Search - Dizzy Gillespie :: Jambo Caribe

A must for Gillespie fans

Stephen Wood | Woodbury, CT USA | 08/08/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is definitely one of Dizzy's best records. The music on Jambo Caribe blends hard swinging jazz with Calypso melodies and African rhythms; and the result is great music. Gillespie's original "Fiesta Mojo," Kenny Barron's "Trinidad, Hello" and "Trinidad, Goodbye," and all of the other songs on this album are excellent calypso-infused jazz tunes on which Gillespie, tenor saxophonist and flautist James Moody, and everyone else improvise brilliantly. Moody, in particular, is in top form with his flute solo on the first track. Kennny Barron is outstanding as a comper and soloist, and Dizzy shines as a composer and improviser throughout this album. Renditions of Calypso singer Joe Willoughby's "Poor Joe," and "Don't Try to Keep Up With the Joneses," add bright vocals by Gillespie to the record. Every song on this album is solid jazz and classic Dizzy. I highly recommend buying this CD to anyone who likes to listen to great jazz or or any kind of Caribbean music. No Dizzy fan should be without it."

Lots of energy, but a rip-off time-wise

Bomojaz | South Central PA, USA | 08/25/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"One of Dizzy's Afro-Cuban explorations from 1964, with James Moody on tenor and flute and Kenny Barron on piano. The combination of African and Calypso rhythms makes for exciting, energetic music; highlights include Dizzy's muted solo and Barron's bluesy piano solo on FIESTA MOJO; Moody's robust tenor solo on TRINIDAD, HELLO, a swinging, tension-filled number in ¾ time; both Dizzy's and Moody's work on DON'T TRY TO KEEP UP WITH THE JONSES; and the intensity and drive of Moody's and Barron's solos on the way up-tempo roof-raiser TRINIDAD, GOODBYE. Some of the vocal tracks are only so-so; the humorous POOR JOE reminds me a little bit of Louis Jordan's classic RUN, JOE, but it's only about half as funny. Everyone's got to feel a little bit cheated when they buy a CD and it's only 33 minutes long like this one. But the music should get you dancing, to say the least."

Good line up and great themes

Kyle Mole | U.K. | 03/24/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"


I bought this recording on the strength of seeing the BBC Jazz 625 video, originally recorded in 1965.



I guess they were touring the same lp, as a few of the tracks that they played are on this cd.



The theme structure makes this quite a unique recording.

The hot flavours of Trinidad and the Carribean are in full display here with the novelty 'Poor Joe,'and the more rhythmic and shufflable 'And then she stopped' and 'Fiesta Mojo.'



Rudy Collins, Chris White, Kenny Baron, and James Moody make great side men and soloists in their own right.



A very, light, upbeat, and enjoyable recording"