Album Review
With Texas Rumba, bassist Harvie S. proves that it is possible to create artistic and intellectually satisfying music that appeals to jazz and Latin dance music enthusiasts alike. He leads an ensemble that includes both Afro-Cuban and jazz masters, who perform 11 songs, each with its own distinctive character. The title track is a rousing rhumba that steps outside the familiar form with excellent complements from pianist Daniel Kelly and trumpeter Gregory Rivkin. Harvie S. continues to reveal his influential style with a bass solo on "Monk's Mood" and with a bass/piano duet on "Before." However, it is the nearly 11-minute "Underneath It All" that is the centerpiece of this memorable recording. With the essence of his bass up front and the emotional stretch from saxophonist Scott Robert Avidon and other members of the ensemble, this song is by far the most memorable because of its excellent straight-ahead jazz improvisations. Overall, Texas Rumba assimilates Harvie S.'s conspicuous jazz chops into the Latin idiom quite well. Due to percussionist Renato Thoms' fiery rhythmic outbursts and saxophonist Scott Robert Avidon's straight-ahead jazz intonations, this CD helps to demonstrate the devout musical discipline each musician shares with his audience.
