MICHEL CAMILO & TOMATITO — Spain (2000) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

There's a simple, basic, and direct approach that pervades the duets from pianist Camilo and acoustic guitarist Tomatito. But that seemingly bottom-line approach is transcended by the brilliant musicianship of these two players, as they play ultra-melodic music to its ultimate zenith time and time again. The tone is set from the get go as they languish in the freedom of Rodrigo and Chick Corea's "Spain," played as perfectly and spirited as anyone could want. But "Besame Mucho" is changed up, interpreted in loose associations extrapolated out of strict time on this famous melody. Tomatito wrote two of the eight tracks as the pair use a combination of counterpoint and unison lines, approaching sheer telepathy on the brightly melodic "A Mi Nino Jose," while evoking more Chick Corea-isms with melodies passionately flying about on "La Vacilona." Two compositions by the underappreciated Luis Salinas are included as the urgent 4/4 of "Para Troilo Y Salgan" shows Camilo and Tomatito to be the virtuosic speed demons their preceding reputations evince, while "Aire De Tango" is like a samba version of "I Concentrate on You," nicely warmed with a calmed guitar solo. Camilo's lone writing on "Two Much/Love Theme" is also restrained and relaxed, atypical for the usually fiery pianist. This is a recording that bears ripe, luscious fruit, albeit only 45 minutes worth. A follow-up please. Recommended. Michael G. Nastos
Tracklist :
1.    Spain Intro  (Concierto de Aranjuéz de Joaquín Rodrigo)  3:21
2.    Spain  (Chick Corea)  5:32
3.    Bésame Mucho  (Consuelo Velázquez)  7:50
4.    A Mi Niño José  (Tomatito-Bajandí S.L.)  4:48
5.    Two Much / Love Theme  (Michel Camilo)  5:55
6.    Para Troilo Y Salgán  (Luis Salinas)  5:59
7.    La Vacilona  (Tomatito-Bajandí S.L.)   5:25
8.    Aire De Tango  (Luis Salinas)   6:33
Credits :
Arranged By – Michel Camilo, Tomatito
Guitar [Flamenca] – Tomatito
Piano – Michel Camilo

MICHEL CAMILO & TOMATITO — Spain Again (2006) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Michel Camilo, the New York-based, Dominican-born pianist, and Tomatito, the Spanish flamenco guitarist, recorded a well-received duets album called Spain in 2000, and this sequel is intended to take the collaboration to the next level. Spain Again does. It's a bravura performance that pushes both men into strange and satisfying new territories and spotlights the abilities of each to find places where they are mutually comfortable and inspired. As on the first pairing, the musicianship is flawless throughout, the two virtuosos dancing around each other's melodies, creating fascinating, harmonious bridges, building upon and toying with structural ideas beyond what each composition calls for. Camilo's complex jazz piano inventions suddenly give way to Tomatito's spellbinding acoustic guitar runs; the two meet someplace in the middle, enjoy the freedom that unfettered exploration allows, and emerge with new entities that only an alliance of equals can bring about. The pace is set quickly with "El Dia Eque Me Quieras," a tribute to tango legend Astor Piazzolla, moves through various originals and standards (a silky, semi-classical "Stella by Starlight" is both graceful and awe-inspiring in its mastery) and eventually finds its way to the only vocal piece on the album, "Amor de Conuco," sung by guest Juan Luis Guerra. Strangely, though the vocal is quite lovely, it's a mood-breaker, diminishing the evocative elegance that Camilo and Tomatito have spent much of the past hour laying out. Jeff Tamarkin
Tracklist :
1 El Dia Que Me Quieras 5:17
Carlos Gardel
2 Libertango 4:08
Astor Piazzolla
3 Fuga y Misterio 3:51
Astor Piazzolla
4 Adios Nonino 7:17
Astor Piazzolla
5 Stella by Starlight 3:29
Ned Washington
6 Twilight Glow 5:13
Michel Camilo
7 A Los Nietos 4:36
Tomatito
8 La Tarde 2:02
Tomatito
9 La Fiesta 6:00
Chick Corea
10 From Within 6:21
Michel Camilo
11 Amor de Conuco 4:08
Juan Luis Guerra
Credits :
Alto Vocals – Juan Luis Guerra
Flamenco Guitar – Tomatito
Piano – Michel Camilo 

