Last week, the Latin Recording Academy announced the nominees for the 19th Annual Latin Grammy Awards. On Saturday Jazz Caliente this week we'll hear from one of this year's nominees for Best Latin Jazz Album, flute master Nestor Torres. Let me introduce you to the rest of the nominees:
Adrián Iaies Trio, La Casa de un Pianista de Jazz Argentinian pianist and composer whose main style is jazz, often mixed with tango and soul.
Hermeto Pascoal & Big Band, Natureza Universal The Brazilian musical mystical wizard turns his formidable talents to big band compositions and arrangements.
Dafnis Prieto Big Band, Back to the Sunset More big band sounds, this time from Cuban drummer/composer Dafnis Prieto, recipient of the 2011 MacArthur Fellowship Grant, often called the "Genius Grant."
Bobby Valentin & The Latin Jazzists, Mind of a Master During the heyday of Salsa music and Fania Records, he was known as El Rey del Bajo (King of the Bass). Puerto Rican trumpeter, bassist and bandleader Bobby Valentin and his Latin Jazzists mix salsa and jazz.
The Latin Grammy award ceremony will be televised on November 15 on Univision. The Latin Grammys also honor artists with Lifetime Achievement Awards, and this year's honoree is the legendary Cuban pianist/composer/bandleader Chucho Valdez.
Another category to check on the Latin Grammys is Best Instrumental Album. This year, the brilliant Brazilian guitarist Yamandu Costa is nominated for his latest recording Recanto. He'll be in concert at Kirkland Performance Center on Sunday October 21.
Listen for Nestor Torres playing "Memphis Underground" from Jazz Flute Traditions this week on Saturday Jazz Caliente. Here's another tune from that Latin Grammy-nominated recording:
Jazz Caliente airs Saturdays at 5:00 p.m. The show is hosted by Robin Lloyd and produced by KNKX Public Radio.
