Mano A Mano

The opening track of Dominican pianist and composer Michel Camilo's dazzling new release, Mano a Mano as he joins the Decca/EmArcy (Universal Music Group), is not only a scene setter but a declaration of principle. Optimistic, brimming with energy and understated virtuosity, "Yes," an original composition by Michel, hints at the sound of classic Cubop while celebrating modern Afro-Caribbean jazz. "'Yes' is a positive piece," says Michel. "It's an affirmation. It's saying that getting involved in this music, in this project, has been all worthwhile. The piece is in the mold of a 'Donna Lee,' or an 'Indiana,' and it was a way for us to say 'Yes, we know the jazz tradition. But we also know something else. And here there are two traditions.'"

In Mano a Mano, Michel Camilo, returns to one of his most effective settings, the trio, but with a twist, using congas and small percussion, instead of trap drums. Featuring longtime friends, master conguero Giovanni Hidalgo and bassist Charles Flores, Michel's trio creates a lighter, more open sound, still powerful, yet also with a certain sweet mango-flavored lyricism that proves to be a perfect vehicle for a wide ranging repertoire that includes eight original compositions and three standards - Lee Morgan's "The Sidewinder," John Coltrane's "Naima," and Ariel Ramírez's "Alfonsina y el Mar." Musically, it's a demanding repertoire that cuts a wide swath. It includes Latin jazz barnburners (such as "Yes," and the title track) but also a nod to the sound of boogaloo and the 1960s Latin soul ("The Sidewinder"); a samba-choro ("No Left Turn"), and a sly, neo-traditional rumba ("Rumba Pa'Ti").

Moreover, in Mano a Mano, Michel explores two essential popular styles from the Dominican Republic. His take on bachata, a kind of ballad, results in the exquisite "You and Me," which Michel calls "a bachata in black tie." While in "Rice and Beans," he reworks merengue, a two-step dance style. It's a first for Michel. "I played it at a rehearsal, just for kicks, as a lark, and everybody jumped in 'Yes, yes, let's do that one.' So it stuck. It's actually merengue-jazz. It's in the merengue tradition (and you can feel the typical quintillo, a five-note rhythmic figure, throughout the piece) -- but with the type of harmonic changes you find in jazz."

And just as this trio can groove and dance, "Alfonsina y El Mar," a song from the Great Latin American Songbook made famous by the late singer Mercedes Sosa, gets here a thoughtful, smart "three-way intimate conversation." It's not by chance. For Michel, Mano a Mano underscores the fact that Latin jazz "is not just a continuous jam session. Yes, we can bring high energy when it's called for, but we also can be subtle when we need to be."

Track Listings
1. Yes 2. The Sidewinder 3. Then and Now 4. Mano a Mano 5. You and Me 6. Rice and Beans 7. Naima 8. No Left Turn 9. Alfonsina y El Mar 10. Rumba Pa' Tí

Personnel
Michel Camilo - piano

Charles Flores - bass

Giovanni Hidalgo - percussion