Hot Five Latin Jazz Picks – September 2025 Issue

Welcome to Hot Five, our new section spotlighting the freshest sounds in Latin jazz! Each month, we’ll highlight five standout albums, from rising stars to established legends, celebrating the rhythms, melodies, and fire that make Latin jazz irresistible. Tune in, discover something new, and let the music move you! (Listen to complete album playlists on YouTube)

Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Yainer Horta, Joey Calveiro
A Tribute to Benny Moré and Nat King Cole

To celebrate the birthday of Cuban legend Benny Moré (August 24), Calveiro Entertainment presented A Tribute to Benny Moré and Nat King Cole — a one-of-a-kind jazz production that imagines the meeting of two timeless icons who never crossed paths in life. Though Moré brought his music to the United States and Cole performed in Havana, their stories never converged. This album bridges that gap, blending jazz and Latin rhythms in a powerful homage.

The recording features eight classics — four from each artist — including Te Quedarás, Preferí Perderte, Fiebre de Tí, Camarera de Mi Amor, Unforgettable, When I Fall in Love, Quizás, Quizás, Quizás (Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps), and Smile. Leading the project is multiple GRAMMY® and Latin GRAMMY® winner Gonzalo Rubalcaba, joined by arranger/producer Yainer Horta, saxophonist Joey Calveiro, and an all-star ensemble: José Armando Gola, Hilario Bell, Richard Bravo, and Fernando Teo Calveiro.

Richard Peña
The Latin Side of Jazz Guitar

This album is a bold exploration of Latin jazz guitar, born from a deep connection to Afro-Caribbean rhythms. Drawing on clave, montunos, tumbaos, and melodic traditions, it blends the harmonic sophistication of jazz with the rhythmic heartbeat of Puerto Rico, creating a sound that is both rooted in tradition and forward-looking. Each composition answers the question: What does the Latin side of jazz guitar sound like? The guitar emerges as a lead voice, carrying melody, harmony, and rhythm with the same authority as piano, cuatro, or tres.

The project grew from the artist’s move from Puerto Rico to Chicago in 2022, a journey that inspired new perspectives on identity and culture while reconnecting with his roots. Supported by his wife, Crystal Santiago, and brought to life by William Garcia, Jesús Colón, Tommy Lee Ramos, and Roy McGrath, the album celebrates the fusion of Afro-Caribbean rhythms and jazz innovation, inviting listeners into a vibrant world where heritage and creativity dance together.

Steven Oquendo Latin Jazz Orchestra
A Centennial Salute to Tito & Tito

For over a decade, the Steven Oquendo Latin Jazz Orchestra (SOLJO) has been a Bronx treasure, bringing the borough’s vibrant Hispanic rhythms to life. Founded by trumpeter and educator Steven Oquendo, the ensemble has performed with legends like Celia Cruz, Rubén Blades, and Eddie Palmieri, evolving from a rehearsal band into a powerhouse of Latin jazz. Today, SOLJO continues its weekly Tuesday residency at Mamajuana, carrying forward a tradition that began decades ago at Babalu.

This recording captures the orchestra at its peak, celebrating the centennials of Tito Puente and Tito Rodríguez at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Dizzy’s Club, just blocks from the historic Palladium Ballroom. From high-energy arrangements to fiery finales like Puente’s Antar Daly and the onomatopoeic “Babarabatiri,” featuring standout solos from Pete Miranda (baritone sax) and Michael Pallas (trombone), SOLJO asserts its unmistakable voice as one of New York’s most exciting and essential Latin jazz ensembles.

Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra
The Original Influencers: Dizzy, Chano & Chico

Now available on Tiger Turn, Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra’s new release pays tribute to the legendary partnership of Dizzy Gillespie and Chano Pozo—the collaboration that gave the world Manteca and helped ignite the Latin jazz movement. Seventy-five years later, this electrifying performance at New York’s storied Town Hall celebrates that groundbreaking legacy while affirming the vitality of Latin jazz today.

“Town Hall has always been home to historic jazz moments,” says O’Farrill. “Dizzy, Chano, and my father, Chico O’Farrill, showed us that jazz and Latin music are not separate, but branches of the same tree. This recording honors their influence through the brilliance of today’s Afro Latin jazz voices—Daymé Arocena, Jon Faddis, Donald Harrison, Pedrito Martínez, Adam O’Farrill, Zack O’Farrill, Melvis Santa—and, of course, the mighty Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra. Thanks to The Town Hall, our collaborators, and especially to listeners who join us with open ears and open hearts.” — Arturo O’Farrill

Miguel Zenón Quartet
Vanguardia Subterránea

Alto saxophonist and composer Miguel Zenón — MacArthur Fellow, Guggenheim Fellow, Doris Duke Artist, and 2024 Grammy winner — releases Vanguardia Subterránea on August 29, 2025, his first live album with the acclaimed quartet of Luis Perdomo (piano), Hans Glawischnig (bass), and Henry Cole (drums), recorded at New York’s legendary Village Vanguard.

The album features six new Zenón compositions alongside inventive reworkings of Willie Colón & Héctor Lavoe’s “El Día de Mi Suerte” and Gilberto Santa Rosa’s “Perdóname.” From high-energy tracks like “Abre Cuto Güiri Mambo” and “Dale la Vuelta” to intimate pieces such as “Vita” and “Bendición”, the music balances rhythmic daring with lyrical depth. “Coordenadas” encodes the quartet members’ birthplaces into sound, while the title track honors the Vanguard itself. Closing with “Perdóname”, Zenón celebrates Puerto Rico’s sonero tradition and the improvisational spirit that unites salsa and jazz, capturing the fire, intimacy, and connection that make this a landmark recording.