For three days in August, downtown San José, California, was the epicenter of some great music in the SF Bay Area. We heard bands that put a contemporary spin on music of the last century, from the Latin soul sounds of Joe Bataan to the sophisticated singing of René Marie, and a particular highlight for me was the performance by the one and only Patti LaBelle. This year marked forty years that the Festival has been in existence, and I hope it goes on for at least forty more years. With new director Christian Vela doing an outstanding job of booking, the future of the Festival looks bright.

Friday Night: Soul, Zydeco, and Latin Rhythms

MC for the Main Stage was Greg Bridges, a mainstay in Bay Area radio for many years, currently at KCSM 91.1 on the FM dial. It is always reassuring to hear his voice at the Festival, as I know some enjoyable music will follow. Sure enough, Adi Oasis came out that Friday night and gave a good opening performance. Handling the vocals and the electric bass playing, she impressed the crowd with her musicianship. Oasis brought us back to 1998 with her version of Lauren Hill’s “Doo Wop (That Thing)” mixed in with some slow jams and her own material. Oasis’ music was a nice way to ease into the Festival atmosphere.

On the Blues/BigEasy Stage, local group Zydeco Flames held forth with their southern Louisiana sound. They took some familiar New Orleans favorites like Fats Domino’s “Hello Josephine” and “Iko Iko,” added some washboard and accordion and turned them into Zydeco tunes. One of the most notable songs was an original waltz called “Never Alone.” Then the dancers came out in full force when they broke into Hank Williams’ “Jambalaya.” Rock guitar wafted through B.B. King’s “The Thrill is Gone” and The Staple Singers’ “I’ll Take You There.” Zydeco Flames proved that any tune can be turned into a Zydeco song.

Moving on to the Latin Tropical Stage, 83-year-old Joe Bataan and his band revived the Latin-soul sounds that he pioneered in the ’60s. There were echoes of Doo Wop and classic ’50s R&B along with the conga drum to give the music a Latin twist. Bataan was in good spirits, starting off singing “The Lord’s Prayer” with his wife and then getting into some serious boogaloo. He dedicated one song to the Philipinos and another to the Puerto Ricans, even plunging into some of what could be called “Oldies But Goodies.” The horn players, C.P. Salas (tenor saxophone) and Tony Hernández (trumpet), kept the old-school vibe going. Guitarist Adrian Carmine took a solo turn singing that old chestnut “Daddy’s Home,” and Bataan showed he could croon with the best of them on “I Wish You Love.” The packed crowd reveled in the nostalgia-laden music, proving that Joe Bataan is back!

My friend Jonathan told me about Thee Sinseers several weeks before I caught them at the Festival, and if it is ’60s Rhythm & Blues with a Mexican flair, there is no better band. Led by the vocals of Joey Quiñones, Thee Sinseers lay down a heart-on-your-sleeve, slow jam sound that never lets up. Teasing the audience with the horn riff from Tower of Power’s “You’re Still A Young Man,” they took us back to a time when cars were big, and everyone went to the soda fountain to put quarters in the jukebox. Proud of their East Los Angeles heritage, the group plays a kind of updated version of LA bands from the ’60s like Thee Midnighters. “Little” Willie Garcia, lead vocalist of Thee Midnighters, must be very happy to hear this music seeing a resurgence in popularity.

Saturday: New Voices and Veteran Masters

On to Saturday, where the Monterey Jazz Vocal Ensemble sang with great harmony in the San José Art Museum. Comprised of high school students and recent high school graduates, the Ensemble performed a variety of tunes from all over the map. With 12 singers (7 women and 5 men), they poured out a strong, tight-knit sound. Backed by a quartet of high school-age musicians, the Ensemble sang Chick Corea’s “You’re Everything” and a bossa nova-tinged “Angel Eyes.” It was a most enjoyable way to start the second day of the Festival.

