Arturo Sandoval Albums (20)
What The Critics Say
There's something about Cuban music that makes you wonder, whenever you listen to it, why it is that you spend so much of your life doing things other than listening to it. And the same goes for the great Cuban trumpeter Arturo Sandoval -- whenever you hear him do something other than play Cuban music, you wonder why on Earth he's doing whatever that other thing is. On his latest album (named after a nightclub he owns in Miami), he gratefully spends most of his time focusing on what he and his band do best: huge horn arrangements, courtesy of Felipe Lamoglia, that not only amaze you with their complexity but also tickle your fancy with their melodic sweetness; richly multi-layered Cuban rhythms; call-and-response vocals; and an irrepressibly joyful ambience. Sandoval is equally impressive as a singer and a trumpeter, and the mix of vocal and instrumental numbers is one of the most enjoyable aspects of this fine album. Things only bog down when they start wearing their sophistication and complexity too heavily: "Having Fun" feels more abstract and musicianly than musical, and "21st Century" sounds like a tone poem trying too hard to evoke a mood rather than a piece of music enjoyable for its own sake. Overall, though, this album is a joy and a pleasure. ~ Rick Anderson, All Music Guide
'Arturo Sandoval & the Latin Jazz Orchestra'
Release Date 12/18/2006
Tracks 15
Label MVD Visual
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What The Critics Say
Two of Arturo Sandoval's early-'80s records, Turi and one called Arturo Sandoval, are reissued in full on this single CD. Recorded shortly after Sandoval left Irakere and while he was still in Cuba, these sets vary widely in the material. While Sandoval proves throughout that he is technically one of the greatest trumpeters alive, the material, particularly on the second album, is closer to pop than jazz, even including hints of disco rhythms. "Blues en Dos Partes" is a tribute to Clark Terry and Dizzy Gillespie that has Sandoval stretching out on the blues, but he mostly just sticks to the melody on "Maria," "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life," and most of the second album. The orchestras are often bombastic and the music overall can be considered instrumental pop with just touches of jazz here and there although pianist Hilario Durán is a strong asset. So although historically significant due to the time period in which it was recorded, this CD is only of moderate interest, particularly compared to the great Arturo Sandoval albums that were to come. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide
'Live at the Blue Note'
Release Date 5/24/2005
Tracks 8
Label Half Note
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What The Critics Say
Live at the Blue Note is really a two-fer since it has a CD and a DVD of the same performance. Arturo Sandoval, one of the great trumpeters, leads his high-powered septet on a variety of diverse material. The uptempo bop original "The Real McBop" introduces the audience to the strong solo playing of pianist Phil Magallanes, tenor saxophonist Felipe Lamoglia, Sandoval, and guitarist Rene Toledo. "Eastern Blues" and "Blues for Diz" together form a long and continuous segment that, after the solos, features Sandoval showing off his virtuoso scatting. Sandoval switches to piano for his ballad "A Lovely One" and "Surena," which has some rich Cuban melodies before becoming "All the Things You Are." Sandoval plays muted trumpet on the R&B ballad "If I Ain't Got You" and finally sings and indulges in some heated playing during "Rhythm of Our World," which gets the audience dancing. The DVD is better than the CD because the visual aspect adds to the music and there are a few short interviews included as bonus material. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Trumpeter Arturo Sandoval is one of those cats who can never be predictable. He's either amazing -- actually, technically he always is -- or his records are putrid exercises in hollow proficiency with no soul. Trumpet Evolution, which is literally a journey through the great trumpeters from jazz's and orchestral music's past, is easily the finest moment of Sandoval's long career and one of the greatest records jazz has produced in the preceding two decades. Sandoval has compiled a collection of tunes by composers and fellow horn players, from King Oliver to Wynton Marsalis, performed by a big band and, when needed, an orchestra, too. It isn't just playing tunes by these men -- whose tracks are sequenced in order of birthdate of the source of inspiration -- it's the mastery of their techniques; and given that there are 19 subjects here, that's a hell of