Arturo Sandoval: Time for Love (2010)

Arturo Sandoval is a true maestro: despite his reputation as a bop-based trumpeter who plays jazz inspired by his native Cuban tradition, he has delved deeply into tango, swing, and electric jazz in his long career. He is also a fine pianist and percussionist. That said, the notion of him recording a collection of classical pieces, standards, and ballads with a trio and a string orchestra as backing is more than a bit of a surprise. Nonetheless, that's what A Time for Love basically is. Sandoval claims that this is the realization of a 20-year dream. He wanted it bad enough to make and release the record himself, but fate stepped in. Pianist Shelly Berg heard the demos and brought him to Concord's Greg Field, who in turn brought in Grammy-winning arranger Jorge Calandrelli. They co-produced while Calandrelli arranged eight of the nine string charts -- Berg arranged the other and brought in his trio to back up Sandoval.

The classical readings include Faure's "Aprés Un Reve" and "Pavane," Ravel's "Pavane Pour une Infante Defunte" (with Chris Botti on second trumpet), and Astor Piazzolla's "Oblivion" (with Monica Mancini on vocals). All reveal the emotional depth of Sandoval's playing, not just his technical acumen. While his fiery jazz playing can emote, it is often overshadowed by his expertise. Here, it is softness and tenderness without sentimentality that speak to the listener. The standards such as "I Loves You Porgy," the shimmering swing in "Speak Low," and the deep romance in the Johnny Mandel-Johnny Mercer classic "Emily" seemingly come from the vocal jazz tradition. Yet in them one can readily hear what Sandoval claims are his two greatest inspirations for this album: trumpeter Bobby Hackett's playing with the Jackie Gleason Orchestra, and the album Clifford Brown with Strings. The musical economy of those influences is reflected in the emotional weight and complex lyrical dimension carried in each note by Sandoval; the arrangements serve to heighten that revelation rather than overtake it. There are two very satisfying bonus tracks included as well, "The Windmills of Your Mind," a stellar duet with Berg, and Cole Porter's "Every Time We Say Goodbye," with Kenny Barron guesting on piano. It's tempting to call A Time for Love Sandoval's masterpiece, but that is based on the sharp contrast with virtually everything else in his catalog; only time will reveal whether or not it is. For now, what is certain is that it is one of them. ~ Thom Jurek

Tracklist:

01. Apres Un Reve 5:08

02. Emily 4:26

03. Speak Low 4:36

04. Estate 3:58

05. A Time For Love 5:04

06. Pavane Pour Une Infante Defunte (feat. Chris Botti) 5:12

07. I Loves You Porgy 5:15

08. Oblivion (How To Say Goodbye) 5:24

09. Pavane 4:50

10. Smile 3:59

11. All The Way 4:02

12. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes 4:21

13. Windmills Of Your Mind 5:32

14. Every Time We Say Goodbye 5:54

Personnel:

Arturo Sandoval (vocals, trumpet, flugelhorn);

Monica Mancini (vocals);

Chris Botti (trumpet);

David Ewart, Songa Lee, Robin Olson, Searmi Park, Tiffany Yi Hu, Phillip Levy, Tamara Hatwan, RazdanKuyumijian, Kevin Connolly, Natalie Leggett, Darius Campo, Liane Mautner, Charlie Bisharat (violin);

Darren McCann, Keith Greene, Harry Shirinian, Alma Fernandez (viola);

Trevor Handy, Vanessa Freebairn-Smith, Dennis Karmazin, Christine Ermacoff (cello);

Kenny Barron, Shelly Berg (piano);

Gregg Field (drums, percussion).

Time for Love
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Arturo Sandoval: L.A. Meetings (2001) mp3 @ 320K

A year before he defected from Cuba, the great trumpeter Arturo Sandoval played with his Cuban band briefly in Los Angeles. A recording session took place that was released for the first time in 2001. Sandoval (who doubles on timbales) is in typically exuberant form with the music (five of the trumpeter's originals and Jobim's "Dindi") ranging from funky to straight-ahead. His sextet includes pianist Hilario Duran (who would become best-known for his work with Jane Bunnett's groups) and the rockish guitarist Jorge Luis Chicoy. A special treat is that Poncho Sanchez sits in on two of the six numbers, fitting in quite comfortably with the Cubans. This historic set (the only recording of Arturo Sandoval's last Cuban band) is full of fire and easily recommended to fans of the funkier side of Afro-Cuban jazz.

Arturo Sandoval: Swingin' (1996) mp3 @ 320K

It seems remarkable that Arturo Sandoval never seems to win any jazz polls, for few trumpeters can come close to equaling his technique, jazz chops, and warm sound. On this advanced hard bop date, the music is strictly straight-ahead without any Latin rhythms. Sandoval matches wits quite successfully with clarinetist Eddie Daniels on two songs, tenor great Michael Brecker on three (including a memorable rendition of "Moment's Notice"), and veteran flügelhornist Clark Terry on a joyous "Mack the Knife." In addition, Sandoval pays tribute to Woody Shaw, John Coltrane, and Dizzy Gillespie. Other highlights include the moody "Streets of Desire" (on which Sandoval plays piano), the racehorse tempo of "Real McBop" (which has an impossible but impeccably played melody chorus), and Sandoval's humorous use of the plunger mute on "It Never Gets Old." All in all, this is one of Arturo Sandoval's finest recordings to date.

Arturo Sandoval & The Latin Train: ST (1995)

On 1995's Arturo Sandoval & the Latin Train, the Cuban-born multi-instrumentalist and his enormous band continue the unfortunate trend toward reducing the Latin part of their Latin jazz. Although guest stars on the caliber of the immortal Celia Cruz show up for Sandoval's 11th album, they're largely wasted on a slate of too-polite, overly slick slabs of crossover-oriented jazz-pop with only the most minimal Latin content. Sandoval and crew do perfectly acceptable versions of standards like "I Can't Get Started" and Dizzy Gillespie's "Bebop," and Sandoval's originals are generally pleasantly tuneful, but they're roughly equivalent to Pérez Prado's lightweight exotica of the '50s. The nadir is a terrible version of "Colors of the Wind," the treacly theme from the animated film Pocahontas given an utterly unswinging, sluggish reading that makes the song sound even worse than it already did. This album is to Afro-Cuban jazz as Taco Bell is to Mexican food.