Year after year the most creative genre in all Latin music continues to be Latin Jazz and gaining popularity in all corners of the world and multi-languages. Unfortunately, the Grammy’s continues to overlook some of the best historic recordings of today that will be played and spoken about for generations to come. Every year at this time I post the best the year had to offer and the following year the list is almost totally ignored.
The year 2023 began with a bang and will end in a bang as far as superb Latin Jazz CD’s that came out. But with all the great new Latin Jazz CD’s that 2023 gave us my favorite is the 2-CD release of the never heard before Cal T’Jader “Catch The Groove” (Live at The Penthouse 1963-1967). My early exposure to Jazz music in the late 60’s included Latin Jazz by Cal T’Jader and I own every recording he ever made so you can imagine my surprise to get this beautiful rare CD from publicist Ann Braithwaite. Transferred from the master tapes, that were recorded at the Seattle, Washington club by the owner Charlie Puzzo Sr., for vinyl. The gems here include “On Green Dolphin Street”, “Take The A Train”, “Leyte”, “Mambo Inn”, “Bags Groove”, “Fuji”, “Cuban Fantasy”, “Love For Sale”, “Maramoor Mambo”, “Insight”, “Sunset Boulevard”, “Pantano”, Half And Half”, “The Shadow Of Your Smile”, “Morning” and “Along Comes Mary”. This instant classic is well worth your investment and can be heard on my shows at Alma Del Barrio & Jazzeando En El Valle.
Less than 10 of the top CD’s are newcomers that I hope improves within the next few years but kudos to all the veterans who continue to shine and share their talent for the world to enjoy.
1-Mario Ortiz All Star Band “60th Anniversary Spectacular”
2-Hilario Duran and His Latin Jazz Big Band “Cry Me A River”
3-Israel Tanenbaum & The Latinbaum Jazz Ensemble “Impressions”
4-The Rodriguez Brothers “Reunion Live at Dizzy’s Club
5-Chembo Corniel Quintet “Artistas, Musicos & Poetas”
6-Rachel Terrien Latin Jazz Project “Mi Hogar”
7-Aguanko “Unidad”
8-CSAN-II “Combinacion Mundial 2”
9-Humberto Ramirez “Better Days”
10-Bobby Sanabria Multiverse “Vox Humana”
11-Jane Bunnett & Maqueque “Playing With Fire”
12-Doug Beavers “Luna”
13-Sammy Figueroa Ft. Gonzalo Rulbacaba & Aymee Nuviola “Searching For A Memory”
14-Miguel Zenon & Luis Perdomo “Art Of The Bolero 2”
15-Osmany Paredes “Inside My Roots”
16-The Santiago Big Band Featuring Marcus Fernandez & The Afro Jazz Latin Jazz Orchestra Ft. Arturo O’Farrill “Santiago Brooklyn Santiago”
17-Giovanni Hidalgo “Tribute To The King” (half of the CD is non-Latin Jazz)
18-Los Mas Valientes “Valientazos”
19-Camilo Valencia & Richard Bravo “Made In Miami”
20-Colette Michaan “Earth Rebirth”
21-Emmanuel Nieves “Gozando Mi Musica”
22-Donald Vega “As I Travel”
23-CCCN Jazz Orchestra Ft. Ed Calle “En Vivo”
24-Andy Garcia “Negras y Blancas”
25-Albert Aguilera “Tipico, Justice For Justiz”
26-Harold Lopez-Nussa “Timba A La Americana”
27-Juan Carlos Quintero “Desserts”
28-Yuma Takeuchi “Impulso”
29-Yosmel G “Los Caminos Del Saber”
30-Alfredo Rodriguez “Coral Way”
31-The Motet “All Day”
32-El Ritmo De Mañana “El Hueso”
Top 100 Latin Jazz Tracks of 2023
1-Mario Ortiz All Star Band “TV Nostalgia”
2-Israel Tanenbaum & The Tanenbaum Jazz Ensemble “Mambo Raro”
3-Hilario Duran and His Latin Jazz Big Band “Paca Por Juanito”
4-CCCN Jazz Orchestra Ft. Ed Calle “I Love Lucy”
5-Rachel Terrien Latin Jazz Project “The Wizard”
6-The Rodriguez Brothers “Gitmo’s Groove”
7-Chembo Corniel “Pa’ La Ocha Tambo”
8-Giovanni Hidalgo “4 Beat Cha Cha”
9-Emmanuel Nieves “Palladium”
10-Aguanko “Kintsugi”
11-Doug Beavers “Las Piedras”
12-Miguel Zenon & Luis Perdomo “Paula C”
13-Crocro y su Tumbaka “El Cro”
14-CSAN-II “Persephone”
15-Deskarga Sextet “Remembranza”
16-Hilario Duran and His Latin Jazz Big Band “Fantasia Impromptu”
17-Mario Ortiz All Star Band “Disney Medley”
18-Sammy Figueroa “Busco Tu Recuerdo”
19-Richie Vee “Simon”
20-Jane Bunnett & Maqueque “Human Race”
21-Los Mas Valientes “N (N+2) 2”
22-Yuma Takeuchi “Caballo”
23-Freddie Miranda Jr. “Decision”
24-The Santiago All Star Band Ft. Marcos Fernandez “
25-The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra Ft. Arturo O’Farrill “Crazy City (…But I Love It)”
26-Bobby Sanabria Multiverse “Caravan”
27-Harold Lopez-Nussa “Toulouse”
28-Gia Fu “Canton Mambo”
29-Johnny Blas “Me Quieren Quitar Mi Ritmo”
30-CSAN-II “Maputo”
31-Osmany Paredes “Dinah’s Blues”
32-Humberto Ramirez “Mr. Afinque (Dedicated to Willie Rosario)”
33-Hilario Duran and His Latin Jazz Big Band Ft. Okan “Cry Me A River”
34-Camilo Valencia & Richard Bravo “Hurricane Jimenez”
35-Israel Tanenbaum & The Latinbaum Jazz Ensemble “Strange Destiny”
36-Giovanni Hidalgo “Havana After Dark”
37-Sverre Indris Joner’s Hovendoen Social Club “Barbie Girl In Havana”
38-Chembo Corneil “P.R.I.D.E.”