a lot of mastery. And that word is not overused. Indeed what appears in the ear of the listener seems to be the creation of the impossible. Whether striding out blues by Louis Armstrong, Bix Beiderbecke, and Oliver, playing in the hot bebop styles of Dizzy Gillespie, Fats Navarro, and Clifford Brown, the muted, elegant silkiness of the warm, thin-toned masters such as Chet Baker, Harry James, and Miles Davis, or classical maestros such as Maurice Andre, Rafael Méndez, or Timofei Dokshizer and the full-throated sweetness of Bunny Berigan, Cootie Williams, Clark Terry, and Roy Eldridge, or the hard edgy sounds of Maynard Ferguson, or the technically perfect pitch of Marsalis, the effect is the same, perfection, and not just technical. The emotional sonances of these tunes ring as true as if Sandoval wrote them himself. In the booklet, either the musician paid tribute to or a relative or associate offering quotes, of course, praise Sandoval's work. And while the album is self-produced as well, Quincy Jones acted as an executive producer and no doubt wrote some charts. His contribution is noteworthy as well for its depth and warmth overall. This is a record so fine, so full of passion, grace, and elegance it simply needs to be heard to be believed. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
A year before he defected from Cuba, the great trumpeter Arturo Sandoval played with his Cuban band briefly in Los Angeles. A recording session took place that was released for the first time in 2001. Sandoval (who doubles on timbales) is in typically exuberant form with the music (five of the trumpeter's originals and Jobim's "Dindi") ranging from funky to straight-ahead. His sextet includes pianist Hilario Duran (who would become best-known for his work with Jane Bunnett's groups) and the rockish guitarist Jorge Luis Chicoy. A special treat is that Poncho Sanchez sits in on two of the six numbers, fitting in quite comfortably with the Cubans. This historic set (the only recording of Arturo Sandoval's last Cuban band) is full of fire and easily recommended to fans of the funkier side of Afro-Cuban jazz. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide
'My Passion for the Piano'
Release Date 1/1/2001
Tracks 12
Label Crescent Moon
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What The Critics Say
Trumpeter Arturo Sandoval steps out as a pianist on this aptly named recording, a collection of standards and originals. He is backed by bassist Dennis Marks and drummer Ernesto Simpson, with percussionist Samuel Torres and saxophonist Ed Calle appearing as guests on several tracks. Sandoval is quite a virtuoso at the keys, although at times showiness outweighs substance -- a criticism that one could level at his trumpet playing as well. One can't help but be impressed, however, by his lightning-fast runs on Dennis Marks' samba "Departure" or his in-depth dissection of "All the Things You Are," not to mention his lyricism on Armando Manzanero's "Esta Tarde Villover" and the affecting minor-key original "Marianela Says Goodbye." ~ David R. Adler, All Music Guide
'Ronnie Scott's Jazz House'
Release Date 4/25/2000
Tracks 8
Label DCC
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What The Critics Say
Arturo Sandoval, one of the world's great trumpeters, had recently become an American citizen, so the idea here was to pay tribute to some recent American songwriters. The arrangements are by the likes of Ricardo Eddy Martinez, Doug Bickel, Ed Calle, and Charles McNeil, and the tunes include "Just the Way You Are," Janet Jackson's "Come Back to Me," "She's Out of My Life," and "We've Only Just Begun." Sandoval did not add these commercial songs to his repertoire. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
It seems remarkable that Arturo Sandoval never seems to win any jazz polls, for few trumpeters can come close to equaling his technique, jazz chops, and warm sound. On this advanced hard bop date, the music is strictly straight-ahead without any Latin rhythms. Sandoval matches wits quite successfully with clarinetist Eddie Daniels on two songs, tenor great Michael Brecker on three (including a memorable rendition of "Moment's Notice"), and veteran flügelhornist Clark Terry on a joyous "Mack the Knife." In addition, Sandoval pays tribute to Woody Shaw, John Coltrane, and Dizzy Gillespie. Other highlights include the moody "Streets of Desire" (on which Sandoval plays piano), the racehorse tempo of "Real McBop" (which has an impossible but impeccably played melody chorus), and Sandoval's humorous use of the plunger mute on "It Never Gets Old." All in all, this is one of Arturo Sandoval's finest recordings to date. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide
