Latin Jazz in 2022 was once again fascinating, exciting and continued to expand the genre with great recordings and even more spectacular performances. Nelson Gonzalez finally released not one but two CD’s simultaneously (Los Dice Todo & Gracias Dizzy) that were not available for sale for several years. Pianist Cesar Correa emerged big time this year with various artists including the young pianist female Manon Muellner. Timbalera Zayra Pola not only starred with her own CD (mostly Salsa) but also with Son Divas (mostly Salsa) on my top 15 list.
The Latin Jazz Hits of 2022 (Tacks)
1-Del Caribe Latin Jazz All-Stars- Con-Cierto Tumbao
2-Zayra Pola- Mambo Pola
3-Brian Lynch & Spheres Of Influence- EP’s Plan B
4-Sonido Solar-Obsesion
5-CSAN-II- Cubop Alert
6-Manuel ‘Maneco’ Ruiz- Opus Minor
7-Johnny Blas- Berwyn Stop
8-DJ Livia & Cesar Correa Ft. Alfredo De La Fe-Aliviando Swing
9-Tony Rosa Afro Jazz- Nothing Personal
10-Spanish Harlem Orchestra- Mambo 2021
11-Leonardo Garcia- Spankin’
12-Son Divas- Machito Forever
13-Chucho Valdes & Paquito D’ Rivera- Pac Man
14-Cesar Correa & Manon Muellner- Grand Rue
15-Humberto Ramirez- Waiting Room
16-Joe McCarthy New York Afro Bop Alliance Big Band- March
17-Luis ‘Perico’ Ortiz- Warming Up
18-Carlos Averhoff Jr.-Oriented Conga
19-Luisito Quintero- Rendezvous
20-Alex Acuña- Chuncho
21-Nueva Manteca- Crisis
22-Gilberto Colon Jr. ‘El Pulpo’- Cachita
23-Alex ‘Apolo’ Ayala- Jibaro Negro
24-Sonido Solar- Suite 176
25-Roy Perez- Mi Ritmo Sensacional
26-Conrad Herwig- All The Things You Should Be By Now If Sigmund Freud’s Wife Was Your Mother
27-Nueva Manteca- Moanin’
28-Hisayo Kimada- Descarga Con Vibes
29-Stephen Giraldo- Mambo Jam
30-Arturo Sandoval- Guarachando
31-CSAN-II- Celestino
32-Willy Calderon LA Impromptu Orchestra- Why, Why Not?
33-Kali Rodriguez Peña- Yes Or No
34-LA Big Band & Anibal Seminario- Dolphin Leap
35-Manuel ‘Maneco’ Ruiz- Mambo 2021
36-Joe Gonzalez & Papo Pepin- Song For A Friend
37-Jose Aponte- Los Piratas (De Ballaja)
38-Luis Deniz- La Ceiba De Mayuya
39-Chuo Bomba Niconital- La Bailarina
40-Tony Rosa Afro Jazz- Mambo Mongo
41-Swing Sabroso- Tributo A Ray Rodriguez
42-Steve Turre- Pharoah’s Dance
43-Del Caribe Latin Jazz All Stars- Saludos Palmieri
44-Joe Gonzalez & Papo Pepin- Rocco’s Special
45-William Villaverde- Cuban Thanksgiving
46-Adrien Brandeis- Humpty Dumpty
47-Bill Ortiz- Sunburst
48-Joe Collado- Rumba De Ayer
49-Rafael Zaldivar- Crying For Cuba
50-Jose Aponte- In Motion
51-Miguel Valdes & The Feeling Messengers- Take The A Train
52-Cesar Correa y Manon Muellner- Cachanga Con Chicha
53-Alfredo De La Fe- Legado
54-Eddie Sanabria & Spanish Rice- C7 Jam
55-Manuel ‘Maneco’ Ruiz- Mambo 2000
56-Oliver Valdes- Nasobuco
57-Martin Bejerano- #CubanAmerican
58-Del Caribe Latin Jazz All Stars- Birks Works
59-Denis Kavemeier- Salsa Carlos
60-Nestor Torres & Corey Allen- Once Upon A Time In Santo Domingo
61-Alex Acuña- Aletin Aletun
62-Niño Josele & Chick Corea- Galaxias
63-Arturo Sandoval- Kumba
64-Oliver Valdes- Chekerson
65-Grupo Salsafon- Descarga SLF
66-La Candela Salsa Orchestra- Pink Panther Theme
67-Richie Vee- Simon
68-The LA Big Band y Anibal Seminario- Fast Fish
69-DJ Henrix- Winds Of Time
70-Aldemar Valentin-Afrobeat
71-La Colectiva Mandjuazz- Mundjuazz
72-Aldemar Valentin- Cinco Cuartos
73-Connie Grossman- People Make The World Go Round
74-Alberto Garcia- Blacky’s Blues
75-Daniel Falquez- Cafecito
76-Tarquim- Pa’ La Calle
77-William Villaverde- The Journey
78-Mucho Mambo- El Padrino
79-Luisito Quintero- City View (Live)
80-La Maxima 79- Aegua
The top recordings included debuts by Luis Deniz, Kali Rodriguez Peña, Alex ‘Apolo’ Ayala, Tony Rosa Afro Jazz, Manuel ‘Maneco’ Ruiz, Rafael Zaldivar, Del Caribe Latin Jazz All-Stars (two CD’s) led by Nelson Gonzalez, Sonido Solar, and Roy Perez. It also includes three releases from Japan: Chuo Bomba Niconital, Tadataka Unno and Hisayo Yamada.
The Top Latin Jazz CD’s of 2022
1-“Manuel ‘Maneco’ Ruiz”
2-Roy Perez-Sensational
3-Del Caribe Latin Jazz All Stars- Gracias Dizzy
4-Brian Lynch & Spheres Of Influence- The Songbook Vol.2-Dance The Way You Want To
5-Tony Rosa Afro Jazz- Bout Time
6-Conrad Herwig- The Latin Side of Mingus
7-Nueva Manteca- Art
8-Chucho Valdes & Paquito D’ Rivera Reunion Sextet- I Miss You Too!
9-Del Caribe Latin Jazz All Stars- Lo Dice Todo
10-Adrein Brandeis- Siempre Mas Alla
11-Jose Aponte- From Here, From There
12-Kali Rodriguez Peña- Melange
13-Joe Collado- The Sounds Of Latin Groove Project
14-Bill Ortiz- Points Of View
15-Miguelo Valdes & The Feeling Messengers- Lovely
16-CSAN-II- Combinacion Mundial
17-Alexis Baro- My Roots-The Cuban Trumpet Tradition
18-Chuo Bomba Niconital- La Bailarina
19-Tadataka Unno- Get My Mojo Back
20-Oliver Valdes- Nasobuco
21-Rafael Zaldivar- Rumba
22-Leonardo Garcia- On The Cloud
23-Martin Bejerano- #CubanAmerican
24-Hisayo Yamada- Mi Cubania
25-Jose Aponte- From Here, To There
26-Alberto Garcia- Rajazz
27-The LA Big Band y Anibal Seminario- On The Way, The Dream of Chris Pappas
28-Connie Grossman- Chasing The Sunset (EP)
29-‘Los Ninos Del Latin Jazz’
30-Aldemar Valentin-Arrebol
31-Jeanne Michard- Songes Trasnsatlantiques
32-Joe Abba- Check Point33-Nestor Torres & Corey Allen- Dominican Suite