December 2007

Marlon Simon & the Nagual Spirits
In Case You Missed It
Jazzheads Records

By Forrest Dylan Bryant

A sparkling, exuberant portrait of contemporary Latin jazz, drummer Marlon Simon’s fourth outing as a leader combines a diverse selection of tunes with a cast of musicians who work beautifully together. Teamed with buttery-smooth conguero Roberto Quintero, Simon lays down a deep, luxurious bed of Afro-Latin rhythms while the sax/trumpet pairing of Peter Brainin and Alex Norris swings hard overhead, bandying lines back and forth. The music slides into dreamlike fantasy on three tracks with a string quartet, accenting some rhapsodic piano work by Simon’s brother Edward.