CD Review: Kalani Trinidad - Crossing Bridges

CD Review: Kalani Trinidad - Crossing Bridges







Flutist Kalani Trinidad is one of the brightest young stars in the Puerto Rico jazz scene today and the first Puerto Rican to win a Presidential Scholarship from Berklee School of Music in Boston. In his style Trinidad echoes the best of the great Puerto Rican flutist that came before him. One may hear on his music the finesse and sensitivity of a Nestor Torres and the inventiveness and intensity of a Dave Valentín.

The music on Trinidad debut album Crossing Bridges has elements of smooth jazz on compositions like "Ubiquitous Being", fusion jazz on "Noche en Madrid" and latin jazz on "Puertorro".

Trinidad improvises with spontaneity and ease on the almost lullaby tittle track "Crossing Bridges" and over the samba rhythms of "Momentum and "The Passage".

Kalani Trinidad expresiveness, intensity and limitless stack of phrases may be fully appreciated on "Puertorro", an outstanding composition that constantly changes between afro caribbean and south american rhythms. On this track, Kalani's father, Richard Trinidad plays the piano and Paoli Mejias plays the congas creating a rumba that is one of the highlights of this release.

Besides Richard and Paoli, Kalani recruited a group of extraordinaire musicians for his debut album that includes Alex Acuña on percussions, Alex Brown on piano, who also plays with Kalani in the group La Timbistica, John Benitez on bass and Henry Cole on drums. Marcos Lopez plays drums on "Momentum" and "Russo".

Tracks: Momentum, The Passage, Noche en Madrid, Crossing Bridges, Puertorro, Serenity, Russo, Ubiquitous Being

Musicians: Kalani Trinidad - flute, John Benitez - bass, Alex Brown - piano, Henry Cole - drums, Alex Acuña - percussion, Richard Trinidad - piano (5), Marcos J. Lopez - drums (1,7), timbales (5), Paoli Mejias - congas (1,5,7)