Special to jazzstage.net

In a small town in Cuba, in the fall of 1949,  a would-be exceptional musician was born. Arturo Sandoval began his musical journey at a very young age studying classical trumpet, but was quickly captivated by the intriguing taboo of the jazz world.

His curiosity was cultivated by fellow jazz trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, a man whose reputation preceded him.  He was one of  the first jazz musicians to bring a Latin flare to the American jazz music he played, mastering a sound some had never even imagined.

Gillespie didn't just teach the young musician the art of the jazz trumpet, but also acted as his mentor.  Sandoval was later a founding member of the Grammy Award winning group Irakere, who had a very intriguing sound, a mix of jazz, classical, rock, and even traditional Cuban.

Sandoval was voted Cuba's best instrumentalist from 1982-1990. Other musical achievements include four Grammys, six Billboard Awards, and an Emmy for composing the entire underscore of the HBO movie based on his life entitled "For Love or Country."

After a two-year battle with immigration and naturalization services, Sandoval was finally granted his citizenship in 1998. One year later, In honor of settling in his new home, Sandoval collaborated with N-Coded Music (acquired by Phase One Communications Inc. in 2009) releasing the album 'Americana' covering some of America's most beloved pop songs, including "Just The Way You Are,"  "Let's Stay Together,"  and "All Night Long," beautifully played on the trumpet and flugelhorn.

The album is complete with songs made popular by great American artists like Stevie Wonder, The Carpenters, Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Billy Joel, Chicago and many others. It offers a new way of listening to the songs we all love.

Sandoval doesn't only play the tracks in the language of jazz, but also with a Latin Cuban jazz style. He plays on the perfect juxtaposition between his ballad work and showmanship. The album is jam packed with out-of-this-world trumpet riffs where the melodic theme is implied but not necessarily played.

This sub-genre of jazz, be-bop, was revolutionized by Dizzy Gillespie, Sandoval's mentor.  Gillespie would take popular songs of the American song book, and would improvise the melodic theme, sometimes almost making the song unrecognizable.

Sandoval's adaptations on "Americana" are definitely recognizable, but his improvisations on the album pay tribute to his mentor and the musicians of the be-bop era.

This album beautifully showcases Arturo as not only a jazz trumpeter, but also as a seasoned and sensational musician. "Americana"  is a must listen album for all jazz enthusiasts. It's rare for a jazz musician to cross-over to the pop genre, and do it well.  Arturo plays the tracks on 'Americana' in a style all his own. Not only is it entertaining but genuinely demonstrates his exceptional musicianship.

Theresa Ashford

Wagner College Class of 2012
Phase One Communications Inc.,  Intern