Search - Ray Barretto :: Handprints

Ray Barretto leads an exciting band on this 1991 date, an assembly of younger musicians who bring enthusiasm and original compositions to the great drummer's mix of jazz and Latin elements. While the group is only a septet, the leader's fine rhythmic detailing combines with the hearty trombone of Barry Olsen to give the ensemble the breadth of a much bigger band. Though the emphasis is often on cumulative force, the voicing of flute and trombone is particularly engaging on pianist Hector Martignon's "Dancing Winds." Among the solos, Steve Slagle's alto is a potent, emotive voice on "Blues for Leticia" and the intense "Handprints." The CD covers a range of moods, all of them kept dancing by Barretto's inventive percussion. --Stuart Broomer