John Santos And The Machete Ensemble: S.F. Bay

Latin Beat Magazine, Oct, 2002 by Jesse Varela

(Machete Records)

It's always a special occasion when this nationally-renowned San Francisco Bay Area Latin jazz group releases an album. Much like Pete Escovedo, the group led by percussionist-educator John Santos has a sound that draws inspiration from the evolutionary contributions of Latin music masters. On S.F. Bay, the Machete stamp takes on an upbeat contemporary dance-oriented direction. With songo, plena and Afro-Cuban folkloric beats interwoven with funk and jazz, the tastefully written arrangements and superb musicianship make this album a listening and dancing pleasure.

Timbalero-extraordinaire 0restes Vilató amazes throughout with his sophisticated percussion coloration and solos. The horns parallel Tower of Power in their cohesion and articulations with John Calloway's flute frosting an ingredient-rich cake. David Belove (bass), Paul Van Wageningen (trap drums) and Murray Low (piano/keys) anchor the rhythm section with solid grooves. Add the youthful energy of singer Orlando Torriente and percussionist Javier Navarette and the manteca sizzles!

The openers--Songo Non-Troppo and Café Con Leche--quickly establish the nueva onda (new thing). Cuanto Mas Sufriras is a beautiful plea for peace in Vieques, Puerto Rico that uses a songo-funk introduction that opens the door to a supercharged plena. Descarga Fajardo features the late flute-master José Fajardo. There are also instrumental rumbas including a re-working of Mongo Santamaria's Chano Pozo and the traditional Lala. For Latin jazz fans the title-track is a medium tempo 6/8 that swings with outstanding solos by tenor saxophonist Ron Stallings and pianist Murray Low.

At the top of his game on percussion and production skills, Santos delivers an excellent effort full of heart and soul. What's important about this fifth outing, however, is the decision to cut through the hassles of record companies and distribution. Taking the bull by the horns, the CD will only be available at performances and on the worldwide web at johnsantos.com and cdbaby.com. Sharp and swinging, Machete's new-millennium mambo is a great slice of Bay Area musical life and culture worth enjoying!