After producing over 50 albums for other artists in Puerto Rico, Colombia and the U.S., participating as pianist-arranger in more than 100 recordings and writing music for feature films, theatre and television, as well as jingles and video games, Israel Tanenbaum decided it was time to do something for himself. He turned to friends and musicians he has worked with over the years, with only bassist John Benitez being a constant as Tanenbaum utilises different instruments and musicians as he works through. One of the most fascinating pieces is actually the one solo piano piece, “Another Life”, which was fully improvised by Tanenbaum as a link back to his roots when he first discovered it was possible to be a musician when unable to read a score (as was the case back then), thanks to his discovery of Keith Jarrett.

Given his background it is no surprise this album is a Latin delight as he works through multiple different styles, always with the lightness and groove one knows to expect. His piano is often at the heart of everything, although he does play some synths and other keyboards as well, the result being an album which is an absolute delight and full of Latin passion and soul. The utilisation of different instruments (flugelhorn on one track, tenor sax on two more etc) means one never knows quite what to expect from each song as we move through salsa, mambo and other styles. Light and reflective, this is a summer’s delight.

Rating: 7/10

Links:
https://www.israeltanenbaum.com
https://www.zohomusic.com/