Al DI MEOLA & LEONID AGUTIN — Cosmopolitan Life (2005) APE (image+.cue), lossless

On COSMOPOLITAN LIFE Russian guitarist, singer, and rock star Leonid Agutin teams up with six-string virtuoso Al Di Meola for a tour through a collection of songs that spans borders and styles. Elements of jazz, Cuban, gypsy music, African, tango, and mainstream pop are brought together to dazzling effect, and while Agutin’s distinctive voice is one of the album’s most notable qualities, it’s the guitar interplay between the two artists that makes COSMOPOLITAN LIFE a satisfying listen. This disc comes recommended to fans of either artist, as well as those that enjoy crossover jazz and music with an international flavor. Anthony Tognazzini
Tracklist :
1    Cuba Africa    5:36
2    Cosmopolitan Life 4:11
Backing Vocals [Back Vocal] – Beatriz Malnic, Lilian Viana, Pedro Ferreira, Rogerio Moura
3    Nobody    4:47
4    Price To Learn    5:30
5    Tango    3:55
6    Smile    4:23
7    Portofino    3:37
8    If I'll Get A Chance... 4:09
Vocals – Angelica Varum
9    Blue River 4:44
Drum [Drum Track] – Vinnie Colaiuta
Recorded By – Ego Works
10    Shade Of Your World    6:15
Video    Cosmopolitan Life    4:08
Personnel :
Acoustic Guitar [Acoustic Guitars], Electric Guitar [Electric Guitars] – Al Di Meola
Acoustic Guitar [Additional] – Anatoly Kotov
Arranged By – Al Di Meola, Albert Fedoseev, Leonid Agutin
Backing Vocals [Back Vocal] – Albert Fedoseev, Artia Lockett, Aster Wilson, Farah Lopez, Randy Singer Group, Ron Taylor, Angelica Varum
Bass – Anthony Jackson, Julio Hernandez, Sergey Korolev, Oleg Tarkhov
Composed By – Leonid Agutin
Drums – Lee Levine, Vinnie Colaiuta, Arthur Gazarov
Keyboards, Piano, Electric Organ [Hammond] – Albert Fedoseev
Lead Vocals [Leading Vocal], Keyboards [Keyboard], Acoustic Guitar – Leonid Agutin
Lyrics By – Alex Sino
Percussion – Gumbi Ortiz, Richard Bravo, Arthur Gazarov
Saxophone – Ed Calle
Soloist [All Solos], Guitar – Al Di Meola
Trombone – John Kricker
Trumpet – Tony Concepcion

ARTURO SANDOVAL - Flight to Freedom (1991) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

In July 1990, after playing trumpet in his native Cuba for 28 of his 41 years, Arturo Sandoval had the opportunity to defect from Cuba along with his family. A brilliant virtuoso, Sandoval finally was able to play whatever music he wanted without having to satisfy a dictator, and his potential was enormous. On his American debut, Sandoval mostly performs boppish jazz (other than the dull "Marianela") with slight touches of rock and spiced with Latin percussion. The trumpeter shows restraint on the ballads (including a tasty "Body and Soul") and displays plenty of fire on the often-funky uptempo romps, not overdoing the effortless high notes. With the assistance of the high-powered tenor of Ed Calle, the versatile guitarist Rene Luis Toledo, and a variety of talented sidemen (including guest Chick Corea on three songs), Arturo Sandoval's long overdue debut is well-rounded, exciting, and highlighted by a fast rendition of Dizzy Gillespie's "Tanga." by Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1    Flight To Freedom 3:50
Bass – Anthony Jackson
Drums – Dave Weckl
Percussion – Long John
Piano – Chick Corea
Saxophone – Ed Calle
Synthesizer – Danilo Perez
Trumpet – Arturo Sandoval
2    Last Time I Saw You 5:04
Bass – Anthony Jackson
Drums – Dave Weckl
Percussion – Long John
Piano – Chick Corea
Saxophone – Ed Calle
Synthesizer – Richard Eddy
Trumpet – Arturo Sandoval
3    Caribeno 5:59
Bass – Nicky Orta
Drums, Backing Vocals [Background Vocals] – Orlando Hernandez
Electronic Wind Instrument [EWI], Tenor Saxophone, Backing Vocals [Background Vocals] – Ed Calle
Guitar, Backing Vocals [Background Vocals] – Rene Luis Toledo
Percussion – Long John
Piano – Mike Orta
Trumpet, Timbales, Cowbell, Lead Vocals – Arturo Sandoval
4    Samba De Amore 6:09
Bass – Nicky Orta
Drums – Orlando Hernandez
Flugelhorn – Arturo Sandoval
Flute – Ed Calle
Guitar – Rene Luis Toledo
Piano – Mike Orta
Strings – Alfred Brown, Elliot Rosoff, Eugene Moye, Gene Orloff, Harry Zaratzian, Jesse Levy, John Pintavalle, Matthew Raimondi, Max Ellen, Sanford Allen
5    Psalm 7:47
Bass – Anthony Jackson
Drums – Dave Weckl
Flute – Ed Calle
Percussion – Long John
Piano – Chick Corea
Trumpet – Arturo Sandoval
6    Rene's Song 5:08
Bass – Nicky Orta
Drums – Orlando Hernandez
Flugelhorn, Trumpet – Arturo Sandoval
Guitar – Rene Luis Toledo
Percussion – Long John
Piano – Mike Orta
Saxophone – Ed Calle
7    Body And Soul6:43
Acoustic Guitar – Rene Luis Toledo
Bass – Nicky Orta
Drums – Dave Weckl
Flugelhorn – Arturo Sandoval
Percussion – Long John
Piano – Mike Orta
Strings – Alfred Brown, Elliot Rosoff, Eugene Moye, Gene Orloff, Harry Zaratzian, Jesse Levy, John Pintavalle, Matthew Raimondi, Max Ellen, Sanford Allen
8    Tanga 5:53
Bass – Nicky Orta
Drums – Dave Weckl
Guitar – Rene Luis Toledo
Percussion – Long John
Piano – Mike Orta
Saxophone – Ed Calle
Trumpet, Synthesizer – Arturo Sandoval
9    Caprichosos De La Habana 5:08
Acoustic Guitar, Vocals – Rene Luis Toledo
Bass, Vocals – Nicky Orta
Drums, Vocals – Orlando Hernandez
Percussion – Long John, Portinho
Synthesizer, Vocals – Mike Orta
Tenor Saxophone, Vocals – Ed Calle
Trumpet, Percussion, Vocals – Arturo Sandoval
Vocals – Joel Dorn, Julia Fuller, Pete King
10    Marianela 5:50
Bass – Nicky Orta
Drums – Dave Weckl
Electronic Wind Instrument [EWI] – Ed Calle
Strings – Alfred Brown, Elliot Rosoff, Eugene Moye, Gene Orloff, Harry Zaratzian, Jesse Levy, John Pintavalle, Matthew Raimondi, Max Ellen, Sanford Allen
Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Synthesizer – Arturo Sandoval

