Review by DAN MACINTOSH
Photos by FARAH SOSA
LOS ANGELES, CA – The show was billed as Arturo Sandoval Swinging Holiday, and as he was with his big jazz band, the evening certainly swung.
However, because Sandoval is originally from Cuba, most everything he plays also tends to have a Latin rhythmic groove driving it. This made many of the concert’s familiar holiday songs sound fresh and new. Sandoval is also quite the jovial host, too, despite his admittedly limited English language capabilities. He often cracked jokes and even danced along at times.
Although he performed “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” quite late in his set, this event felt simply wonderful from the very start.
The night began with oodles of dancing spirit as Sandoval led his group through“Funky Cha Cha,” before he then walked us through a “Winter Wonderland.” Sandoval also welcomed a few guest vocalists to the stage. The first was Jane Monheit, who reminded one and all how “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.” Later in the evening, Lia Booth took the microphone to sing “My Favorite Things.” Sandoval took one lead vocal to sing Charlie Chaplin’s “Smile,” on which he wandered out into the front rows to perform.
Sandoval is best known as a jazz trumpeter, and he took plenty of powerful trumpet solos throughout the performance. However, he also had a keyboard and some a couple drums to his immediate right, and added both percussion and keyboards to the mix, as well. He even sat at the grand piano and played that instrument like a true master. He plays everything well, and seemingly nothing is beyond his artistic grasp.
Before sending the audience home, Sandoval got attendees up and dancing to “Mambo Caliente.” It was such good fun to see this sharply dressed concert hall crowd getting down and funky – Latin style – gussied up in their expensive threads.
An Arturo Sandoval concert can be so much fun at times, one might miss the expert musicianship creating all the fun. This was one tight unit, and really, there are few sounds better than a talented big band in full swing. It all added up to one wonderful pre-Christmas celebration.
