LUSCIOUS LATINS…Noah Bless: New York Strong, Carla Campopiano: Chicago-Buenos Aires Connections Volume II

South America, the continent that saved jazz, is represented here with two tasty sessions…

Trombonist Noah Bless delivers a swinging session of bop and Afro Cuban with his team of mike Eckroth/p, Boris Kozlov/b, Pablo Bencid/dr and Luisito Quintero/perc on a mix of originals and rich tradition. Bless’ horn is bold and confidant bopping on the traditional piece by Ray Santos in “Sunny Ray” and cruising over Quintero’s percussion on Rudy Calzado’s “Ganga” while seducing Tom Jobim’s melodic “Ligia” with the suave support of Kozlov and “Eckroth. Alejandro Aviles adds flute support to the percolating bopper “49th Street” and the funky “The Key”, with the team giving a wondrous read to James Taylor’s “Fire and Rain” that adds salsa to the boomer standard. Oye!

I’m a sucker for albums like the one by flutist Carla Campopiano, when each song is identified by a certain type of dance rhythm. She mixes and matches her teaming with drummer/percussionist Gustavo Cortinas with rotating guitarists Gabriel Datcu or Zac Selissen, bassist Kitt Lyles and earthy vocalist Alba Guerra, who sings with passion on the folksy “La  Pomena” and saunters over “Vieja Viola”. Campopiano is festie and joyful with Lyles on “El Portenito” and dances with Selissen on “Payadora” while galloping rapidly with Datcu for the enchanting “Lo Que Vendra”. Clapping hands get you on your feet for “Lluvia” and the flute floats on “Zamba Soltera”. Brazilian beauties.