Drummer Mike Clark’s Post Boptet band took the early afternoon slot at the Montgomery Theater, going through an exciting hour of contemporary music. The Post Boptet boasts a superb lineup: Eddie Henderson (trumpet), Craig Handy (tenor saxophone), Essiet Okon Essiet (acoustic bass) and David Kikoski (piano). They began with a very appropriate tune, “East Broadway Rundown” by the recently departed Sonny Rollins. After a wonderful ballad featuring Henderson, they played a jazz/funk hybrid called “Loft Funk,” where Clark got to display his formidable chops on drums. Then in a kind of tribute to Herbie Hancock, the band dug into his composition “Toys.” Three of the members of the band were employed by Hancock at various points in his career: Henderson during the Mwandishi period, Clark during the Head Hunters time and Handy on the road with Herbie. All three musicians have ties to the SF Bay Area: Henderson played music and practiced psychiatry in the Bay for many years, Handy is the son of John Handy, born in Oakland, and Clark was born in Sacramento. New York-based pianist Kikoski has played with a wide range of jazz musicians, so it was a treat to finally see him live. With his white hair flying in all directions, Kikoski was in constant motion, swaying to the music, seemingly possessed. Clark’s new album, Kuan Ganjo (Time Without Beginning), has the same cast minus Kikoski and adds Patrice Rushen. It is definitely worth a listen or two or three.

Back at the Main Stage, Parlor Greens were into their set, a groove-oriented Hammond B3, electric guitar and drum sound harkening back to the ’50s and ’60s soul/jazz records. The guitarist Jimmy James laid down tantalizing chords and single-line notes while Tim Carman supplied the heavy backbeat. The organist was a fill-in for Adam Scone and did a very nice job during their set. An interesting thing happened during Parlor Greens’ set: James said they were going to play a Dolly Parton song and the audience had to guess which one. Well, this is a hip crowd, and they came up with “Jolene” right away. Again, it was reassuring to find out that the organ trio concept is still alive and being taken a step forward with Parlor Greens.

One of the great things about the Festival is finding new acts that are surprisingly good. Such was the case with the Nicole Zuraitis Quartet, an original singer/pianist/songwriter, whose self-deprecating manner and voice charmed the crowd. Starting with her own compositions, Zuraitis sang and played piano with wondrous dexterity. The band, husband Dan Pugach (drums), Sam Weber (acoustic bass) and Idan Morin (electric guitar), supported Zuraitis with steady assurance. After singing her own tunes, Zuraitis then broke into a series of covers: “Jolene” (hearing it a second time in the space of an hour), “The Nearness of You,” “Wichita Lineman” and “I Get Along Without You Very Well,” all done with taste and feeling.

Roger Glenn, preeminent musician extraordinaire, plays 18 different instruments and presented his group that Saturday afternoon to a very enthusiastic audience at the Signia Regent Stage. Taking most of the material from his 2025 album My Latin Heart (produced by special guest Ray Obiedo), the group navigated seven tunes, enjoying every moment. Switching between vibes, flute, alto saxophone and percussion, Glenn made the most of his countless abilities. Obiedo contributed his composition “Child’s Dance” and his inimitable stinging electric guitar. Glenn noted early on that he and Obiedo have been playing music together for 55 years, quite a long and fruitful association. Longtime band members, Marcos Silva on electric piano, Robb Fisher on acoustic bass, Michelle Gerlitz on congas and percussion and newcomer Kelly Fasman on drums played with supreme cohesion. Late in the set, Gerlitz and Glenn picked up chekeres and held the audience spellbound for a while. Glenn and company left a prodigious amount of excellent music in our ears that afternoon.

Saturday Evening: Afro-Cuban Fire and Patti LaBelle

The Main Stage hosted the always enjoyable Afro-Cuban All Stars led by Juan De Marcos González. The talent level in Cuba is so deep that I didn’t recognize any of the current band members. It might be that the original group had some of the older established artists, and many have passed away or are unable to travel. Be that as it may, the All Stars were in fine form that evening, showcasing a singer with a declarative style. As De Marcos González stayed in the background playing the güiro, the band executed intricately arranged passages. Horns and percussion were tightly knit together in a delicate balance.

A short walk to the Latin Tropical stage where Orquesta Akokán began their re-creation of classic Cuban music from the ’40s and ’50s. Focusing on the Mambo, Orquesta Akokán brought back that familiar sound from the past. Pianist and arranger Michael Eckroth dove deep into the genre, respecting the past and adding his own ideas to create a modern take. The music was enhanced by the vocals of Kiko Ruiz, who handled the crowd, exuding natural charisma. The electric tres guitar combined with the soaring horns made the set quite enjoyable. Akokán means from the heart in Yoruba, and the group proved that they had plenty of it on that sultry night in San José.

