Poncho Sanchez’s group has, in the past several years, become one of the staples of the Latin jazz genre, with a prolific, expanding discography on the Concord Picante label. As reliably engaging as the recordings are, their heat is still probably best appreciated in the live context, which makes the new live album-#19 for the label-an inevitable and engaging package. In effect, it’s a greatest hits package, with tunes carefully plucked from the vast catalogue. It’s also-vis a vis the Sanchez recipe-party time, with music less about pushing the envelope or improvisation on a deep level than cooking up a lean, clean energy from the collective, salsa-fueled machinery.
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