Good jazz is always a melting pot, able to incorporate influences from various styles of music around the world. This session by electric bassist
Fernando Huergo is described by the leader/composer as "Jazz Argentino," as it incorporates rhythmic ideas from several South American countries, while
Huergo utilizes an international cast, including saxophonist
Andrew Rathbun, pianist
Mika Pohjola, flautist Yulia Musayelyan, and drummer
Franco Pinna. "Provinciano" proves to be an infectious opener, with a unison piano/bass vamp over a complex Latin rhythm, as the tenor and flute play in octave unison. The lovely ballad "La Luz del Norte" showcases Musayelyan over
Pohjola's delicate piano. Latin meets soul in the lively "Chacarera Boogaloo," written in tribute to
Lee Morgan and
Herbie Hancock. "The Cost of War" is a haunting melody, carried by
Rathbun's emotional, yet understated tenor.
Huergo's powerful arrangement of
John Coltrane's "Lonnie's Lament" opens with his soft solo, with
Rathbun making a delayed entrance on tenor; the remarkable restraint in the performance of this jazz standard makes it one of the most compelling recordings available.
Huergo closes the recording with a beautiful, unaccompanied interpretation of the tango "El Día Que Me Quieras." Highly recommended! ~ Ken Dryden