Vision by Oscar Hernandez & Alma Libre
Veteran salsa and Latin jazz pianist/arranger/bandleader Oscar Hernandez has, in recent years, divvied up his recording dates between his larger Spanish Harlem Orchestra and the smaller combo he leads, Alma Libre (Spanish for “free soul”).
The latter outfit’s third long-player, Vision, finds Hernandez not taking much of the lead in the 10 pieces he composed. Instead, he lends his keyboard largely to maintaining the ensemble's spirited rhythmic pulsations. The lyricism and punch of brass and woodwinds responsible for carrying most of the melodies and solos cover a breadth that could make the playlists of mainstream Hispanic tropical radio (if the format weren’t so reliant on vocals) and smooth fusion stations, too.
In the main, Alma Libre proffers the straight-ahead approach of a band with moxie enough to entitle their previous outing The Art of Latin Jazz. But they have the muscle to make good on that moxie, including a fittingly expansive tribute to Hernandez’s late brother in jazzy pianism, Chick Corea. The joy and clarity in their musical interaction make Alma Libre’s a vision worth hearing.
