JOHN SANTOS & MACHETE ENSEMBLE – “20th Anniversary”
Machete, 2005

USA – The Bay Area’s premier Latin jazz ensemble celebrates 20 years with this 2-disc set. Disc 1 is all unreleased material from 1989-1996, and Disc 2 is new stuff. The band, which has always been more about musicianship and style than just hot blowing, features a great cast of local talent. Listen for Wayne Wallace’s trombone, Melecio Magdaluyo’s sax work, Orestes Vilató’s timbales, Orlando Torriente’s fine vocals, etc. Disc 2 has some great guests: Jerry Medina (trumpet/voc), Armando Peraza (bongo), and more! Good stuff.

FO’S PICKS: Disc I – 3, 4, 6, 7 … Disc II – 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 11

DISC ONE:

1. 6:39 – piano intro, then upbeat, light & airy with busy perc., good sax
2. 6:23 – Coltrane: twisty intro, then straight-up & breezy. strong piano & sax
3. 6:48 – a light mambo built on gentle piano & nice flutes.
4. 6:25 – cuban charanga: sweet and happy, with fine vocals. violin break.
5. 5:04 – mambo, big band feel with light breaks. good piano.
6. 5:49 – beautiful! flute percolation, trombone leads, hot middle section.
7. 4:07 – upbeat carnaval feel: group vocal, rich percussion, horn dialogues
8. 7:04 – song for ripped-off musicians, solid with good vocals, piano, conga
9. 4:51 – catchy “mambo-Kongo” medley, group horns and short breaks
10. 6:03 – light midtempo salsa: rather nasal vocal, gets loose near end
11. 3:17 – afro-cuban: nice percussion bed, baritone sax doesn’t quite fit
12. 6:18 – sweet descarga: nice piano & flute, big percussion dialogue

DISC TWO:

1. 5:44 – happy rumba glides along, nice vocal, drums/timables, hot trumpet!
2. 4:46 – mysterious, with shifting rhythms. cool trumpet, then breaks down
3. 6:38 – oakland funk-rumba, soulful duo vocal (in English)
4. 6:17 – flowing puerto rican bomba/plena: rapped poetry + great 2nd vocal
5. 6:21 – gentle danzón, flute & clarinet in front, sweet piano & vocal chorus
6. 6:15 – relaxed salsa, really nice vocal work, soulful sax break midway
7. 9:17 – oh my! smoky jazz ballad: fem vocal, muted trumpet, sexy piano… then speeds up with good percussion & trumpet in second half
8. 5:56 – call for political action: rolling rhythm & strong vox + spoken word
9. 5:43 – midtempo Cuban; Armando Peraza’s bongos are front and center
10. 5:40 – a romantic Cuban sunset: trombone lead, liquid piano
11. 7:22 – rapped poetry intro, then a mellow son with great trumpet & vocals

[Fo] 8/19/05