Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band - West Side Story Reimagined (Jazzheads July 20, 2018)

''Bobby Sanabria is equally adept at the swinging big band sounds of drummers Buddy Rich and Louis Bellson along with another boyhood hero, fusion pioneer Billy Cobham and timbale titan Tito Puente.''

Bill Milkowski --JazzTimes

''... (Mr. Sanabria) expands the possibilities, moving the sound of bands like that of (Puente, Machito), with all the heft and intricacy and clavebased dance rhythm, into the harmonically oriented sophistication of current New York jazz players. It's New York up and down, and back and forth across the last century, from the street to the mambo palaces to the conservatories.''

Ben Ratliff --The New York Times

Hi Bobby Sanabria here! Two years ago I came up with the idea of re-arranging the music from Leonard Bernstein's masterpiece West Side Story and performing it with my Multiverse Big Band, but in a way that has never been done before: a complete Latin jazz reworking of the entire score in celebration of the show's recent 60th anniversary and Maestro Bernstein's centennial. However, besides paying tribute to the composer and the music, I saw this as an opportunity to give back and help my ancestral homeland Puerto Rico.

As most of us know, hurricanes Irma and Maria ravaged the island of Puerto Rico, leaving its residents unable to recover. Puerto Ricans have been American citizens since 1917, and the government's response has been unsatisfactory at best. Six months later, entire communities are still living without food, water, power, and other basic needs we take for granted. I realized the best way I could help was through my music. What better way to portray the struggles and hardships of the people of Puerto Rico than West Side Story? We are dedicating this recording to the musical genius of Leonard Bernstein and donating proceeds from this special commemorative 2 CD set to the Jazz Foundation of America Puerto Rico Relief Fund. This is a cause many of us are passionate about and every bit of generosity helps. Recorded live at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola in NYC, this exciting new reworking is West Side Story like you've never heard it before, through the exciting lens of the Latin jazz continuum.

This project is being produced with the blessing and support of the Leonard Bernstein Organization. Bernstein's daughter Jamie remarked: ''What I love about Bobby Sanabria's take on ''West Side Story'' music is that it's a kind of rhythm fission: my dad's music is already so drenched in rhythm. Then along comes Bobby and explodes it to an even richer rhythmic level!''

Bobby Sanabria

Disc 1

1. Intro

2. Prologue

3. Intro Jet Song

4. Jet Song

5. Intro America

6. America

7. Gee, Officer Krupke Intro

8. Gee, Officer Krupke

9. Tonight

10. Gym Scene - Blues/Mambo

11. Gym Scene - Cha Cha Cha

Disc 2

1. Maria

2. Intro Cool

3. Cool

4. The Rumble /Rumba

5. One Hand, One Heart

6. Somewhere

7. Intro Epilogue/Finale

8. Epilogue/Finale

9. Outro

BOBBY SANABRIA MULTIVERSE BIG BAND

Trumpets: Kevin Bryan, Shareef Clayton, Max Darchè, Andrew Neesley

Saxophones: David Dejesus (alto, clarinet, soprano, flute), Andrew Gould (alto, soprano, flute), Peter Brainin

(tenor, flute), Jeff Lederer (tenor, flute), Danny Rivera (baritone, bass clarinet)

Trombones: Dave Miller, Tim Sessions, Armando Vergara, Chris Washburne (tuba also)

Flute/Piccolo: Gabrielle Garo

Electric Violin: Ben Sutin

Rhythm: Silvano Monasterios (piano), Leo Traversa (electric bass), Oreste Abrantes (congas), Matthew Gonzalez

(bongó/cencerro, baríl de bomba), Takao Heisho (percussion), Bobby Sanabria (drums)