(Michel Camilo, piano; Charles Flores, bass; Dafnis Prieto, drums)
The latest in the Dominica-born jazz pianist’s series of albums with Telarc follows on this foray into classical genre with Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue in 2006. This time it’s a straight-ahead jazz trio, again recorded live as was his 2003 disc: Live at the Blue Note, which won a Grammy.
The new release is divided into three chapters of four tunes each. The opening four are all original material – one mixing Caribbean and New Orleans styles and another a touching ballad. The second chapter opens with an Afro-Cuban version of Wayne Shorter’s Nefertiti and has Bill Evans’ Nardis, given a flamenco flavor. The third chapter opens with another ballad, plays with time signatures on Hurry Up and Wait, and closes with a collective improvisation on portions of Miles Davis’ Solar. The way the album was made is reflected in its overall title: Camilo wrote the eight original tracks in eight days, and most of the album consists of first takes.
TrackList: Just Now, My Secret Place, Spirit of the Moment, Repercussions, Nefertiti, Nardis, Trilogy, Giant Steps, A Place in Time; Hurry Up and Wait, Liquid Crystal, Solar (Explorations).
– John Henry
