Well now that the fire brigade have been and gone,* it's time to listen to some jazz and what better than an album described by the blurb as 'a hip, Latin-jazz inflected mix of originals and standards'? Well it certainly did all of that to the extent that I almost rang the fire station and told them to put the crew on standby. By which you'll probably gather that the sparks were flying.
Blues For Vita is Carlon's sixth album as a leader and what you get is some contemporary hard bop over Latin percussion. Imagine a front-line of Gene Ammons and Woody Shaw backed by Tito Puente and you're heading in the right direction.
As well as Carlon's five excellent originals there's a tremendous version of Frank Loesser's Never Will I Marry. Sung as a ballad by Anthony Perkins (honest!) in the show Greenwillow the quintet turn it on its head and do likewise to mine too.
It Never Entered my Mind is slower but no less compelling. Isabel the Liberator was composed by Larry Willis and recorded by Woody Shaw. The title track, Blues For Vita, is dedicated to Carlon's wife Lavita whose image is part of the artwork. As well as the two horns and pianist Alves, Harvie S is heard to advantage as is Martinez whose Latinesque solo impresses on this tribute to the lady.
Blues For Vita was released on July 29 - why have I left it so long? It's a lulu! Lance
Dee Dot; Colored Paper; Isabel the Liberator; Blues For Vita; Never Will I Marry; It Never Entered my Mind; Unmute; Zooming Into the Void
*No, I wasn't rescued from a burning building - that's next week - a malfunctioning smoke alarm was the reason for the big red vehicle arriving in the street. The neighbourhood kids were all excited. I think they thought that Guy Fawkes had arrived early. Strange that we celebrate the man who tried to blow up parliament - then again, maybe not...
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