Jazz on the Latin Side All Stars 1

A live concert recording from Los Angeles, Jazz on the Latin Side All-Stars is more than just a summit meeting between some of the heaviest names the genre has to offer. It's also a tribute to radio station KLON DJ José Rizo, whose radio program has been spreading the gospel of Latin jazz to southern California and beyond since 1990. Jazz on the Latin Side All-Stars is also something of a coming-out party for Rizo the composer, who penned five of the six tunes featured here. He proves himself more than just a radio DJ blessed with good taste--he's also an astute composer with both an ear for interesting arrangements and an obvious grasp of the music he loves. Blessed with a huge band that featured such heavyweights as percussionists Francisco Aguabella, Alex Acuna, and Poncho Sanchez, trombonists Arturo Velasco and Francisco Torres, bassist Al McKibbon and many more, Rizo's tunes have this stunning collection of musicians shining and packing a sweaty dance floor. "Shortcuts" starts things off in a mambo vein, the guajira "Mujer Chicana" deliciously features Aguabella and Velasco, and "Arabian Moods" opens with a thrilling Afro-Cuban percussion section that shows Aguabella driving with Afro-Cuban folkloric style and energy. Even with Rizo's fine compositions, the set's highlight is the 15-minute closer, "Descarga Cachao," which gives nearly everyone a chance to solo over a groove written by the legendary Cuban bassist Orlando "Cachao" López. --Ezra Gale