Rezo

A brilliant recording by Cuban percussionist Mongo Santamaria, Afro Roots (Prestige, 1989) collects the Latin jazz hero’s first two albums released on the Fantasy label, 1958’s Yambu and 1959’s Mongo. The music is some of the best the genre has ever produced and shows just how good Santamaria was before making the unfortunate leap to Latin fusion in the late ‘60s. The supporting musicians on these sessions are also impeccable, numbering among them Cal Tjader, Francisco Aguabella, Willie Bobo, Armando Peraza, Emil Richards, and Vince Guaraldi. With most of its songs falling within the four-minute mark and the LP featuring a beautiful black woman on its cover (a style very much of its time), Afro Roots is designed for a popular audience with the aim of making this music enjoyable and accessible.

Sought-after jazz funk rarity from reed-master Roger Glen. Produced by the Mizell brothers and featuring Bill Summers and Paul Jackson from the Headhunters.

Roger Glenn - Reachin' (1976) {BGP Records CDBGPM 220 rel 2010}
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© 1976, 2010 Concord / BGP Records / Ace Records | CDBGPM 220
Jazz / Jazz Funk / Flute / Vibes

Reachin' was released in 1976, when the Mizell brothers' stronghold in the fusion market was weakening and they were begining to lean toward more gospel and disco-oriented acts. However, some of the material on this set can be classified as Larry and Fonce Mizell at their best. Roger Glenn was a distinctive session flutist on all the Mizell-produced classics that did not feature Bobbi Humphrey. His debut set included the fast and furious Latin-influenced classic "Rio" and the plodding but infectious "Don't Leave." This album is an essential purchase for all fans of the great Mizell brothers, Larry and Fonce.

Nuna is a book of compositions for solo piano by Cuban-American pianist and composer David Virelles. A 2021 recipient of the Herb Alpert Award in the Arts, Virelles has worked with musicians as distinct as Henry Threadgill, Andrew Cyrille, Ravi Coltrane, Mark Turner, Chris Potter, Tomasz Stanko, Steve Coleman, Wadada Leo Smith, Paul Motian, Bill Frisell, Tom Harrell and Milford Graves. His release Continuum (Pi 2012) was named the best jazz release of that year by The New York Times. After three esteemed releases on the ECM label, Virelles returned to Pi with Igbo Alakorin: The Singers Grove (2017), which was voted top Latin Jazz album in that year’s NPR Jazz Critics Poll.