Wedged in between Orquesta Akokán and headliner Patti LaBelle, Jubu Smith soulfully sang and played guitar. Born and raised in Oakland, California, Jubu borrows liberally from gospel, soul, blues and funk to display his singular electric guitar playing. Last year he was seen at the Summer Festival backing up Lilah Hathaway; this year headlining the Blues/Big Easy Stage. Hammond B3 organ (Mike Halberg), electric bass, and drums backed Jubu’s compelling vocals and superior guitar work. B.B. King’s immortal “The Thrill Is Gone” was a perfect vehicle for Jubu’s mastery. Nodding our heads, the crowd acknowledged Tony! Toni! Toné!’s song “Anniversary,” which the normally reserved Jubu said he helped the group record. After a long time spent backing other artists, Jubu finally struts his stuff and leads his own group.

The ageless Patti LaBelle sang her way into our hearts with fire and consummate expertise. At 82 years young, LaBelle showed absolutely no signs of slowing down. All the high and low notes were there; a stellar performer, having the time of her life. Her longtime pianist/musical director, Sam Lewis, made all the musical transitions smooth and seamless. One of her backup singers took center stage for the Staple Singers’ “I’ll Take You There” while LaBelle was busy changing her wig and clothing. LaBelle returned to the stage and continued to entrance all the folks, from the front of the stage to those seated in the back in their lawn chairs.

Sunday: Ska, Miles Davis, and René Marie

The first act on Sunday, hitting the Main Stage at precisely 1 p.m., the Western Standard Ska Orchestra took us back to Jamaica in the ’50s, when Ska music was at its peak. Trumpeter Eitan Avineri directed the band, some twenty instruments including a full horn section; trumpets and saxophones filled the stage along with guitar, acoustic bass and drums. Invoking the sounds of yesteryear and using the template of the Skatalites (The group who invented ska), the Orchestra blasted out a huge, powerful sound. Using Lee Morgan’s “The Sidewinder,” the Orchestra left no doubt that Ska and Jazz could co-exist in the same song. I found myself bopping up and down to the highly percussive ska rhythm, another unexpected musical treat.

Educator and bassist Marcus Shelby led a nonet which faithfully revisited the Miles Davis session Birth Of The Cool. Highly appropriate choice of material, as this year many artists are celebrating Miles’ centenary. Each selection introduced by Shelby received an informative description, noting the composer and the principal soloist. The nonet, composed of all Bay Area musicians, featured Heidi Tretheren (horn), Remee Ashley (trombone), Mike Olmos (trumpet), Tony Pebbles (alto saxophone), Melecio Magdaluyo (baritone saxophone), Jonathan Seiberlich (tuba), Greg Jacobs (piano), Jamal Ramírez (drums) and Marcus Shelby (acoustic bass). Especially notable contributions came from Olmos, Pebbles and Magdaluyo as they filled the shoes of Miles Davis, Lee Konitz and Gerry Mulligan. The music still sounded quite fresh, even though the record was made almost 80 years ago. “Boplicity,” “Jeru” and “Budo” came to precise and vivid life under Sheiby’s direction. Birth of the Cool was not treated as some museum piece by this group—to be dusted off and only played on special occasions—instead as a vital part of American music history.

I was really looking forward to hearing Lakecia Benjamin, having experienced her wonderful alto saxophone playing. To my surprise, she could not make the gig; instead, the replacement was the marvelous vocalist René Marie. Backed by an exceptional trio—Xavier Davis on piano, Elias Baily on acoustic bass and Quentin E. Baxter on drums—Marie sang a medley of tunes around the theme of imagination; the Temptations’ “Just My Imagination” was the core, with a deviation into John Lennon’s “Imagine.” Marie told a great story associated with her original tune, “Colorado River Song.” Her trip down the river with a man resulted in a wonderful thing: marriage. There was a call-and-response scat singing with the audience, where Marie showed off her considerable scat singing abilities. Marie captivated the crowd with her warm and inviting songs, a pleasant surprise for everyone.

The Women Who Lit Up the Festival

Sure, there were some cool moments in the Festival: Joe Bataan crooning, Afro-Cuban All Stars dealing, Jubu Smith playing guitar, even the Western Standard Time Ska Orchestra skanking, but the soul of the summer Jazz Fest belonged to the women, who played and sang their hearts out.

The Festival this year was worth attending due in no small part to the powerful women who graced all of the stages. From Adi Oasis to Nicole Zuraitis, on to Patti LaBelle and ending with the incomparable René Marie, women and their considerable gifts made the Festival exceedingly bright.

