Coltrane’s Giant Steps and Naima are treated reverently; there is a certain refinement to Adolfo’s working of Giant Steps, removing some of the rawness from the mix, dropping the frantic bebop rhythm in favour of a more-danceable Latin beat; whereas slow reflective Naima is made more upbeat with the addition of effective flute. Dizzy Gillespie’s Con Alma is again given the bossa nova make-over, with some fantastic electric guitar. Other tracks are Bill Evan’s Time to Remember (reworked as Time Remembered), Keith Jarrett’s Memories of Tomorrow is turned into a solemn piano–guitar duet, and Adolfo’s take on Chick Corea’s Crystal Silence once again utilises the flute to make the track, dare I say, better than the original, more focussed and grounded.
Among the originals, Baladas and Tres Meninos stand out, highlighting the Latin styles and brilliant tightness of the players.
It’s not going to change the jazz world, but this is a great album of originals and standards with caring reworking as Adolfo applies a Latin twist. So, if the cold weather is getting you down, this fine mixture could just warm up your night.
Favourite tracks: Tres Meninos, Crystal Silence, Giant Steps