David Sanchez: Street Scenes

Puerto Rican by birth, musical by nature, David Sanchez is one of the boldest contenders among young saxists on the jazz scene, and not surprisingly, he has a good handle on the Latin musical patina. On his latest album, the latin side of things emerges on pieces such as the title track and “Soul of the Barrio,” but the deeper story on Street Scenes is more about universal jazz truths and a cohesive whole. Cassandra Wilson lends muted timbral luster to the lyrical ballad “Dee Like the Breeze,” and Kenny Garrett swaps antic saxophonic energies on “Los Cronopios,” a modal vamp nicely punctuated by percussionist Richie Flores. Significantly, the only non-original here is the bubbly Thelonious Monk tune “Four In One,” on which Sanchez follows a delightfully jigsaw-like solo by pianist Danilo Perez with a tenor solo that accents the built-in scamper factor. Sanchez is an intuitively strong and supple player, and one who is in no rush to impress. Which, of course, continues to make him impressive.

Originally Published May 1, 1997