Artists Performing at the San José Summer Jazz Fest 2026
Photo Gallery by Brooks Geiken (click to enlarge)

The Ottawa Latin Jazz Conference 2026 returns for its third edition from September 25 to 27, bringing together musicians, educators, students, and audiences to celebrate the growing presence of Latin jazz in Canada. At the center of the conference is Cuban pianist, composer, and musical director Miguel de Armas, whose journey from Cuba to Canada has shaped both his artistic career and his vision for creating a stronger Latin jazz community in Ottawa.

The story of the Ottawa Latin Jazz Conference (OLJC) is, in many ways, a story of growth, discovery, and community. From its first edition in 2024 to the second in 2025, the conference has steadily expanded its reach while remaining committed to its original purpose: creating a space in Ottawa where Latin jazz can be heard, discussed, studied, and experienced as part of Canada’s multicultural musical landscape.

Those first two editions also made something increasingly clear: there is a growing audience and a growing community for Latin jazz in Ottawa. The conference has become more than a series of performances. It is developing into a platform for cultural exchange, artistic discovery, education, and collaboration among musicians from different backgrounds and generations.

Miguel de Armas has played a central role in that evolution. His own journey has profoundly influenced the way he approaches the conference. His perspective is rooted not only in his experience as a musician, but also in his desire to recognize and showcase the talent that already exists within Canada’s diverse communities.

That was one of the central themes of our conversation as we looked ahead to the 2026 edition: how can the conference continue to grow while remaining open to new voices, new ideas, and the next generation of Latin jazz musicians?

That question brought us back to the beginning. Looking at the first two editions, I asked Miguel how he felt the conference had evolved and what lessons had helped shape this year’s edition.

Miguel de Armas: From Cuba to Canada

To understand the conference, it is also important to understand Miguel.

Trained musically in Cuba, de Armas developed a career connected to some of the most important experiences in Cuban popular music and contemporary jazz. He was a founding member of N.G. La Banda, one of the defining groups of the Cuban timba movement, and throughout his career in Cuba he worked and recorded with numerous artists and projects, building extensive professional and international experience.

Since moving to Canada, Miguel has continued to develop his career as a pianist, composer, arranger, and musical director. In Ottawa, he created the Miguel de Armas Quartet and later founded the Ottawa Latin Jazz Orchestra, a project that brings together members of the Cuban diaspora with musicians born or trained in Canada.

The orchestra combines original compositions, traditional Cuban melodies, jazz improvisation, and Afro-Cuban rhythms.

But perhaps one of Miguel’s most interesting qualities is not simply his work as a musician. It is the way he observes the musical community around him.

He explained this to me during our conversation. For Miguel, organizing a conference like this means constantly looking, listening, and discovering.

“I have the time to go out there and discover each artist. That’s what we always do.”

That sentence says a great deal about his philosophy. Miguel does not seem to view programming simply as a list of established names. Instead, he sees it as a process of discovery.

A Conference That Learns From Itself

When I asked him how the Ottawa Latin Jazz Conference had evolved through its first two editions and what lessons had helped shape the 2026 edition, his answer was very clear: the conference has to continually learn from itself.

After each edition, the team talks with artists, collaborators, and participants to hear their impressions, identify problems, and find ways to improve.

“Every time an edition ends, we sit down with the people who have been part of it and ask how the conference was, what we can improve, and what we can do differently.”

I found this particularly important because it explains one of the characteristics that distinguishes the project. The goal is not to repeat the same model every year.

“Every year we have to keep building on it and make it better.”

That self-critical attitude is also present when Miguel talks about the conference’s long-term vision. For him, the success of an edition is not measured only by audience numbers or by the names appearing on the program. After every conference, the team needs to listen to the audience, evaluate the response, and determine what can be improved.

“We will get together, draw our conclusions, see how the audience responded, look at the reactions, and then try to improve the next edition.”

In other words, the conference is conceived as an evolving process.

Canada’s Multicultural Talent Takes Center Stage

The third edition introduces another particularly significant emphasis: celebrating the extraordinary talent of Canada’s multicultural diaspora and its growing influence on the evolution of Latin jazz.

For Miguel, this direction did not emerge from an abstract concept. It came from something he has been observing personally in the Canadian music scene.

Over the past few years, he has been listening to musicians, attending concerts, following projects, and discovering artists who may not yet have the visibility they deserve.

