Eddie Palmieri
"Listen Here"
Concord Records

Pianist Eddie Palmieri has put together another perfect combination of danceable Latin originals with an exquisite mix of Caribbean flavored Bop Standards on his latest cd. Featuring an all-star set of guests, Palmieri has shown each musician in his (or her) greatest light, as is expected of a great band leader.

Regina Carter on violin is at her foot-stomping best on her two features ("In Flight" and "Nica's Dream"). The mixture of her strings soaring over the riffs and punctuations provided by the brass and reeds is intoxicating. Nicholas Payton is wonderfully crisp on the hard driving "EP Blues". Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez (drums) and Giovanni Hedalgo (congas) provide a blistering rhythm throughout the big band features.

Just as seductive are the gentle pieces. "La Gitana", with John Scofield on acoustic guitar, and the interplay between Palmieri and Michael Brecker and Christian McBride on "Mira Flora"captures the essence of Latin Romance.

My daughter just moved away to college in Minnesota, and to keep from missing LA too much, she asked for my Pancho Sanchez and Eddie Palmieri cds. Those should keep her warm this winter!


- George W. Harris