If you are a big Latin music fan or are new to Latin music, I think you will enjoy Juan Carlos Quintero's CD, "Table For Five". This CD was released in January of this year but I didn't get a chance to listen to it until recently. Quintero was born in Medellin, Colombia and his sound reflects the colorful sounds and diverse rhythms of his birthplace. What attracts me to Quintero's music is his clarity when improvising on his Guitar. His playing always seems to have direction and planning even when he is improvising. His music is beautiful, jazzy and understandable. His latin rhythms are enjoyable and happy.
Quintero is extremely musically talented. He started his own label called Moondo Records in 2000. The purpose of his label was to create a nurturing, supportive environment for artists. In 2021, he released the critically acclaimed "Caminando" about which the London Jazz News said, "The music in question is spirited, uplifting and dance-inflected and will surely have broad appeal, within and beyond the boundaries of Jazz". I wish I could have written such a dead on description of Quintero's music because that's what I felt when I listened to his CD for the first time.
The musicians Quintero gathered to join him on this album are longtime friends and master Latin musicians. Their playing fits Quintero's style of music perfectly. Eddie Resto on Bass, Joe Rotondi on Piano, Aaron Serfaty on Drums and Joey DeLeon on Percussion.
The CD playlist contains Jazz standards, two Quintero original compositions and a few gems from the Great American Songbook. It all works wonderful together!
I have picked two cuts from the CD that are on "YouTube". The First is "Mambo Balahu" written by legendary Cuban percussionist Armando Peraza. The second is a Quintero original "Table For Five" and it's beautiful.
"Mambo Balahu" "Table For Five"
