Luis Bonilla
Twilight
Planet Arts/Now Jazz Consortium
www.trombonilla.com
By George W. Harris

I like a jazz record when you can’t tell who the leader is. That’s what this latest release by trombonist Luis Bonilla is like; he teams up with Evan Renta/ts, Bruce Barth/key, Andy McKee/b and John Riley/dr for a collection of originals penned by the whole band reflecting a democratic approach to song and performance. The title track, for example, opens up with electric keyboards and framing horns that are reminiscent of John Klemmer’s mid 70s work; smooth and silky. Others, like the bluesy hymn “Let It Be Said,” sway with a gentle keel, while “The Moon and The Sun” and ‘Double Trouble” have subtle voicings that belie their sophistication. Oh, the guys can blow, of course, as they show on “Vertigo” and “Visions,” but this is a disc of textures, and they are delivered eloquently here.