Bobby Sanabria continues the tradition of creating exciting Latin jazz in a big-band setting with this outstanding release. Long after daring to ask to sit in with the legendary Tito Puente (while only a teenager), the veteran percussionist put together a memorable session by recruiting outstanding musicians and encouraging them to write for the band, along with adding a few compelling charts of his own. One can immediately feel the energy as trumpeter Michael Philip Mossman and the leader make their presence felt in the brassy opener, "57th St. Mambo," written by Mossman. Bass trombonist Chris Washburne wrote the slinky "Pink," which fuses several styles and suggests young men strutting their stuff down South Beach in Miami Beach. The band also successfully delves into a pair of Hermeto Pascoal's works (the dreamy "O Som do Sol" and the moody ballad "Obrigado Mestre") and a very fresh take of the often pedestrian "Besame Mucho," featuring an effective vocal by Hiram "El Pavo" Remón. But the big surprise is a driving Afro-Cuban arrangement of rocker Frank Zappa's big-band piece "The Grand Wazoo," which retains enough elements of the original while adding plenty of Latin spice. This CD was nominated in 2007 for a Grammy award as Best Latin Jazz Album. ~ Ken Dryden, All Music Guide
Chris Washburne (Arranger), Gene Marlow (Arranger), Nahyra Pérez (Choir, Chorus), Joe Fiedler (Trombone), Eddie Sanabria (Handclapping), Michael Mossman (Lead), Jimmie Gately (Engineer), Eddie Sanabria (Choir, Chorus), Shareef Clayton (Soloist), David DeJesus (Kazoo), Joe Fiedler (Soloist), Michael Mossman (Trumpet), Christian A. Rivera (Vocals), Andrew Neesley (Kazoo), Justin Davis (Soloist), Kevin Bryan (Lead), Bobby Sanabria (Vocal Arrangement), Ricardo S. Pons (Handclapping), Justin Davis (Kazoo), Bobby Sanabria (Shouts), Giancarlo Anderson (Vocals), Nahyra Pérez (Vocals (Background)), Andrew Neesley (Soloist), Tim Sessions (Kazoo), Hermeto Pascoal (Arranger), Ray Santos (Arranger), David DeJesus (Soloist), Tino Passante (Studio Manager), Peter Brainin (Soloist), Obanilú Allende (Shouts), Peter Brainin (Sax (Soprano)), Giancarlo Anderson (Vocals (Background)), Chris Washburne (Trombone (Bass)), Joe Fiedler (Lead), Bobby Sanabria (Executive Producer), Bobby Sanabria (Caja), Peter Brainin (Kazoo), Bobby Sanabria (Voices), Hiram "El Pavo" Remón (Shouts), Shareef Clayton (Kazoo), Joe Fiedler (Arranger), Bobby Sanabria (Kazoo), Tim Sessions (Soloist), Ricardo S. Pons (Vocals (Background)), Hiram "El Pavo" Remón (Choir, Chorus), Gene Marlow (Vocals (Background)), Yeissonn Villamar (Soloist), Giancarlo Anderson (Cencerro), Bobby Sanabria (Arranger), Justin Davis (Trumpet), Bobby Sanabria (Drums), Bobby Sanabria (Vocals), Robert Farris Thompson (Liner Notes), Ricardo S. Pons (Flute), Jeff Sacks (Photography), Joe Fiedler (Kazoo), Bobby Sanabria (Producer), Yeissonn Villamar (Kazoo), Ricardo S. Pons (Sax (Baritone)), Bobby Sanabria (Soloist), Hiram "El Pavo" Remón (Vocals), David DeJesus (Sax (Soprano)), Bobby Sanabria (Vocals (Background)), Anthony Ruotolo (Assistant Engineer), Bobby Sanabria (Percussion), Obanilú Allende (Cello), Kevin Bryan (Trumpet), Andrew Neesley (Trumpet), Giancarlo Anderson (Choir, Chorus), Eddie Sanabria (Photography), Alex Hernandez (Vocals), Randy Klein (Post Production), Ricardo S. Pons (Choir, Chorus), Eddie Sanabria (Vocals (Background)), Alex Hernandez (Bass (Acoustic)), Yeissonn Villamar (Piano), David DeJesus (Lead), Yeissonn Villamar (Vocals), Chris Washburne (Soloist), Giancarlo Anderson (Soloist), César J. Davila (Graphic Design), Bobby Sanabria (Handclapping), David DeJesus (Sax (Alto)), Charenée Wade (Soloist), Alex Hernandez (Kazoo), Jeremy Fletcher (Arranger), Michael Mossman (Arranger), Bobby Sanabria (Choir, Chorus), Obanilú Allende (Soloist), Nahyra Pérez (Soprano (Vocal)), Gene Jefferson (Choir, Chorus), Obanilú Allende (Screams), David Bixler (Sax (Alto)), Michael Mossman (Kazoo), Bobby Sanabria (Percussion Arrangement), Bobby Sanabria (Mixing), Christian A. Rivera (Conga), Colin Suzuki (Studio Assistant), Bobby Sanabria (Screams), Obanilú Allende (Choir, Chorus), Chris Washburne (Kazoo), Michael Mossman (Soloist), Ricardo S. Pons (Kazoo), Tim Sessions (Trombone), Nahyra Pérez (Handclapping), Bobby Sanabria (Concept), Ricardo S. Pons (Prayers), Giancarlo Anderson (Handclapping), Giancarlo Anderson (Bongos), Joe Fiedler (Trombone Arrangement), Shareef Clayton (Trumpet), Bobby Sanabria (Marimba), Bobby Sanabria (Vibraphone), Gene Paul (Mastering), Kevin Bryan (Kazoo), Ricardo S. Pons (Soloist), Christian A. Rivera (Kazoo), Charenée Wade (Scat), Jimmie Gately (Mixing), Alex Hernandez (Soloist), Giancarlo Anderson (Kazoo), Hiram "El Pavo" Remón (Soloist), Gene Marlow (Handclapping), Charenée Wade (Vocals)
