Album review: Arturo Sandoval - My Foolish Heart (MetaJax Entertainment)

Arturo Sandoval (trumpet, flugelhorn, vocal*); Jeremy Siskind (piano); Brian Bromberg (bass); Charles Ruggiero (drums); the Budapest Scoring Orchestra conducted by Péter Illényi. (2, 5, 9, 12)

Why would one of the greatest, most technically proficient trumpet artists in the world, a multiple Grammy®-winner in multiple categories, a film soundtrack and song composer, educator, and showman extraordinaire take it upon himself to record some of the most frequently recorded ballads in the Great American Songbook? While his virtuosic wizardry amazes, with My Foolish Heart, Arturo Sandoval sets off to explore the intimacy, sonic beauty and power of melody.

Jeremy Siskind’s solo piano sets the tone for Sandoval’s lovely playing on My One and Only Love. It’s covered with utmost melodic respect it’s as lyrically beautiful as its melody. Siskind and bassist, Brian Bromberg provide solos. The ending’s altered cadence adds dimension as Sandoval sustains Bob Barrett’s cinematic, and noir-textured strings intro to Thelonious Monk’s Round Midnight. Harmon-muted, Sandoval’s take is jazz-flavored, vibrato-less, and provides aural images that ooze a dark and mysterious longing.

Charlie Chaplin’s associated toast to life, Smile, presents Sandoval singing the melody sotto voce. The tune, a favorite of Sandoval’s, is one that he’s performed regularly and recorded on his celebrated A Time for Love (Concord, 2010). It is interesting to note how similar Sandoval’s vocal and ballad-playing approaches are in singing and ballad-playing here.

Charles Ruggiero’s tom-toms and Siskind’s keys underscore a Harmon-muted Sandoval on Bye Bye Blackbird. The re-harmonized chord changes, the groove and Sandoval’s playing are a refreshingly novel take on the classic. The version is a standout and will likely draw interest from both listeners and playlist aggregators. Luis Bonfá and Antonio Maria’s theme from the 1959 film, Black Orpheus (Orfeu Negro) is here with a light bossa texture. The lush strings of the Budapest Orchestra under Péter Illényi and Sandoval’s butter-toned flugelhorn caress the ear. His solo is impeccably and tastefully developed.

There is a lengthy history in jazz of star trumpeters who have also vocalized. Louis Armstrong, Bunny Berigan, Chet Baker, and Jack Sheldon immediately come to mind. What is intriguing about Sandoval as a vocalist is how incredibly similar, if not identical his singing style – phrasing, dynamics, inflection, et al - is to his playing. Further, playing the trumpet in this ballad style actually takes tremendous command of the horn as well as precise embouchure and breath control.

My Funny Valentine is that perfect example in which voice and horn blend seamlessly. Siskind’s Rhodes reharmonized accompaniment adds a different vibe to Sandoval’s intimate rubato take. Body and Soul offers an exposed Sandoval solo before Siskind’s keys accompany. His improvisation here is liquidly melodic. No flair, this track is just gilded pure.

Alec Wilder called Here’s That Rainy Day, originally written by Johnny Burke and Jimmy Van Heusen, “an illustration of absolute honesty.” And that is how this presentation plays. Sandoval and the orchestra wring every drop of emotion out of the classic. Brian Bromberg’s bass beautifully sings on this.

Billy Strayhorn’s Lush Life, is in this writer’s humble opinion, the “Holy Grail of the Great American Songbook,” being a perfect trio in uno of form, melody and lyric beauty. It is an Everest that some musicians – even the great Sinatra himself – cannot conquer. To my knowledge, Arturo has never recorded it before this session. The presentation here is opulent, honest and it is a glorious take and a fitting closer.

Some words about Sandoval’s cadre are in order. Pianist Jeremy Siskind supports across the session with refined taste and simplicity and is never intrusive or showboating. Brian Bromberg’s support is excellent throughout and drummer, Charles Ruggiero's brushwork demos he’s a master of a somewhat lost art. The arrangements both of the selections by Tony Guerrero (who also superbly produced the session) and the strings by Bob Barrett are outstanding. Ditto on all of the production values, including the unique cover which was designed by the Maestro’s son, Tury Sandoval.

My Foolish Heart is a near hour of balladic music that is utterly sublime. And, like a trumpeting and vocalizing “E.T.,” Sandoval’s performance throughout touches and stimulates one’s “heart light.” Nick Mondello

Produced by Tony Guerrero; Executive Producer: Tim Ellis.

Arrangements by Tony Guerrero except Bye Bye Blackbird arranged by Jeremy Siskind. String arrangements/orchestrations by Bob Barrett.

*Flugel on tks 5, 6, 8. Vocal on tks 3, 6, 10.

Track Listing: My One and Only Love; ‘Round Midnight; Smile; Bye, Bye Blackbird; Theme from Black Orpheus (Manhã de Carnaval); My Funny Valentine; Stella by Starlight; Body and Soul; Here’s That Rainy Day; When I Fall in Love; My Foolish Heart; Lush Life.