“There is so much talent. And that is also what the conference is about: highlighting the cultural talent we have here in Canada.”

That “we” is important. For Miguel, Canadian Latin jazz should not be understood simply as music imported from Latin America. It is also music being transformed by the communities and artists who live and work in Canada.

And this brings us to one of the major themes of the 2026 conference: belonging.

Miguel believes that when Canadian audiences begin regularly hearing these artists, something changes. The Latin American musician is no longer perceived as an outsider and begins to become part of Canada’s cultural landscape.

As he told me:

“They begin to feel that they are artists who also belong here… and then they feel proud.”

For Miguel, that phenomenon is fundamental. He points to Hilario Durán as an example of another Cuban musician who has developed an extraordinary career in Canada.

“Hilario is Cuban, but he is also a Canadian musician.”

That sentence summarizes much of the philosophy behind the conference: it is not about choosing one identity over another, but recognizing the identities that coexist and enrich one another.

Discovering Artists Before They Become Well Known

One of the things I found most interesting in our conversation was learning how Miguel puts together the conference program.

His method is quite simple: listen.

He told me, for example, that he discovered Joy Lapps at Sunfest. He heard her perform live, watched her connect with the audience, and immediately became interested in her project.

“As an audience member, I watched her show and saw how she interacted with the audience.”

And that was where the invitation began.

With pianist Orlando Cardoso, the process was different. Miguel did not know him personally, but he did what he calls “the homework”: he followed his career, listened to his music, and became particularly interested in his recent work.

“This young man is serious, and he has a different proposal.”

That search for new voices explains the diversity of the 2026 program, which brings together artists from different backgrounds and generations.

Miguel also emphasizes the importance of balancing established figures with emerging artists.

“We have to go looking for the generations that are coming, because they bring their own language, their own way of doing things, and their own artistic vision.”

That balance appears to be one of the conference’s fundamental principles.

Hilario Durán: Memory, Experience, and Passing It On

The participation of Hilario Durán occupies a special place in the third edition.

For Miguel, this is not simply a matter of inviting an internationally recognized musician. There is a personal relationship that goes back to Cuba and, above all, an admiration that began many years ago.

When we talked about Hilario, Miguel remembered how young Cuban musicians of his generation followed his work and tried to learn his solos.

“Hilario was the reference point. We all wanted to learn his solos.”

But Miguel also emphasizes something he considers essential: Durán’s extraordinary preparation as a pianist, composer, and orchestrator.

He remembers Durán’s classical training, his work with Cuba’s Orquesta de Música Moderna, and his experience performing with musicians of the highest caliber, including Arturo Sandoval. All of that experience, he says, allowed Durán to arrive in Canada with an exceptionally strong professional foundation.

“He arrived with all the tools he needed to build a successful career here.”

In this third edition, Durán will not only perform. His participation will also have an educational dimension, particularly important for young musicians and students.

For Miguel, that generosity as a teacher is one of Durán’s greatest qualities.

“He is extremely generous when it comes to teaching.”

Durán’s presence therefore represents a connection between generations: a musician who was a reference point for a generation of young Cuban musicians, and an artist who has now become a reference point for a new generation of musicians in Canada.

Learning the Language of Latin Jazz

The educational dimension of the conference is another one of its pillars.

This year there is a special emphasis on Afro-Cuban rhythmic traditions and on strengthening the teaching of Latin jazz in Canada. For Miguel, this education is necessary because Latin jazz cannot simply be reduced to a label.

“It has its own language, its own way of feeling and organizing rhythm.”

He explained that even Canadian musicians with strong jazz backgrounds can initially find themselves challenged when they have to play certain Afro-Cuban rhythms.

“At first they are a little intimidated, but as time goes by, they become more flexible.”

The key, according to Miguel, is direct experience.

It is not enough to hear an explanation about these rhythms. Musicians need to play them, experience them, and interact with musicians who understand them from within.

“It is one thing to hear someone explain it. It is another thing to become involved in the project. That is when things change.”

This idea of immersion connects directly with the educational mission of the conference. The goal is not simply to talk about Latin jazz, but to create opportunities to experience it.

Inclusion as a Way of Building Community

Another concept that appears repeatedly throughout our conversation is inclusion.

The conference seeks to present established artists while also creating opportunities for emerging musicians and lesser-known projects.

