RumbaJazz - Tribute To Chombo

RumbaJazz - Tribute To Chombo by Various Artists

This all-star date pays tribute to Jose "Chombo" Silva, the Cuban tenor saxophonist who worked with Latin jazz superstar Cal Tjader on his celebrated recordings Los Ritmos Calientes and Black Orchid. Recorded in Puerto Rico, Rumbajazz was supposed to be a collaborative effort bringing Silva together with percussionist Jerry Gonzalez, his bass-playing brother Andy, and their band, Fort Apache. Alas, Silva's death changed those plans, bringing the Gonzales brothers together with tenor saxophonist David Sanchez to combine Silva's lyrical Lester Young-influenced sound with Fort Apache's fiery Afro-Cuban jazz. The Tjader standbys "Mongorama," "Perfidia," "Guajira at the Blackhawk," and "Perdido" are rendered in splendid clave-coded fashion. "Blues for Chombo" and "Trio-P.R." are sleek, original compositions that show the Gonzales brothers playing with Jimmy Rivera as a post-bop trio of cornet, bass, and drums. --Eugene Holley Jr.