ARTURO SANDOVAL - Hot House (1998) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

The man has trumpeted with Cuba's Modern Music Orchestra and Diz' United Nations band. He'll quote a Tadd Dameron tune in the middle of a mambo. He flugelhorns over a tune he calls, "Funky Cha-Cha." Do the world a favor and listen to Arturo Sandoval and his band as they blaze through this assembly of jazzed Cuban dance rhythms. From minor ballad to up-tempo hip shaker, this music feels great.
Paying tribute to his idol Diz, Sandoval and the gang swing fiercely on Tadd Dameron's "Hot House." Sometimes a rather angular tune, Chip McNeill arranges this be-bop staple with a pura Salsa feel that delivers hard hits from the horn section and colorful tenor blasts by Michael Brecker. Fans of Patti Austin will dig her silvery (bilingual!) touch on "Only You" ("No Se Tu"). "Tito," a happily-swinging tribute to the King of the Timbales, features hip vocal articulation by Rey Ruiz and a certain someone on percussion. HOT HOUSE boasts arranging and improvising that excite in equal measure. by AllMusic  
Tracklist :
1    Funky Cha-Cha 5:53
Arranged By – Arturo Sandoval, Richard Eddy
Composed By – Arturo Sandoval
2    Rhythm Of Our World 5:13
Arranged By – Arturo Sandoval, Richard Eddy
Composed By – Arturo Sandoval
3    Hot House 5:03
Arranged By – Charles McNeill
Composed By – Tadd Dameron
4    Only You (No Se Tu) 3>27
Arranged By – Arturo Sandoval, Richard Eddy
Composed By – Armando Manzanero
5    Sandunga 5:01
Arranged By – Arturo Sandoval, Arturo Sandoval, Ed Calle
Composed By – Arturo Sandoval
6    Tito 5:35
Arranged By – Arturo Sandoval, German Pifferrer
Composed By – Arturo Sandoval
7    Closely Dancing 4:40
Arranged By – Arturo Sandoval, Ed Calle
Composed By – Arturo Sandoval
8    Mam-Bop 4:57
Arranged By – Arturo Sandoval, Charles McNeill
Composed By – Arturo Sandoval
9    New Images 5:12
Arranged By – Arturo Sandoval, Richard Eddy
Composed By – Arturo Sandoval
10    Cuban American Medley 5:32
Arranged By – Arturo Sandoval, Charles McNeill
11    Brassmen's Holiday 3:31
Arranged By – Tito Puente
Composed By – Mario Ruiz Armengol
Credits :
Alto Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone – Ed Calle
Bass – Dennis Marks, Oskar Cartaya
Drums – Willie Jones III
Guitar – Rene Toledo
Percussion – Edwin Bonilla, Manuel Castrillo
Piano – John Stephens
Synthesizer – Tim Devine
Tenor Saxophone – Charles McNeill, Michael Brecker (faixas: 1, 3)
Timbales – Tito Puente (faixas: 6, 11)
Trombone – Dana Teboe, Joe Barati
Trumpet – Arturo Sandoval, Jason Carder
Vocals – Patti Austin (faixas: 4)