“The conference has always been about inclusion, about bringing in young talent and international artists.”

Miguel believes that one generation cannot simply reproduce itself. More experienced musicians have a responsibility to seek out those who are coming next.

And this has a much broader cultural dimension.

As Canadian audiences discover these sounds and artists, a sense of belonging develops. Latin jazz begins to be recognized not as a peripheral expression, but as part of the country’s cultural landscape.

In this sense, the conference serves a purpose that goes beyond the stage: it helps build community, develop audiences, create opportunities, and establish relationships.

The National Arts Centre as a Partner

The relationship with the National Arts Centre has also been fundamental to the conference’s growth.

The first and second editions presented a well-organized project, a three-day program featuring concerts, panels, workshops, and networking opportunities.

The third edition continues that relationship, once again making the National Arts Centre a central venue for the conference.

For Miguel, this relationship represents much more than having access to a prestigious stage.

He remembers his early experiences at the NAC and the process of building an audience through consistent work.

“Working hard to build your own audience, to make people believe in you, and being truthful and sincere about what you represent is very important.”

Over time, that work creates trust.

“Now, when we present something, they say, ‘This is going to have quality.’”

That “seal of quality,” as Miguel describes it, is one of the important consequences of building a strong relationship with an institution like the National Arts Centre.

It also contributes to giving Latin jazz greater visibility and recognition within Canada’s cultural landscape.

Looking Ahead

At the end of our conversation, I asked Miguel where he sees the Ottawa Latin Jazz Conference five years from now.

His answer was once again consistent with everything he had said throughout our conversation.

He did not talk about turning the conference into a personal project or imposing a permanent formula. He talked about evolution and continuity.

“Evolving, obviously.”

And then he added something that I found particularly revealing:

“There is no exclusivity here. There is inclusivity.”

Perhaps that is the best way to summarize the spirit of the conference, and especially of this third edition.

The Ottawa Latin Jazz Conference was created to open a space for Latin jazz in Ottawa. And that space includes different generations, cultures, musical languages, and immigrant experiences.

“Since the beginning, the conference has been looking at the talent that already exists in Canada and recognizing that much of the future of Latin jazz is being built right here.”

Miguel de Armas knows this because he is seeing it firsthand. He hears it on stages, discovers it at concerts, talks to musicians, and follows their projects. Above all, he understands that a musical scene can only grow if there is a willingness to listen to those who are coming next.

The third edition of the Ottawa Latin Jazz Conference is not intended to close a chapter. On the contrary, it is designed as another chapter in a story that is still being written.

And, true to Miguel’s spirit, once the conference is over, the work will begin again: listening, asking questions, evaluating, learning, and looking for new ways to make it better.

Because, as Miguel himself told me, the conference must continue to evolve.

And perhaps that is precisely its greatest strength.

At a moment when creative work is increasingly mediated by algorithms, digital shortcuts and frictionless convenience, Emilio Solla offers an eloquent argument for something more tangible. Handmade, the Latin GRAMMY-winning pianist, composer and arranger’s fifteenth album as a leader, is more than a collection of sophisticated compositions. It is a defence of craft, patience, collaboration and the physical act of making music.

Released on March 13, 2026, by Club del Disco, the album reunites Solla with La Inestable de Brooklyn, his remarkable nine-piece New York ensemble. Its instrumental palette—winds, brass, violin, bandoneon, piano, bass, drums and percussion—allows him to create music with the detail and breadth of a chamber orchestra while retaining the responsiveness and improvisational freedom of a jazz group.

“Handmade is an apologia of the tactile,” Solla explains. “We are what we do, and what we make.” His statement establishes the album’s central idea: meaningful art emerges from sustained physical engagement, personal discipline and the interaction of human beings working together.

That philosophy is audible throughout the recording. Rather than using tango, jazz, Argentine folklore and classical composition as separate stylistic ingredients, Solla treats them as interconnected parts of his musical language. His arrangements can be intricate, but complexity never becomes an end in itself. Every shifting rhythm, instrumental colour and contrapuntal exchange serves an expressive purpose.

A Composer Between Buenos Aires and Brooklyn

Born in Argentina and based in New York, Solla studied classical piano at the National Conservatory of Music in Buenos Aires before earning a master’s degree in jazz composition from the Aaron Copland School of Music. He lived in Barcelona before relocating to New York, gradually developing a personal approach commonly described as tango-jazz: a language that combines Argentine tango and folk traditions with jazz improvisation, classical techniques and contemporary composition.

