Squeeze

Ray Vega's fourth album not only confirms his status as one of the leading Afro-Cuban trumpeters of his generation, but also shows an admirable willingness not to be stuck in one subgenre of jazz forever. Squeeze, Squeeze focuses mostly on band originals, composed not only by Vega but also by bassist Gregg August, whose "Crescent Mood" has an enjoyably retro feel that recalls the smooth, fusiony jazz of the CTI Records crowd, and alto saxophonist Bobby Porcelli, whose post-bop ballad "Both" is one of the album's highlights. The album has a few standard Afro-Cuban jazz pieces, most notably the closing "La Tercera," the rollicking title track, and a bracing take on Wayne Shorter's "Black Nile"…

The ultimate Squeeze album is, of course, Singles, 45's and Under. This is a classic album of 1980s pop that belongs in any record collection. This compilation (The Piccadilly Collection) is an updated release of classic Squeeze tunes, containing many of the favorites from Singles, 45s and Under (Pulling Mussels, Tempted), as well as newer material from the 1990s (Everything in the World, Some Fantastic Place). It includes a few other noteworthy songs (Hourglass, Love's Crashing Waves) that are worth having, as they are of the same quality as the material from "Singles". In addition, there are a few interesting tunes (Spanish Guitar, Elephant Girl) that are positive additions and are relatively unknown. This is a good compilation to buy if you need a Squeeze CD that covers the highlights but also adds some newer material.