Los Hombres Calientes
Volume 3: New Congo Square
Basin Street
At twenty-three tracks running just under 79 minutes, this disc is packed with Afro-Caribbean jazz. Los Hombres Calientes is primarily composed of Irvin Mayfield on trumpet and Bill Summers on percussion. At times, this core group swells to twelve or more members, depending on the tracks and arrangements. The music on this disc is incredible. Billed as a sonic tour through Afro-Latin ports, the music incorporates the diverse rhythms from New Orleans through the Dominican Republic, Brazil, and the Caribbean. Alternately swinging, yet firmly rooted in the textures and syncopation that are unique to the Latin style they draw from, Los Hombres Calientes serve up music that urges one to jump up and dance. It is worlds removed from the cerebral exercises that characterize much of modern jazz. At times an homage to the traditions and customs that inspired the music and yet serving as a reminder of the viability and passion that continues to inspire and motivate them, this album is a an epic journey for the ardent jazz fan or casual listener.
Basin Street Records, 4151 Canal Street, Suite C, New Orleans, LA 70119; http://www.basinstreetrecords.com