His career has included collaborations with Paquito D’Rivera, Arturo O’Farrill, Yo-Yo Ma, Edmar Castañeda, the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the WDR Big Band. His 2019 album Puertos: Music from International Waters won the 2020 Latin GRAMMY for Best Latin Jazz/Jazz Album, while earlier and subsequent projects received multiple GRAMMY and Latin GRAMMY nominations.

The late Latin Jazz Network critic Raul da Gama consistently recognized the depth of Solla’s writing. Reviewing Second Half, the first recording by La Inestable de Brooklyn, da Gama praised music that “soars in a manner that is rarely heard,” emphasizing the sophistication of the charts and the ensemble’s seemingly instinctive understanding of them. He also noted that the solo space served the music rather than individual display—a principle that remains fundamental to Handmade.

Five years later, reviewing Puertos – Music From International Waters, da Gama described Solla as a “poet of orchestral sound” and celebrated his ability to make individual instrumental colours stand out while still merging them into a unified texture. That assessment feels especially relevant here. Handmade may use a smaller ensemble than the 17-piece Tango Jazz Orchestra, but Solla draws an astonishing range of sonorities from nine musicians.

Suite de los Abrazos: Loss, Disorder and Recovery

The emotional and structural centre of the album is Suite de los Abrazos, a three-part meditation on the COVID-19 pandemic. Its movements are deliberately separated and presented out of narrative order—tracks one, three and five—following a sequence inspired by Julio Cortázar’s nonlinear novel Rayuela. Solla described the ordering as 3–5–1: the third movement appears first, followed later by the first and second.

“Suite de los Abrazos, III – Bodegón Caníbal” opens the album with layered percussion and a melody distributed among bass clarinet, saxophone, bandoneon, violin and trumpet. Tim Armacost delivers an expansive tenor saxophone solo before a tightly constructed fugato pushes the ensemble toward a vigorous joropo-inflected conclusion. David Smith’s trumpet brings brightness and release to music that initially seems shadowed by uncertainty.

“Suite de los Abrazos, I – Milonga Mutante” is more unsettled. Conceived as an evocation of the emergency-room chaos of early 2020, it begins with Rogério Boccato’s nervous brushwork as a twelve-tone-derived theme moves among Alejandro Avilés’s flute, Sara Caswell’s violin and Rodolfo Zanetti’s bandoneon. Mike Fahie’s trombone solo rises from the arrangement with force and imagination, embodying both instability and resistance.

The second movement, “The Loss,” is the suite’s emotional reckoning. Solla’s mournful piano melody is surrounded by restrained ensemble writing, while Edward Perez’s acoustic bass solo provides the performance with extraordinary warmth. Rather than dramatizing grief, the piece creates space for reflection, memory and tenderness.

By separating the movements, Solla avoids presenting the pandemic as a simple progression from crisis to resolution. Trauma, absurdity, grief and recovery appear as overlapping states—revisited rather than completed.

Homages, Borders and Musical Memory

The remaining compositions extend the album’s celebration of artistry, movement and cultural connection.

“Joni Mitchell” is an affectionate tribute rather than a direct stylistic imitation. Its syncopated piano figure reminded Solla of Mitchell’s own relationship with jazz, prompting the title. Alejandro Avilés’s alto saxophone moves confidently through an arrangement that is rhythmically playful yet meticulously structured.

“Miles Tango” joins Argentine dance rhythm to harmonies associated with Miles Davis’s second great quintet. Solla’s piano improvisation and David Smith’s muted trumpet animate the piece, which acknowledges Davis without resorting to quotation or pastiche. Solla instead imagines a meeting between two musical worlds, allowing tango’s pulse and modern jazz’s harmonic openness to reshape one another.

Sara Caswell becomes a central narrative voice on “Bird Song.” Written in the rhythm of the Argentine chacarera, the composition imagines a bird crossing the United States–Mexico border without recognizing the political boundary below. Caswell’s violin soars between contrasting musical environments, transforming the bird into a symbol of freedom, migration and the capacity of music to move beyond borders.

