Mantecas Yes Or No

On their fabulous fourth album, The Mantecas (formerly Manteca) seem to have moved the needle all the way in the direction of Latin jazz (or “jazz latino”). In their early years, the London-based eight-piece played a mix of salsa, timba, boogaloo, Latin funk and jazz, with plenty of vocals, strictly geared for the dance floor. Along the way, the jazz descarga aspect began to emerge as a stronger force, though all sorts of other ingredients, from Afrobeat to Afro-Cuban, Cumbia to Samba, ebbed and flowed throughout their productions. Although there’s nothing new with the concept of doing an album of instrumental Latin tracks in a jazz mode that’s still dance-friendly (Machito, Sabú Martínez, Tito Puente and Tito Rodriguez all waxed jazz latino albums like that many years ago), what is new here is The Mantecas’ very fresh and confident take on the idiom. And while they share something in common with the accessible, danceable Latinized soul jazz of someone like Mongo Santamaría or Willie Bobo, as well as the Afro-Cubop roots of Chano Pozo, they also bring to mind the more jazz-oriented improvisational legacy of Pozo’s amigo Dizzy Gillespie, which is reflected in The Mantecas’ explorations of some of the 20th Century’s modern jazz giants as they rework timeless classics by John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Oliver Nelson and Wayne Shorter.
For this release, all seven tracks are pretty much straight up rhythmically Latin takes on various jazz standards, or are Latin jazz originals. There’s a mix of jazz and Latin instrumentation, arranging, and sensibilities at play, and it is a very natural sounding blend. Like their previous albums, some of the tunes feature a club-ready blend of hot and cool, in a British acid jazz / Latin soul jazz way, with the band’s brilliantly grooving rendition of Miles Davis’ “Milestones” being the stand out in this category. As with several numbers on the album, “Milestones” sports a second section with an Afro-Cuban rhythmic and lyrical segment (in this case, a brief guaguancó rumba with an invocation to the Yoruba lucumí pantheon of Santería), with Flavio Correa taking the lead vocal. Another upbeat Latin jazz dancer is “Alternatively,” by the band’s bassist, guitarist, arranger and musical director Javier “Don Fiora” Fioramonti, which features the bright sounds of a flute-led brass section (Paul Booth, Shanti Paul Jayasinha, Jonathan Enright), sublime electric guitar, and plenty of dynamic timbale / bell / conga fills to keep your hips swinging. Did I mention the smoking percussion section this band has? Alejandro Martínez, Davide Giovannini are the heartbeat of The Mantecas; they are the “manteca” (grease) that keeps this well-oiled engine firing on all cylinders. They AND VANCHO MANOILOVICH AS A GUEST DRUMMER (HE WAS THE ORIGINAL DRUMER OF MANTECA) are responsible for “Alternatively” being such a swinging extravaganza. At the 2 minute, 40 second mark, when the break happens and the timba con tumbao section begins, the old Manteca comes out of hiding, the salsa vocals step in, Dave Oliver turns up the heat on his piano, and the band cooks like classic Los Van Van. Similarly, Wayne Shorter’s “Yes Or No” gets a great instrumental mambo / guaguancó treatment here, and is imminently danceable as well, though it proudly maintains its jazz chops throughout until the guaguancó section and Latin piano riffs take over in a salsa brava style. It all depends, if you’re a salsa dancer, on whether you’re comfortable dancing to such “jazzy” Latin, and decide to say “yes or no” (sí o no) to the invitation to dance. I for one love it, and as a DJ, have played this type of track for my crowd and they get busy right away. Either way, it’s an apt title for the album, as it invites you to consider the options. I bet everyone will choose YES!
But not everything here is all high energy, uptempo razzle-dazzle; other cuts on this LP are more pensive, great for listening and head nodding, just like the classic jazz albums this one is referencing. For instance, The Mantecas’ take on Coltrane’s beautiful ballad “Naima” is in a slow mode for sure. In this case, their interpretation boldly brings in elements of modern tango, with the romantic bandoneón of Roberto Rabinovich flavoring the mix, perhaps in homage to Don Fiora’s Argentine roots, with a nod to the great Astor Piazzolla. But tune also pays tribute to John and Alice Coltrane’s explorations into Eastern music, with a drone-laden introduction over which the Uruguayan drums of Andrés Ticino reinforce the African elements of tango and candombe. This all sets the tone for a spiritual jazz meets South America mashup, which provides a welcome contrast. Another downtempo piece, this time done in the cha cha chá / bolero style, is the group’s sublime Latin rendition of Wayne Shorter’s “House of Jade,” which weaves its spell by adding a little Afro-Cuban 6/8 rhythmic spice and a Yoruba ritual incantation dedicated to Oduduwa, both of which serve as a bit of a pick-me-up inserted into an otherwise languid track.
To top it off, several numbers on this record feature the cool and groovy tones of the vibraphone, courtesy of Sexteto Café’s Dorance Lorza. It’s a sonic palette that brings to mind all the fantastic classic Latino con vibes records of yesteryear by giants like Cal Tjader, Tito Puente and Louie Ramírez. Speaking of Cal, several sunny finger-poppers in the cha cha chá rhythm, like the band’s interpretation of Oliver Nelson’s “Stolen Moments” and Don Fiora’s own composition “Blind Spot,” have the breezy feel of West Coast Latin jazz, à la Poncho Sánchez, Bobby Montez or Claire Fischer. They groove along in that happy, funky, boogaloo-boogie mode of “Oye Como Va,” and will be sure to make people try out their dance moves with a big smile on their faces. Yes, indeed!
Pablo E. Yglesias (DJ Bongohead) of Peace & Rhythm