Casting aside the descarga jam session air that characterizes many Latin-jazz recordings, this star-studded big-band affair-the ensemble’s fourth-has the scale, flash and meticulous choreography of a Vegas casino show. Francisco Torres’ arrangements are busy and demanding, full of punchy horn stings, hairpin turns and percussion features that give the band’s 16 players plenty of chances to flaunt what they’ve got. It’s impeccably executed and has tremendous drive, but what will dazzle many listeners may strike others as overdone and hollow.
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