DANILO PÉREZ - Central Avenue (1998) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Danilo Perez has invited us to step onto Central Avenue to re-examine his musical heritage. His fourth album, named for the main boulevard in his native Panama City, Panama, serves up a mix of blues, folk singing and nostalgia. Perez's fresh, liberating piano reinterprets such jazz standards as Billy Strayhorn's "Lush Life" and John Coltrane's "Impressions" by using new combinations of rhythms, tempos and instruments that ultimately spotlight his technique. Perez continues to explore the themes introduced in his previous release, Panamonk. His piano playing is now more dynamic and reflects his true virtuosity. The Rhythm in Blue Suite, which includes "Playground," "Sideways" and "Love in 5," consists of blues ballads written by Perez that are further complemented by the casual and graceful artistry of bassist John Patitucci and the impressive drumming of Jeff "Tain" Watts. Perez later showcases the vocals of Panamanian folk singer Raul Vital on "Panama Blues" in an improvisational mix of Latin-American folk and Afro-Cuban rhythms. This piece captures the essence and synthesis of Perez's creation. The result: Central Avenue is an exciting blend of musical styles that rediscover Perez's musical visions and innate rhythms...including his Latin blues. by Paula Edelstein
Tracklist :
1    Blues For The Saints    6:08
Danilo Perez
2    Impromptu (Conversations)    5:38
Danilo Perez
3    Lush Life    5:47
Billy Strayhorn
4    Playground    2:46
Danilo Perez
5    Sideways    5:31
Danilo Perez
6    Love In 5    5:26
Danilo Perez
7    Impressions    5:53
John Coltrane
8    Cosa Linda    5:11
Danilo Perez
9    Panama Blues    4:05
Public Domain
Credits :
Bass – John Benitez (pistas: 7, 8), John Patitucci (pistas: 1 to 6, 9)
Congas, Guiro, Claves, Shekere – Pernell Saturnino (pistas: 2, 7)
Cuatro – Aquiles Baez (pistas: 9)
Drums – Jeff "Tain" Watts (pistas: 2, 4 to 7, 9), Jeff Ballard (pistas: 1, 3, 8)
Percussion [Okonkolo, Iya, Itotele] – Miguel Anga Diaz (pistas: 9)
Piano – Danilo Perez
Producer – Tommy Lipuma
Tabla – Ray Spiegel (pistas: 2)
Vocals – Luciana Souza (pistas: 2, 7), Raul Vital (pistas: 9)

DANILO PÉREZ - Motherland (2000) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

When most people hear the term Latin jazz, they think of a mixture of bop and Afro-Cuban rhythms -- bop mixed with son, mambo, cha-cha, guaguanco, danzón, and other Afro-Cuban styles that have been described as salsa. But Latin-flavored jazz doesn't have to be Afro-Cuban jazz; in fact, jazz is compatible with numerous Latin rhythms that didn't originate in Cuba. Technically, Danilo Pérez's Motherland is Latin jazz because it fuses jazz with Latin elements. But it isn't Afro-Cuban jazz, and it isn't the type of Cubop that people associate with Machito, Tito Puente, Mongo Santamaria, Cal Tjader, and Poncho Sanchez. Instead, this introspective, chance-taking CD finds Panamanian pianist Danilo
Pérez combining post-bop with a variety of Latin rhythms, everything from Panamanian tamborito to the samba and baião of Brazil. Pérez also uses Afro-Cuban rhythms at times, but it's important to stress that salsa is only one of the many tools in his arsenal. There is no reason why Motherland cannot be described as Latin jazz, after all, it is jazz with a strong Latin flavor. But unlike other releases by Spanish-speaking jazz artists, this excellent CD demonstrates that Latin jazz isn't necessarily Afro-Cuban jazz. by Alex Henderson
Tracklist :
1    Intro    0:45
Danilo Perez
2    Suite For The Americas - Part 1    2:55
Danilo Perez
3    Elegant Dance    5:49
Danilo Perez
4    Panafrica    4:47
Danilo Perez
5    Baile    1:57
Danilo Perez
6    Song Of The Land    5:21
Danilo Perez
7    Suite For The Americas - Part 2    5:00
Danilo Perez
8    Prayer    4:37
Danilo Perez
9    Overture    3:48
Danilo Perez
10    Rio To Panama    4:38
Danilo Perez
11    Panama Libre    6:48
Danilo Perez
12    Panama 2000    8:36
Danilo Perez
13    And Then ...    1:02
Danilo Perez
Credits :
Acoustic Bass – Carlos Henriquez, John Patitucci
Drums – Antonio Sanchez, Brian Blade
Electric Guitar – Kurt Rosenwinkel
Lead Vocals, Electric Bass – Richard Bona
Percussion, Congas, Tambourine, Maracas, Cajón – Luisito Quintero
Piano, Keyboards – Danilo Perez
Producer – Tommy Lipuma
Soprano Saxophone – Chris Potter
Violin – Regina Carter
Vocals – Claudia Acuña, Luciana Souza

