Afro-Cuban Fantasy

Poncho Sanchez - Afro-Cuban Fantasy

Afro-Cuban Fantasy
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Music CD Cover

Artist: Poncho Sanchez
Edition: Music CD
Audio: Spanish (Original Language)
CD Release Date: 1998-09-29
Music Label: Concord Records
Soundtracks:
  1. Ritmo Remo
  2. Morning
  3. Subway Harry
  4. Guapacha
  5. Darn That Dream
  6. Sambroso
  7. Willow Weep For Me
  8. Afro-Cuban Fantasy
  9. Ven Pa Bailar
  10. Close Your Eyes
  11. I Remember Spring
  12. Playboy's Theme

Free Music Notes for Afro-Cuban Fantasy

Free Music Review: Poncho's Best
Hit: 5 Stars

If you have to pick one Latin jazz CD to buy, it should be this one. From start to finish, it never disappoints. The rhythms, the horns, everything blends together to make some of the most incredible music you ever heard.

And Dianne Reeves' appearance certainly doesn't hurt. On the lush ballad "I Remember Spring," she charms the listener into a contented calm, though "Darn That Dream" doesn't really do much for me. "Morning," a beautiful tune, is one of the best tracks on the CD, just on the strength of Reeves' wild scatting. It's like nothing you've ever heard, like a sort of exotic birdcall. The song keeps building, through Scott Martin's scorching sax solo, through the chorus of "Una mañana" (which you'll find yourself repeating constantly), and until the moment the song fades out.

But the main attraction here is Poncho and his band, and they give you something to keep hitting the "repeat" button for. Standouts are the laid-back "Sambroso" and "Guapacha," Poncho's singing on "Ven Pa Bailar," and the lovely "Willow Weep for Me" cha-cha.

But the three best are "Close Your Eyes," the title track, and "Playboy's Theme." On "Close Your Eyes" (inspired by Cal Tjader's dreamy version with underrated great Jose "Chombo" Silva), Martin (one of the best sax players around by my measure) gets the spotlight and gives a smooth, romantic solo performance. "Afro-Cuban Fantasy" is one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. The breezy title track, "Afro-Cuban Fantasy" shows the epitome of the band's cool-salsa West Coast style. (However quiet this song seems, it is VERY loud when performed live!) And the dynamic "Playboy's Theme" is the band at its hot, spicy best! Arranged for them to play at a Playboy anniversary Jazz Festival, this explosive Latin jam gets you right from the beginning. Fantastic solos are everywhere, and you'll keep listening to this one again and again. (It's even more fun if you've heard the original by Cy Coleman, which can be found on Ultra-Lounge Volume 4, Bachelor Pad Royale.)

This is an amazing CD, for either Latin or jazz fans, or both, and a great introduction to Sanchez's stellar band. Don't miss this one!

Afro-Cuban Fantasy Poster

Noted conguero Poncho Sanchez is back on the scene with another infectious album that extended the legacy of his tenure with Cal Tjader's Orchestra. As the titled suggests, Afro-Cuban Fantasy is a celebration of the various dance rhythms that are now known as Latin jazz. A dynamic player with a penchant for muscular rhythm, Sanchez's arrangements exude the calmer energy that's more associated with West-coast jazz as opposed to the ecstatic frenzy of the New York and Miami scene. The plush orchestra of burnished brass sails elegantly over the rumbling rhythms of congas, timbales, and percussion, resulting in an swooning, enticing affair that simmers more than it sizzles. The regal Dianne Reeves contributes some authoritative vocals on several tracks. She ups the ante of excitement on Clare Fisher's "Morning" and seduces wonderfully on the sensuous, "Darn That Dream." As for the instrumentals, Sanchez keenly demonstrates his versatility as he moves from the party-flavored cha-cha on "Subway Harry" to the sensational samba of "Sambroso." This is a delightful CD that sparkles with the danceable reverie of New York's Palladium Ballroom. --John Murph

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