this CD is for your collection! T…

Paquito D’Rivera’s "Habanera" is a seamless synthesis of jazz and classical ensembles using the compositions of Ellington, Gershwin, Gillespie, and his own. It is a success…

The first time I listened to this, I was amazed at its cool intensity. The second time I listened to this, I heard the magic and power and straight-forward joy behind the c…

If you are looking for something that really puts contemporary jazz together in a cool, sweet mood, please give Ken Todd & All That Jazz a listening in their remarkable tri…