DANILO PÉREZ - ...Till Then (2003) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

With Till Then, Danilo Perez pays tribute to popular composers he feels have made a difference in the world. Though the Panamanian pianist offers a few original compositions, the work of other composers -- well-known, consequential people -- is the main focus of this Tommy LiPuma-produced CD. Some of the more myopic people in the jazz world will automatically assume that if Perez is using jazz to salute popular composers, he must be thinking of Tin Pan Alley. But in fact, there are no Tin Pan Alley standards on Till Then -- no George Gershwin, no Irving Berlin, no Cole Porter, no Harry Warren. And that's just as well because as dynamic as those legends were, worthwhile popular music didn't end with Tin Pan Alley (contrary to what the Stanley Crouch/Wynton Marsalis crowd would have listeners believe). Perez, thankfully, is smart enough to realize that -- and on Till Then, he finds the acoustic post-bop possibilities in melodies by Stevie Wonder ("Overjoyed") and Joni Mitchell ("Fiddle and the Drum") as well as several Latin American legends, who range from salsa innovator Rubén Blades ("Paula C") to Brazilian star Milton Nascimento ("Vera Cruz"). Perez has long had a pan-Latin outlook -- in other words, he looks to different parts of the Latin world for musical inspiration -- and Till Then reflects that. Anyone who interprets Chico Buarque's "Trocando Em Miúdos" (another great Brazilian melody), Cuban artist Silvio Rodríguez' "Rabo de Nube," and Chilean singer Violeta Parra's "Gracias a la Vida" on the same CD obviously isn't limiting himself to any one particular area of the Latin spectrum. While Till Then is far-reaching and unpredictable, it's also focused and cohesive; clearly, Perez knows exactly what he's doing on this inspired addition to his catalog. by Alex Henderson  
Tracklist :
1     Native Soul 3'16
Danilo Pérez
2     Gracias a la Vida 4'05
Violeta Parra
3     ...Till Then 3'47
Danilo Pérez / Lizz Wright
4     Overjoyed 4'52
Stevie Wonder
5     Trocando Em Miúdos 6'36
Chico Buarque
6     Improvisation on Red 2'58
Danilo Pérez
7     Paula C 7'10
Rubén Blades
8     Rabo de Nube 3'35
Silvio Rodriguez    
9     Fiddle and the Drum 4'05
Joni Mitchell
10     Vera Cruz 9'25
Milton Nascimento
Credits :
Bass – Ben Street (pistas: 1, 4, 7, 8), John Patitucci (pistas: 2, 3, 5, 10)
Drums – Adam Cruz (pistas: 1, 4, 7, 8), Brian Blade (pistas: 2, 3, 5, 10)
Flute [Steel Pan] – Adam Cruz (pistas: 2, 10)
Percussion – Adam Cruz (pistas: 5, 10)
Piano, Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes] – Danilo Perez
Producer – Tommy LiPuma
Soprano Saxophone – Donny McCaslin (pistas: 5, 10)
Vocals – Lizz Wright (pistas: 3, 9)

