Trombonist
Conrad Herwig, who had previously recorded
The Latin Side of John Coltrane, is at it again.
Another Kind of Blue has versions of the five songs from
Miles Davis'
Kind of Blue ("So What," "Freddie Freeloader," "Blue in Green," "All Blues," and "Flamenco Sketches") plus "Petits Machins" performed by a Latin jazz nonet. The results are quite enjoyable and, with the exception of the repertoire and a couple orchestrated sections for the ensemble (the introduction of "So What" by
Bill Evans and
Paul Chambers, and
Davis' trumpet solo on "Freddie Freeloader"), the music has little connection to the original
Kind of Blue with
Miles Davis,
John Coltrane, and
Cannonball Adderley. Instead, the transformation serves as a good excuse for the all-star group to romp and come up with fresh ideas.
Herwig, trumpeter
Brian Lynch, baritonist
Mario Rivera, and flutist
Dave Valentin have their moments, but
Paquito D'Rivera on alto and clarinet constantly steals solo honors; he is too exciting to be denied. The horns are inspired by a blazing rhythm section consisting of pianist
Edsel Gomez, bassist
John Benitiz, drummer
Robby Ameen, and percussionist
Richie Flores. It is particularly interesting hearing such unlikely material as "Blue in Green" and "Flamenco Sketches" turned into Afro-Cuban jazz.
Another Kind of Blue is quite successful on its own terms and well worth picking up.
–
Scott Yanow, Rovi