Poncho Sanchez and Terence Blanchard
Chano Y Dizzy
Concord Jazz
www.concordmusicgroup.com
By George W. Harris

Just like it was 60+ years ago, the marriage of trumpet and congos was one from heaven above. The fledging bebop movement of the 40s got the clutch popped when Dizzy Gillespie added congo master Chano Pozo to his big band, creating a mix of jazz and Afro-Cuban music that is still felt to this day. Terence Blanchard and Poncho Sanchez deliver a thrilling tribute here, celebrating the joy of bop by revisiting some of those tunes, as well as adding a few of their own.

The 52nd Street classics “Tin Tin Teo/Manteca/Guachi Guaro are blended together by Sanchez’s sizzling handwork, with Blanchard’s horn glistening like the dawn of a new day. “Groovin’ High” is a sheer delight, while the Eddie Harris grooved “Harris’ Walk” has the team giving an extra back beat to the rhythm section. Blanchard, better known for his compositional skills than playing, shows here he’s a stud at both, with tone a delight the whole way through. Definitely a throwback disc that makes the future look bright.