By Brooks Geiken

Jonathan Suazo’s exhilarating, roots-conscious celebration of Puerto Rican and Dominican traditions is the standout, while Ray Obiedo assembles an expertly chosen cast for a consistently engaging, groove-rich set.

Alto saxophonist Jonathan Suazo brings his expert compositional, arranging and playing skills to bear on the recently released Fruto de Mi Corazón Ricano Vol. 2. The title suggests that this will be a work that expresses everything that’s in Suazo’s heart. The word ricano is a neologism — invented by Suazo — that blends two words together, puertorriqueño and dominicano. And that is what the musician does: he embraces both the Puerto Rican and Dominican rhythmic traditions.

“Mi Música Bella” is a song full of wonderful lyrics that are dedicated to Puerto Rico. It also has the merit of featuring the lovely vocals of Fabiola Méndez (Suazo’s wife) along with Suazo’s unmistakably hard-biting saxophone sound. In addition to her singing prowess, Méndez also adds the electric cuatro to the mix, which thickens the musical texture. The second tune, “Calle Hija del Caribe” (“The Daughters Of The Caribbean Street”), spotlights each member of the quartet: Suazo (alto saxophone), Zaccai Curtis (piano), Ian Ashby (acoustic bass), and Francisco Alcalá (drums). The blues-inflected “Llamada” (“The Call”) features the great Puerto Rican percussionist Paoli Mejías, who raises the temperature aplenty in this full-on cooker. Mejías is given a boost from drummer Alcalá at the tail end of the tune. The breaking hesitation beat on “Llueve To’ Los Días” (“It Rains Everyday”) is a perfect match for Suazo’s soaring alto. After a brief, funky “Interludio,” Suazo switches gears with “Candela” (“Fire”), starting off in a moody manner and then transitioning into a floating, mellow groove. Mom (Méndez) and Dad (Suazo) pay tribute to their newborn baby girl, naming a song after her, “Cecilia.” The tune draws on the salve dance rhythm from the Dominican Republic, along with Cecilia’s heartbeat and her cries at the end. Another noteworthy song, “Redención” has Suazo moving his sax into the outer limits before coming back to straight ahead blowing. Tamela López and Méndez sing along with the alto to provide a fine, strong ending.

There are so many tunes here that are recommended listening that is difficult to select those that truly stand out. That said, the swinging “La Magia” comes in two versions — instrumental and with vocals — and it just might be the one (or two) that is a must-hear. On the instrumental version, the two percussionists, Ontoniel Nicolás and Kike Serrano, propel the song along with precision and force.

Two rich Caribbean traditions are at the vibrant heart of Jonathan Suazo’s music. He manages to maneuver from the delightful “Mi Música Bella” to the sublime “La Magia” with a guiding artistic purpose. In between, “Llueve To’ Los Días,” “Candela,” and “Redención” burn invigoratingly bright. Okay, here is the big reveal — the most exciting Latin jazz album of the year is … drum roll, please … Jonathan Suazo’s Fruto de Mi Corazón Ricano Vol. 2.

Listening to Ray Obiedo’s new CD, Sight Accent, is like reuniting with an old friend after a long absence, the old intimacy is intact, and the connection is strong. These nine soul-filling, ebullient tracks are familiar and lively, yet they feel freshly minted. Obiedo meticulously chooses the right musicians for each song, from the late Chloe Jean on vocals (“Ain’t No Sunshine”) to the late Toots Thielemans on harmonica (“Slow Hot Wind”). The best are brought out in all concerned.

The bass and drum combination of Dan Fieszli and Phil Hawkins makes “The Right Move,” “El Matador,” “Footprints,” and “Then She Spoke” memorable. Throughout the album, Peter Horvath and David K. Matthews trade off on piano, each performing with conviction. These four gentlemen, longtime associates of Obiedo’s, maintain the groove on each song.

A special shout-out goes to Norbert Stachel, who provides excellent horn arrangements on “Ain’t No Sunshine,” “The Right Move,” “El Matador,” and “Fonseca.” Stachel plays the flute, tenor saxophone, alto flute, clarinet, and bass clarinet on each of the aforementioned tunes. I guess you could call him the album’s secret sauce.

An alert for Tower of Power fans — Obiedo chose the bass and drum work of the band’s former members, Mark Van Wageningen and David Garibaldi, for the title tune, and they really bring the funk. Van Wageningen’s formidable electric bass can also be heard on “Ain’t No Sunshine,” “Slow Hot Wind,” and “Fonseca.”

Obiedo has a penchant for selecting great songs from the past, and on this recording they include “Aint No Sunshine” (Bill Withers), “Slow Hot Wind” (Henry Mancini), and “Footprints” (Wayne Shorter). The latter composition features a terrific tenor saxophone solo by Yellowjackets member Bob Mintzer.

Several of Obiedo’s own compositions enliven the disc. These include the up-tempo “El Matador,” the medium groove “Fonseca,” the tender-soft melody “Then She Spoke,” the unrelenting funk of “Slight Accent,” and the samba of “Second Time Around.”  The variety of the selections means that Slight Accent never drags — this  is an  always engaging roundup that reflects a great deal of thought. Obiedo knows the strengths of the musicians well and selects just the right person to enhance each song. And he has employed the right combination of heavy hitters, like Mintzer, Thielemans, Jean, Fieszli, Hawkins, Stachel, Van Wageningen, and Garibaldi.  Slight Accent is a noteworthy addition to Obiedo’s expanding catalog.

Brooks Geiken is a retired Spanish teacher with a lifelong interest in music, specifically Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, and Black American music. His wife thinks he should write a book titled The White Dude’s Guide to Afro-Cuban and Jazz Music. Brooks lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.