New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Tackling the Great American Songbook from a unique perspective is easier said than done, but fortunately, Duke is a vocalist with massive chops that can turn out a stylistically authentic performance full of personality.
La Duke reaches into the Tito Puente Orchestra's jazz roots with several interpretations of jazz standards, placed over Latin rhythms. The Puente Orchestra screams into a hard hitting uptempo arrangement of Cole Porter's "Eso Que Llaman Amor (What Is This Thing Called Love)," framing Duke's powerful vocal with lush harmonies and tight rhythmic hits. As thick string patches float over a ferocious rhythm section groove, trumpet player John Walsh deftly twists jazz inflected melodies around the clave. La Duke returns with a strong second reading of the melody, sending the band into a wild mambo that sends the band flying towards a climax.
Sharp rhythmic hits give way into interlocking melodies over a steady cha cha cha on "Nadie Me Lo Podra Quitar (They Can't
Take That Away From Me)," leading into a cleverly interpreted version of the Gershwin lyrics from La Duke. A quick interlude leads into a lyrical flute solo from
Bobby Porcelli, who spins memorable lines around the unstoppable rhythmic groove. The band shines in a smartly arranged shout section that inspires a clever performance from La Duke, who revisits the melody with class and energy.
Brass attacks from the full band launch the groove into a strutting cha cha cha on "Luna Azul (Blue Moon)," leaving La Duke to skillfully present a personalized version of the melody. The band falls into a laid back swing behind tenor saxophonist Mitch Frohman, whose smoky tone and relaxed phrasing recalls classic big band performance. Upon her return, Duke grabs the band and leads it through switches between cha cha cha and swing with a confident vocal performance.
Duke's collaboration with her Puente band mates certainly forges a strong connection with the music's history, but she also looks into the future by connecting with another Latin Jazz giant, Arturo Sandoval. The two musicians tackle a Cuban standard, the timeless song "Contigo En La Distancia," written by César Portillo de la Luz and loved around the world for its lush harmony, gorgeous melody, and potent lyrics.
From the introductory trumpet flurry to a closing statement that pushes notes into the stratosphere, Sandoval approaches the song with a warm embrace, reflective of his close connection to the music. In fact, Sandoval puts a major mark on the song by creating the arrangement and playing all of the different instruments on the track.
Sandoval's complete musicianship brings out the best in Duke, helping her deliver an impassioned performance, full of powerful dynamic range, subtle nuance, and personal interpretation. There's some reciprocal inspiration here as Sandoval captures the rich tone and wide vibrato of Duke's vocals in his lyrical trumpet solo that connects the different pieces of the melody in an elegant fashion.
Between Sandoval and Duke, you've got two musicians who understand the history of Latin Jazz and hopefully their continued collaboration will help open new ground to move it into the future.
These pieces provide La Duke and the Orchestra with some serious jazz credential, as they show their intimate familiarity with standards alongside their ability to navigate the clave with ease.
