Vortex
Born in the Bronx to Puerto Rican parents, Eddie Palmieri has been acknowledged as one of Latin jazz's piano masters since the 1960s. His reputation is also high when it comes to compositional experimentation, taking Latin idioms much further than his colleagues. It's a stance that never detracts from danceability. Most of the pieces onVortexstretch to around the 10-minute mark, allowing for a series of abstract introductions, Palmieri doubling on piano and synthesizer. "Displacement" is a prime example, with Brian Lynch and Conrad Herwig sending trumpet and trombone calls across Palmieri's misty carpet. A pulse grows slowly, curving upward into a full groove, highlighting the hyperactive bongos and crack congas of Paoli Meijas and Richie Flores. FormerJazz MessengerDonald Harrisoncompletes the impressive horn frontline, while Oscar Partaya contributes bold bass lines, particularly during the open-spaced "Iriaida," dedicated to Palmieri's wife. Then, "Minuet in G" pulls off a Cubandanzonrewrite of Beethoven, and the set climaxes with "Whirlwind," a percussive showdown featuring Meijas on the Africanududrum.--Martin Longley