39-The Rodriguez Brothers “Descargnation”
40-Chipi Chacon “Brusela En En La Lluvia/What A Wonderful World”
41-Rachel Terrien Latin Jazz Project “Mojo”
42-Osmany Paredes “El Cumbanchero”
43-The Afro- Caribbean Jazz Collective “Descarga 2”
44-El Ritmo De Manaña “Los Huesos”
45-Mario Ortiz All Star Band “Mission Impossible”
46-Emmanuel Nieves “Karol”
47-Zak Astor “Almaden”
48-Gerry Lopez “Paris Song”
49-Miguel Zenon & Luis Perdomo “En La Oscuridad”
50-Leyanis & Jessie Valdes “Pa’ Chucho”
51-Rachel Terrien Latin Jazz Project “Moment’s Notice”
52-Pedro Moya & Trombones Venezolano’s “Albondiga En Salsa”
53-Freddie Miranda Jr. “Simone’s Window”
54-Osmany Paredes “Voyage”
55-Mario Ortiz All Star Band “Star Wars”
56-Aguanko “Dualidad”
57-Andy Garcia “Aqui y Alla”
58-Roy McGrath “Groove 4”
59-Benjamin Lapidus “Donna Lee”
60-Giovanni Hidalgo “Mambozooka”
61-Hilario Duran and His Latin Jazz Big Band “Mambo y Tumbao”
62-The Rodriguez Brothers “Minor Thing’s”
63-Gil Tower “Balboa Park’
64-Doug Beavers “Tidal”
65-Lannie Battistini “Caravan”
66-Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Ft. Janis Seigel “Genie In The Bottle”
67-Chembo Corneil “Lagrima De Monte”
68-Juan Carlos Quintero “Tangerine”
69-CCCN Jazz Orchestra Ft. Ed Calle “Rum & Coke”
70-Mario Ortiz All-Star Band “Kings Journey”
71-James Sanders & Conjunto “Killing Me Softly”
72-Janio Abreu y Aire De Concierto “Para El Doctor Tambor”
73-Los Mas Valientes “El Profesor”
74-Roberto Fonseca “Sal Al Malecon”
75-Miguel De Armas & Ottawa Latin Jazz Orchestra “Welcome Back From Vardero”
76-Rachell Terrien Latin Jazz Project “Porcelanosa”
77-The Rodriguez Brothers “Impromptu”
78-Sandy Gabriel “Rumbian 2”
79-Doug Beavers “Sands Of Time”
80-Chipi Chacon “Fabricando Fantasia/My Funny Valentine”
81-Doug Beavers “Flor De Lis”
82-Chembo Corneil “Red Hook Rumba”
83-Hamid Cooper& All-Star Latin Jazz “Black Orpheus”
84-Israel Tanenbaum & The Latinbaum Jazz Ensemble “Hot Bridge”
85-Eduardo Zayas y su EZ La Banda “EZ Llego”
86-Giovanni Hidalgo “Caonao”
87-Gil Tower “Groove Pavement”
88-Mitchell Shriner Latin Vibes “Rock Of Ages- Ma Oz Tour Mozambique
90-Rachel Terrien Latin Jazz Project “Capricho Arabe”
91-Fernando Garcia “Union”
92-CSAN-II “Timba Funk”
93-Israel Tanenbaum & The Latinbaum Jazz Ensemble “Vaya”
94-New Swing Sextet “My Favorite Things”
95-Los Mas Valientes “Xarope”
96-Alberto Aguilar “Saboreando El Tumbao
97-Eguie Castrillo “Picadillo A Lo Puente”
98-Edward Simon “Buleria”
99-Emmanuel Nieves “Opening”
100-Yosmel G “Influencias”
