(Wayne Wallace – tenor and alto trombones, Wagner tuba, melodic, arrangements, vocals; Dave Belove – bass; Murray Low – piano and keyboards; Michael Spiro – congas, bata, guiro, riquinto, timbales, shekere, cuica; Paul van Wageningen – trap drums)
San Francisco native Wayne Wallace returns with his sixth release as leader. The trombonist, composer, arranger, educator, bandleader, and record label owner is certainly a busy man. Maybe too busy. And though this disc fails to reach the high level achieved by his last disc, The Nature of the Beat, it consistently delivers an enjoyable brand of music that might be termed jazz-inflected Latin pop music.
One difficulty with Infinity is the horn overdubs—they lend a canned element where live interaction is called for. Wallace would have been better served by employing additional horns on the front line rather than multitracking himself on a variety of instruments. Another distraction is that the leader doesn’t seem to know what kind of disc he wants to make—Latin jazz or jazzy Latin pop. Thus, the alternation between vocal and instrumental numbers. As on his other discs, he helpfully identifies the particular Latin form of each song—Latin jazz, samba, jazz mambo, cha-cha, etc.—providing the listener with a tour of Latin rhythms assayed.
Highlights include the instrumentals, “Memories of You,” a bolero, “TBA,” a Latin jazz offering, “Cha-Cha de Alegria,” featuring the flute and vibes of guest Roger Glenn, and the intriguing Latin funk medley, “Straight Life/Mr. Clean,” with wonderful percussive offerings by Michael Spiro and the apposite electric piano of Murray Low. The best vocal numbers, “Love Walked in” and “Close Your Eyes,” a fetching mambo, highlight the sultry voice of Jackie Ryan.
Tracklist: Infinity, Songo Colorado, As Cores da Menina, Love Walked in, Memories of You, TBA, Close Your Eyes, Cha-Cha de Alegria, Straight Life/Mr. Clean
– Jan P. Dennis
