O'farrill, Arturo / Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra / Offense Of The Drum, The
Album: Offense Of The Drum, The   Collection:Jazz
Artist:O'farrill, Arturo / Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra   Added:May 2014
Label:Motema Music  

A-File Activity
Add Date: 2014-05-16 Pull Date: 2014-07-18 Charts: Jazz
Week Ending: Jul 20 Jul 13 Jul 6 Jun 22 Jun 15 Jun 8 Jun 1 May 25
Airplays: 1 1 2 2 4 3 2 2

Recent Airplay
1. Oct 08, 2022: Music Casserole
On The Corner Of Malecón And Bourbon
4. Jul 17, 2014: The Sunset Life
They Came
2. Mar 01, 2019: Traditions
Iko Iko
5. Jul 11, 2014: Rebop
The Mad Hatter
3. Sep 28, 2017: No Cover, No Minimum
The Mad Hatter
6. Jul 05, 2014: Music Casserole
Mercado En Domingo

Album Review
Fo
Reviewed 2014-05-18
ARTURO O’FARRILL & THE A.L.J.O.: Offense of the Drum
Motéma, 2014

LATIN JAZZ – A unique set of modern Latin jazz from the 18-piece Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, blending in percussion instruments from all over the planet (the overarching theme here is drums as a unifying force). #1 is led by a harp (and it jams!). #2 brings in turntables and spoken-word poetry. #6 has ultra-modernist Vijay Iyer on piano. #7 has a taiko drummer… See what I mean? Unique. And excellent. Play it.

Fo’s Picks: 1, 2, 6, 7, 9

1. 9:13 – harp starts a hard groove; gliding trumpet solo, then harp jabs away
2. 7:27 – a history of Puerto Ricans in the US: political spoken word, DJ Logic on turntables, rhythms from bomba to salsa to reggaeton. Damn!
3. 9:46 – orchestral swirl, then a romp across jazz history, ragtime, and latin
4. 6:56 – heavy march based on Colombian music, with Ellingtonian touches
5. 6:29 – dramatic intro, slow moaning Flamenco vocal & accordion, exotic sax
6. 8:27 – modern: relaxed tempo, complex layers, great piano & trumpet work
7. 11:41 – starts as a lament, changes to a percussion-driven stroll with strong sax, then hot drums spar with the horns in the uptempo second half
8. 6:22 – smoldering, danceable piece: a more standard latin big-band sound
9. 7:02 – strutting “Iko Iko” opens up in middle; jolly Donald Harrison vocal/sax

[ Fo ] - 18 May 2014

Track Listing
1. Cuarto De Colores   6. The Mad Hatter
2. They Came   7. The Offense Of The Drum
3. On The Corner Of Malecón And Bourbon   8. Alma Vacía
4. Mercado En Domingo   9. Iko Iko
5. Gnossienne 3 (Tientos)   .