JACK DEJOHNNETTE | JOHN PATITUCCI | DANILO PÉREZ - Music We Are (2009) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

At first glance it might appear that Jack DeJohnette’s Music We Are is simply a jazz piano trio recording, albeit one that has a compelling lineup since the other players include pianist Danilo Perez and bassist John Patitucci. That said, appearances can be, and in this case are certainly, deceiving. These musicians have all played together before in other contexts: DeJohnette and Patitucci have worked together on a pair of Steve Khan’s recordings, while Perez and Patitucci are members of Wayne Shorter’s quartet. The music here ranges widely. One highlight among many is the straight-ahead Latinized modern jazz of “Cobilla.” Here Patitucci’s upper-register playing on the electric bass is nothing short of startling but is balanced by the multi-layered, double-timed percussive attack by DeJohnette as Perez comps large chords inside the syncopation. The opening cut is the delightfully playful and inventive “Tango African,” on which DeJohnette and Patitucci multi-track more than one instrument -- in the former case it’s the melodica on top of drums, in the latter it’s electric bass over an upright one. Perez stretches the melodica’s simple melody, harmonically enhancing it while responding in sprightly ways to the rhythm section’s dancelike vibe. But then there’s the great improvisational flavor on this record as well: “Seventh D” is a piece DeJohnette has recorded before but here it appears in two movements. The first is a gorgeous Latin groove with Perez showcasing his contrapuntal post-bop chops taking the melody and knotting it tightly while swinging the entire way; in the second part, it’s Patitucci's chance to solo on some of the same themes articulated earlier, with double-timed comps by Perez in polyrhythmic ways as DeJohnette pushes both with his trademark-style double tom-tom attack. “Panama Viejo” is an improvisational ballad with Patitucci’s arco work articulating a melancholy melody as Perez improvises on the chord structure of the piece and DeJohnette shimmers his cymbals and hi-hat to create a timelessness and space in the proceedings. This is a solidly enjoyable yet very expansive take on the piano trio format. It was obviously a blast to record it as well. This is evidenced by the bonus DVD that includes a 20-minute documentary on the making of the album.
by Thom Jurek
Tracklist :
1    Tango African 5'29
Composed By – Jack DeJohnette
2    Earth Prayer 7'10
Composed By – Danilo Perez, Jack DeJohnette, John Patitucci
3    Seventh D, 1st Movement 5'34
Composed By – Jack DeJohnette
4    Seventh D, 2nd Movement 4'34
Composed By – Jack DeJohnette
5    Soulful Ballad 3'51
Composed By – Jack DeJohnette
6    Earth Speaks 5'00
Composed By – Danilo Perez, Jack DeJohnette, John Patitucci
7    Cobilla 6'19
Composed By – Danilo Perez
8    Panama Viejo 5'00
Composed By – Ricardo Fabrega
9    White 5'43
Composed By – Danilo Perez
10    Ode To MJQ 9'34
Composed By – Danilo Perez, Jack DeJohnette, John Patitucci
11    Michael 3'50
Composed By – John Patitucci
Credits :
Double Bass [Upright Bass], Electric Bass, Liner Notes – John Patitucci
Drums, Melodica, Producer, Liner Notes – Jack DeJohnette
Piano, Keyboards, Liner Notes – Danilo Perez

