"The third CD for this band has a change in personnel, with Paquito D'Rivera and Andy Narell gone but Dave Valentin (flute) and Steve Khan (guitars) joining. It has changed the entire dynamic structure of the band, for the better. Valentin's otherworldly sound and Khan's acoustic and electric abilities open fresh vistas for Samuels' pan-Caribbean notions on vibes and marimba. The combination has great potential, fully realized on several of the ten selections. Samuels wrote four of these, the most impressive being "Ivory Coast," which features introductory jungle sounds, a moody, darkly hued melody, churning beats of six and four juxtaposed, and a true sense of sound sculpting. For the most part, this is music that will make you happy, bringing much melodic warmth from the tropics, and gives you more evidence as to the advanced talents of the participants. Recommended." (Allmusic)
"The Gathering is the Caribbean Jazz Project's third release; principals Dave Samuels and Dave Valentin are joined by Paquito D'Rivera, once a regular with the group, on the lively opener, "Rendezvous," as well as a Latin reworking of Monk's "Bemsha Swing." Oliver Nelson's classic "Stolen Moments" comes in for a moody 7/4 treatment. Pianist Dario Eskanazi, bassist Ruben Rodriguez, and percussionists Dafnis Prieto, Richie Flores, and Robert Quintero provide strong backing for the front-and-center solo exchanges of Samuels and Valentin. The band is consistently melodic and accessible, not just on romantic themes like "Libertad" and "The Path" but also on more adventurous fare like Prieto's "El Guarachero Intrigozo (The Scheming Party Animal)" and the big finish, "Masacoteando (In the Groove)."" (Allmusic).
"This was the debut release by the Caribbean Jazz Project, a colorful co-op project that combines together the very different but complementary styles of Paquito D'Rivera (doubling on alto and clarinet), Dave Samuels (on marimba and vibes) and the brilliant steel drummer Andy Narell. Backed by a four-piece rhythm section, the accessible group sticks mostly to catchy group originals that range from Latin jazz to Caribbean music. The likable results are melodic and not overly predictable. This CD gives listeners an excellent example of the group's sound." (Allmusic).
Ex-Spyro Gyra vibrafonist/marimba-speler Samuels organiseerde dit eerbetoon aan een invloedrijk persoon op diezelfde instrumenten: Cal Tjader, groot in latin-jazz (hoewel zelf geen latino). Ook met Dave Valentin (f) en David Sanchez (ts).
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