ARTURO SANDOVAL - A Time for Love (2010) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Arturo Sandoval is a true maestro: despite his reputation as a bop-based trumpeter who plays jazz inspired by his native Cuban tradition, he has delved deeply into tango, swing, and electric jazz in his long career. He is also a fine pianist and percussionist. That said, the notion of him recording a collection of classical pieces, standards, and ballads with a trio and a string orchestra as backing is more than a bit of a surprise. Nonetheless, that’s what A Time for Love basically is. Sandoval claims that this is the realization of a 20-year dream. He wanted it bad enough to make and release the record himself, but fate stepped in. Pianist Shelly Berg heard the demos and brought him to Concord’s Greg Field, who in turn brought in Grammy-winning arranger Jorge Calandrelli. They co-produced while Calandrelli arranged eight of the nine string charts -- Berg arranged the other and brought in his trio to back up Sandoval.
The classical readings include Fauré’s “Aprés un Reve" and “Pavane,” Ravel’s "Pavane Pour une Infante Defunte" (with Chris Botti on second trumpet), and Astor Piazzolla's “Oblivion” (with Monica Mancini on vocals). All reveal the emotional depth of Sandoval's playing, not just his technical acumen. While his fiery jazz playing can emote, it is often overshadowed by his expertise. Here, it is softness and tenderness without sentimentality that speak to the listener. The standards such as “I Loves You Porgy,” the shimmering swing in “Speak Low,” and the deep romance in the Johnny Mandel-Johnny Mercer classic “Emily” seemingly come from the vocal jazz tradition. Yet in them one can readily hear what Sandoval claims are his two greatest inspirations for this album: trumpeter Bobby Hackett's playing with the Jackie Gleason Orchestra, and the album Clifford Brown with Strings. The musical economy of those influences is reflected in the emotional weight and complex lyrical dimension carried in each note by Sandoval; the arrangements serve to heighten that revelation rather than overtake it. There are two very satisfying bonus tracks included as well, “The Windmills of Your Mind,” a stellar duet with Berg, and Cole Porter's “Every Time We Say Goodbye,” with Kenny Barron guesting on piano. It’s tempting to call A Time for Love Sandoval's masterpiece, but that is based on the sharp contrast with virtually everything else in his catalog; only time will reveal whether or not it is. For now, what is certain is that it is one of them. by Thom Jurek  
Tracklist:
1 Apres Un Reve (After The Dream) 5:10
Arranged By – Jorge Calandrelli
Written-By – Gabriel Fauré
2 Emily 2:46
Written-By – Johnny Mandell, Johnny Mercer
3 Speak Low 4:37
Arranged By – Shelly Berg
Written-By – Kurt Weill, Ogden Nash
4 Estate 3:59
Arranged By [Rhythm Arrangement] – Shelly Berg
Arranged By [String Arrangement] – Jorge Calandrelli
Vocals – Arturo Sandoval
Written-By – Bruno Martino
Written-By – Bruno Brighetti
5 A Time For Love 5:05
Arranged By [Rhythm Arrangement] – Shelly Berg
Arranged By [String Arrangement] – Jorge Calandrelli
Written-By – Johnny Mandel
6 Pavane Pour Une Infante Defunte (Pavane For A Dead Princess) 5:14
Arranged By – Jorge Calandrelli
Featuring, Trumpet – Chris Botti
Written-By – Maurice Ravel
7 I Loves You Porgy 5:15
Arranged By – Shelly Berg
Written-By – Heyward Du Bose
Written-By – George Gershwin-Ira Gershwin
8 Oblivion (How To Say Goodbye) 5:26
Featuring, Vocals – Monica Mancini
Written-By – Astor Piazzolla, Gregg Field, Marty Panzer
9 Pavane 4:52
Arranged By – Jorge Calandrelli
Written-By – Gabriel Fauré
10 Smile 4:01
Arranged By [Rhythm Arrangement] – Shelly Berg
Arranged By [String Arrangement] – Jorge Calandrelli
Vocals – Arturo Sandoval
Written-By – Geoffrey Parsons
Written-By – Charlie Chaplin, James Phillips 
11 All The Way 4:03
Written-By – Sammy Cahn-Jimmy Van Heusen
12 Smoke Gets In Your Eyes 4:23
Arranged By [Rhythm Arrangement] – Shelly Berg
Arranged By [String Arrangement] – Jorge Calandrelli
Written-By – Jerome Kern, Otto Harbach
Encore
13 Windmills Of Your Mind 5:35
Arranged By – Arturo Sandoval, Shelly Berg
Featuring – Shelly Berg
Written-By – Alan Bergman-Marilyn Bergman, Michel Legrand
Very Special Bonus Track
14 Every Time We Say Goodbye 5:54
Arranged By – Mark Joggerst
Featuring, Piano – Kenny Barron
Written-By – Cole Porter
Credits:
Bass – Chuck Berghofer
Cello – Christine Ermacoff, Dennis Karmazin, Trevor Handy, Vanessa Freebairn-Smith
Concertmaster – Bruce Dukov
Drums, Percussion – Gregg Field
Orchestra [Orchestra Conducted By] – Jorge Calandrelli
Piano – Shelly Berg
Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Vocals – Arturo Sandoval
Viola – Alma Fernandez, Darren McCann, Harry Shirinian, Keith Greene
Violin – Charlie Bisharat, Darius Campo, David Ewart, Kevin Connolly, Liane Mautner, Natalie Legget, Phillip Levy, Razdan Kuyumijian, Robin Olson, Searmi Park, Songa Lee, Tamara Hatwan, Tiffany Yi Hu