Paquito D'Rivera Funk Tango CD

The great Paquito d'Rivera does it again with 2007's FUNK TANGO. Contrary to what the title implies, the compositions on this set are neither tango-steeped nor explicitly funky. Instead, d'Rivera leads a top-shelf ensemble through post-bop, Afro-Cuban jazz, and Brazilian forms, and other styles plucked from the jazz vocabulary to be tasted, tested, and re-combined at will. The appearance of a tune by tango master Astor Piazolloa, and the title track by pianist Alon Yavnai (who performs it as a duet with d'Rivera) made good on the album's name. D'Rivera, as always, is riveting on both saxophone and clarinet.

Paquito D'Rivera: Hector Del Curto (bandoneon); Paquito D'Rivera (alto saxophone); Diego Urcola (trumpet); Ed Simon, Fernando Otero, Alon Yavnai (piano); Oscar Stagnaro (bass guitar); Mark Walker (drums); Pablo Stagnaro (cajon drums); Pernell Saturnino (percussion).

Down Beat (p.68) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "[A] fine, tightly wrought CD....A solid snapshot of where he sees himself today."
JazzTimes (p.94) - "D'Rivera is on fire throughout on both his instruments. Urcola impresses in a Miles-flavored style on trumpet as well as his debut on valve trombone."

Average Rating: (5 out of 5 stars) 

 Great!
Looks like, or rather, sounds like Paquito tried extra hard to put together a real winner for his own label . . .and succeeded!
Submitted by tc1wlj (Rio Verde, AZ) 
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