Los Hombres Calientes
Los Hombres Calientesis an impressive debut by the New Orleans-based band of the same name led by veteran percussionist Bill Summers (Headhunters, Herbie Hancock) and young lions Irvin Mayfield on trumpet and Jason Marsalis on drums. Respect does not have to mean dull, and this sextet draws smartly from Afro-Cuban tradition and jazz. Moreover, in their mix of originals and Afro-Cubanized standards, Summers & Co. are not afraid to take chances. In "Rhumba para Jason," Mayfield growls, moans, and cries over a light, exact rumba groove. "Stardust" suggests a Brazilian-flavored bolero. More intriguingly, the music has a lived-in feel--both when it suggests an urban, genteel ballroom ("Victor el Rojo," "Stardust") and when it evokes a Caribbean neighborhood backyard rich with echoes of Africa ("Ye Ye O"). This is a band worth following. --Fernando Gonzalez