Caswell is equally compelling on “Para el Agua,” originally conceived for solo piano and later orchestrated for La Inestable. The expanded arrangement retains the intimacy of its origins while opening space for ensemble colour and an extended improvisation from Solla. The performance demonstrates why his music feels both composed and alive: formal detail establishes the architecture, but improvisation gives it breath. “La Carta” adds another dimension to the programme, while the closing “De Viento y de Sal” brings guest vocalist Sofía Tosello into the ensemble. Her warm, expressive delivery floats above a slow milonga, complemented by Zanetti’s evocative bandoneon. The result is an intimate conclusion—a return to the human voice after an album devoted to the many ways instrumental sound can communicate.

An Ensemble Built on Individual Voices

La Inestable de Brooklyn is not simply a vehicle for Solla’s compositions. Its musicians are essential to the work’s identity.

Tim Armacost moves between muscular tenor statements and the darker shades of clarinet and bass clarinet. Alejandro Avilés supplies agility and colour across soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, flute and piccolo. David Smith brings clarity and rhythmic precision to trumpet and flugelhorn, while Mike Fahie’s trombone provides both weight and mobility.

Sara Caswell’s violin and Rodolfo Zanetti’s bandoneon establish a particularly important connection to Solla’s Argentine heritage. Yet neither instrument functions as an emblem pasted onto a jazz ensemble. They participate fully in the counterpoint, improvisation and internal drama of the arrangements.

Edward Perez and Rogério Boccato form a rhythm section capable of navigating jazz swing, tango phrasing, chacarera, milonga and joropo without making those traditions sound compartmentalized. Guest percussionist Facundo Colmán expands the rhythmic foundation, and Sofía Tosello brings the album to a moving close.

Solla recorded the project at The Bunker Studio in Brooklyn in May 2025 after the band had spent more than a year performing and refining the repertoire. He has described the music as chamber-oriented and dependent on precision, while also acknowledging Duke Ellington’s influence on his practice of composing for the distinctive voices of particular musicians.

Music That Could Only Be Handmade

Paquito D’Rivera has praised the album’s balance between Solla’s Buenos Aires roots and the elegant jazz language that permeates the writing, calling it a recording worth hearing repeatedly.

That balance is indeed one of Handmade’s greatest achievements. The music is intellectually rigorous without becoming remote, emotionally resonant without becoming sentimental, and culturally grounded without treating tradition as something fixed. Tango, folklore, jazz and classical composition are not displayed behind glass. They are handled, tested, transformed and brought into contact with the musicians’ personalities.

Raul da Gama once observed that Solla’s compositions translate lived experience into orchestral settings. Handmade continues that work on an intimate scale. It transforms pandemic memory, artistic admiration, migration, environmental reflection and the daily discipline of craft into a living musical environment.

For listeners drawn to ambitious Latin jazz, contemporary orchestral writing, tango-jazz and deeply collaborative ensemble music, Handmade is essential. It rewards careful listening, but it never asks the listener to admire technique from a distance. Its craftsmanship is inseparable from its humanity. In an age of artificial convenience, Emilio Solla and La Inestable de Brooklyn remind us that the most meaningful music is still made through touch, breath, risk, attention and trust. Handmade is not simply an argument for preserving those values. It is their vibrant and persuasive embodiment.

Tracklist – Two-LP Edition

Side A

1. Suite de los Abrazos, III – Bodegón Caníbal
2. Joni Mitchell

Side B

1. Suite de los Abrazos, I – Milonga Mutante
2. Para el Agua
3. Suite de los Abrazos, II – The Loss

Side C

1. Miles Tango
2. Bird Song

Side D

1. La Carta
2. De Viento y de Sal

Credits – La Inestable de Brooklyn

Emilio Solla — piano, compositions, arrangements and conducting
Tim Armacost — tenor saxophone, clarinet and bass clarinet
Alejandro Avilés — soprano and alto saxophones, flute and piccolo
David Smith — trumpet and flugelhorn
Mike Fahie — trombone
Sara Caswell — violin
Rodolfo Zanetti — bandoneon
Edward Perez — acoustic bass
Rogério Boccato — drums and percussion

Guest Artists:
Sofía Tosello — vocals
Facundo Colmán — percussion

Album and Production Info

Album: Handmade
Artist: Emilio Solla & La Inestable de Brooklyn
Release date: March 13, 2026
Label: Club del Disco
Format: Double album; also released as a two-LP edition
Recorded: May 2025
Recording location: The Bunker Studio, Brooklyn, New York
Music: Nine original compositions by Emilio Solla
Production assistant: Raphaella Hero