Search - Arturo Sandoval :: Flight to Freedom

Amazing! This album sparkles!

JetTone12 | USA | 09/24/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album is Arturo's first album after being let into the United States to live from Cuba, and is appropriately titled "Flight To Freedom". This guy is one of my all-time favorite trumpet players and he definitely shows why on this recording. Amazing playing, astounding range, huge sound, knockout technique. A lot of the tunes have the Latino AMERICAN feel, which is different and more American sounding than, say, the music Arturo did with Irakere. It has a fusion influence and even has some rock flavor in it in places. However, it still is full of life and energy, and is wonderful to hear as expected. Arturo is much more than a flashy musician. He's a flashy musician with a passion in his playing. The album opens up with the lively "Flight To Freedom", which has Arturo trading off phrases with the saxophonist and they basically are setting you up for the album to come. "Last Time I Saw You" has some amazing trumpet playing from Arturo and is also a cool composition. If this music was in the mainstream, this song would be a hit. It's catchy and the rhythm section is great. Chick Corea stops by on piano for this track. "Caribeno" has an annoying intro (that guitar) but then segways into a wonderful latin tune. Arturo really swings on this one and hits some extraordinarily high notes at the beginning (including a really loud F over Double C). He takes a more laid-back approach with flugelhorn on "Samba De Amore", which is a beautiful song. This is the type of song you could sit back and eat while listening to it. Ironically, the only song I don't particularly care for on this set is the Chick Corea song. It is repetitive and doesn't really go anywhere. Arturo has some good muted trumpet licks but that's about it. "Rene's Song" is a lively, percussion driven song that is nice to hear with Arturo digging in on trumpet again. Following that is a beautiful, tasty rendition of the classic standard "Body And Soul". Arturo plays on flugelhorn again and this is classic. Unbelievable ballad work. This proves he is one of the best all-around jazz players. Equally impressive is the remake of the Dizzy Gillespie classic "Tanga", which is great trumpet playing from Arturo with a harmon mute. I have seen Dizzy perform this tune and Arturo definitely stays true to the style and composition. "Caprichosos De La Habana" is a wonderful song about Cuba's biggest city. It's a lively, nostalgic return to Arturo's life before America (the happy parts of it anyway). He plays masterfully here. Finally is the recording of a song everyone who has seen the Arturo Sandoval Story will know, "Marianela" (the song he plays at the baseball field). This is a beautiful, heartfelt dedication to his wife. And talk about heroic trumpet playing: Arturo plays the whole thing up an octave for the last minute and a half ending this piece literally on a HIGH note (a double G# to be exact). Wow.If you are a fan of Arturo, or Cuban music in general, get this, you'll almost certainly enjoy it. If you're not into Arturo, however, you might not enjoy this as much as I did. If you like a feel-good album and you like great trumpet playing, this is probably one for you. Arturo soars. I personally found this to be a very enjoyable listen."

Caribeno

JetTone12 | 08/23/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"it's sparkling, scintillating latino jazz. The trumpet vulcan Artoro Sandoval celebrates this amazing stimulating kind of music as a synthesis between Jazzrock and Salsa in an incomparable way. Enjoy it! Who never heard that sound is missing lot of happiness and acoustical satisfaction."