Saint Germain The Finest

The "celebration" in question refers to Paquito becoming a U.S. citizen seven years after defecting from Cuba – and without question, he lives it up here by lavishing string arrangements on the majority of the tracks. Again, Paquito chooses to roam freely around the Latin and jazz spectrums, yet there is an appealing, newfound elegance in these tracks, even when the going gets raucous. "Wapango" has a stark, neo-classical string chart by Paquito, and Roger Kellaway contributes the fascinating, dream-like arrangement on "Heart of the Kingdom." Both of these tracks, which feature superb Paquito clarinet work, are along the lines of what Eddie Daniels was recording around this time. Claudio Roditi is back on bebop trumpet and Makoto Ozone, Daniel Freiberg and the always unpredictable Kellaway alternate in the piano chair.