Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band - Vox Humana (2023) [Official Digital Download 24/96]

The press release pack that I received with this album contains some quite grandiose claims such as the release has as its opening track “what may possibly be the most exciting interpretation of the Ellington associated classic, ‘Caravan’, and that has ever been recorded.” So let’s start at the beginning with the exuberant high energy version of ‘Caravan’: this is a full on big band cover of an oft recorded classic but, for me, somehow lacks the excitement I get from hearing Michel Petrucciani’s live solo version. However, as a live show opener it would certainly get the audience going.

The tracks that would be classed as Latin standards such as ‘Capullito De Aleli’, ‘Puerto Rico’, and ‘Amazonas’ come across well with a good balance between the big band sound and the soloists – all of whom play their parts well. The tunes such as ‘Genie In A Bottle’, ‘Spooky’, and ‘Do It Again’, for me, do not work so well – though I have to say that I did enjoy the tenor sax solo of Peter Brainin on ‘Spooky’ – and that, in a large part, is down to the lack of conviction in the lyrics and the way they were put across: I simply did not feel it. I then went back to ‘I Love You Porgy’ (an oft covered Gershwin number) and while the Latin vibed arrangement came across well I was, again, left feeling underwhelmed by the vocal delivery, which sounded more like a Las Vegas show-tune than a heart felt declaration of love (however, the audience appeared to love it so maybe it is just me).

TRACKLIST

1. Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band - Caravan
2. Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band - Capullito De Aleli
3. Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band - Puerto Rico
4. Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band - Partido Alto
5. Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band - Let The Good Times Roll
6. Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band - Who Taught You That
7. Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band - I Love You Porgy
8. Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band - Genie In A Bottle
9. Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band - Amazonas
10. Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band - Spooky
11. Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band - To Be With You
12. Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band - Do It Again
13. Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band - Mi Congo



Thanks to the Original customer.