JOHN ABERCROMBIE / PETER ERSKINE / BOB MINTZER / JOHN PATITUCCI - The Hudson Project (2000) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Recorded live at the Manhattan Center in New York in 1998, this CD documents a concert by the Hudson Project: a piano-less post-bop/fusion quartet uniting guitarist John Abercrombie with bassist John Patitucci, drummer Peter Erskine, and the Michael Brecker-influenced tenor saxman Bob Mintzer. You won't hear any overdone standards during the set; all four musicians contribute their own compositions, most of which are quite cerebral and angular. Clearly, the Hudson Project isn't a group that's willing to go out of its way to be accessible; complex pieces like Erskine's "Cats + Kittens," Patitucci's "Labor Day," Mintzer's "Modern Day Tuba," and Abercrombie's "Little Swing" must be accepted on their own terms. And those who can accept the Hudson Project on its own terms will find this CD to be a decent, if unspectacular, exercise in post-bop/fusion intellectualism.  by Alex Henderson
Tracklist :
1 Runferyerlife  8:30
Bob Mintzer
2 Labor Day  7:47
John Patitucci
3 Little Swing  7:38
John Abercrombie
4 Cats & Kittens   7:53
Peter Erskine
5 The Well  7:33
John Patitucci
6 Bass Desires  12:21
Peter Erskine
7 That's for Sure  6:19
John Abercrombie
8 Modern Day Tuba  9:25
Bob Mintzer
Credits :
Bass – John Patitucci
Drums – Peter Erskine
Executive-Producer – Chick Corea, Ron Moss
Guitar – John Abercrombie
Saxophone – Bob Mintzer

MICHAEL BRECKER QUINDECTET - Wide Angles (2003) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

An early 2002 tour of the U.K. found Michael Brecker playing his old material with a larger band that included some instruments usually falling outside the standard jazz combo (i.e., oboe, French horn). Perhaps a live recording of the genesis of this album would have been preferable since Wide Angles provides such mixed results. For such a large band with so many great players, it all ends up being window-dressing. The recording makes Brecker the center of attention, and despite some truly lyrical playing, there's little interaction between soloist and ensemble. The ten tracks (nine by Brecker with Don Grolnick's "Evening Faces," the exception) are a suite, according to Brecker and arranger Gil Goldstein. When it sticks to the cerebral and introspective, it flows very well. Even if he isn't paying much attention to what's going on behind him, Brecker is at least expressive and as inspired as ever. The standard-issue fusion and funk of "Night Jessamine," where the quindectet are totally superfluous, trips things up and should have been left to a smaller unit. With so much focus on the tenor saxophonist, Brecker fanatics will justifiably go ape. Listeners wanting to hear mainstream bassist John Patitucci, the usually experimental violinist Mark Feldman, or any of the other capable players interacting will find their roles too supportive. by David Jeffries 
Tracklist:
1 Broadband 6:48
Michael Brecker
2 Cool Day In Hell 7:51
Michael Brecker
3 Angles Of Repose 6:42
Michael Brecker
4 Timbuktu 7:58
Michael Brecker
5 Night Jessamine 5:23
Michael Brecker
6 Scylla 10:40
George Whitty / Michael Brecker
7 Brexterity 6:41
Michael Brecker
8 Evening Faces 7:14
Don Grolnick
9 Modus Operandy 5:27
Michael Brecker
10 Never Alone 5:42
Michael Brecker
Credits:
Arranged By – Gil Goldstein (tracks: 3, 6, 8)
Bass – John Patitucci
Bass Clarinet – Iain Dixon
Cello – Erik Friedlander
Clarinet – Iain Dixon
Composed By – Don Grolnick (tracks: 8), George Whitty (tracks: 6), Michael Brecker (tracks: 1 to 7, 9, 10)
Drums – Antonio Sanchez
English Horn – Charles Pillow
Flute – Steve Wilson
French Horn – Peter Gordon
Guitar – Adam Rogers
Oboe – Charles Pillow
Percussion – Daniel Sadownick
Producer, Orchestrated By, Conductor, Arranged By [Additional Arrangement] – Gil Goldstein
Tenor Saxophone, Producer, Arranged By – Michael Brecker
Trombone – Robin Eubanks
Trumpet – Alex "Sasha" Sipiagin
Viola – Lois Martin
Violin – Joyce Hammann, Mark Feldman