Latin Side Of Chick Corea [CD], Conrad Herwig, CD

For more than three decades, trombonist Conrad Herwig has worked the sweet spot where modern jazz meets Afro-Caribbean fire, building his acclaimed Latin Side of... series into one of the most distinctive runs in contemporary jazz. Forged in the company of masters like Eddie Palmieri, Mario Bauzá, and Tito Puente, Herwig brings authority and imagination to the bandstand. Now he takes on The Latin Side of Chick Corea, celebrating a composer whose music thrives on motion, color, and cross-cultural spark. Drawing from Corea's catalog, from early landmarks like the albums Tones for Joan's Bones and Now He Sings, Now He Sobs to the electric energy of Return to Forever, Herwig and co-arranger Bill O'Connell dive in with bold ideas and a fearless approach, reshaping the material with a sure feel for where it comes from and where it can go. Pieces like "Spain," "500 Miles High," and "Windows" ride a deep groove, opening fresh pathways while keeping their melodic impact front and center. With a crack ensemble featuring Craig Handy, Alex Norris, and a rhythm section that locks in and lifts off, Herwig leads performances that are tight, driving, and full of attitude. This is no reverent retread. It is living, breathing music that engages and excites. The series here hits another high mark, the conversation growing deeper, richer, and more compelling.