MICHEL CAMILO & TOMATITO — Spain Forever (2016) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :

1 Água E Vinho 5:57 

Egberto Gismonti 

2 Our Spanish Love Song 4:37 

Charlie Haden 

3 Oblivion 6:12 

Astor Piazzolla 

4 Gnossiennes No.1 5:59 

Erik Satie 

5 Cinema Paradiso 3:11 

Ennio Morricone 

6 Love Theme Cinema Paradiso 4:24 

Ennio Morricone 

7 Nuages 6:17 

Django Reinhardt 

8 Carnival (Manha De Carnaval) 5:55 

Luiz Bonfá 

9 About You 2:36 

Michel Camilo 

10 Armando's Rhumba 3:41 

Chick Corea 

Credits :

Flamenco Guitar – Tomatito

Piano – Michel Camilo 

MICHEL CAMILO — Rhapsody in Blue (2006) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Jazz pianist Michel Camilo, working with the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra under Ernest Martinez Izquierdo, attempts here to make something new out of George Gershwin's heavily recorded Rhapsody in Blue and Concerto in F -- broadly speaking, he tries to tie these jazz-classical fusions more closely to their jazz roots. Given the fluency with which Gershwin moved between the worlds of classical music, jazz, and pop, the experiment would seem a worthwhile and interesting one, but the recording, at least for those with the usual ways of performing Gershwin in their ears, is likely to come off as neither fish nor fowl. Gershwin's genre-bending status is eloquently attested to by the multiple extant versions of the Rhapsody in Blue, which is heard here in its familiar arrangement by Ferde Grofé. Camilo, however, bases his solo part on Gershwin's original version, a freer, jazzier thing with a language reminiscent in some ways of Gershwin's own Song-Book improvisations. Camilo is an adept, exciting player with plenty of experience in classical music, but the effect of this combination is perhaps to plunk Gershwin's living room down in the middle of a symphonic stage. Or perhaps to give an idea of what Art Tatum might have sounded like playing the Rhapsody in Blue. The recording seems to blur some strands that Gershwin kept clear as he wove them together. The big, soupy lyricism that is such an essential component of the Rhapsody is partly lost. Camilo plays it straighter in the concerto, but this work too ends up sounding more like modern jazz than it should. Gershwin's music has always served as a stimulus for new creativity. And a bit of experiment is necessary to realize his aims fully. Perhaps Camilo's approach will emerge as the standard in time, but for now it's a detour down a Gershwin byway. James Manheim 

Tracklist :
1. Rhapsody in Blue, for piano & orchestra (orchestrated by F. Grofé) 16:46
2-4. Concerto in F, for piano & orchestra
5. Prelude No. 2 6:38
Credits :
Barcelona Symphony and Catalonia National Orchestra
Michel Camilo - Piano
Ernest Martínez Izquierdo - Conductor

PATATO VALDÉZ - Masterpiece (1984) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Masterpiece may not quite live up to its name, but it definitely has its moments. A few songs are dominated by group singing/chanting, and both singer Vicentico Valdes ("Reflexionado") and percussionist Patato ("A Los Pianistas") have individual features. In addition, "Cute" and "Coimelon" are straight-ahead showcases for Ronnie Cuber (on soprano and baritone) and pianist Michel Camilo, while fluitst Artie Webb is heard in top form on "Adios Pampa Mia" and Horace Silver's "Nica's Dream." Other key players include the late pianist Jorge Dalto (on his next-to-last recording), Nicky Marrero on timbales, drummer Steve Berrios, bassist Andy Gonzalez, and trumpeter Jerry Gonzalez. An intriguing set of consistently stimulating music. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     Adios Pampa Mia 6:34
Francisco Canaro / Ivo Pelay
2     Cute 4:46
Neal Hefti / Stanley Styne
3     Reflexionando 5:59
Jorge Dalto
4     Feliz Navidad 8:32
Orlando Castillo / Carlos "Patato" Valdes
5     Comelon 5:12
Rafael Lay
6     Tonan Che Cabildo a Ochún 5:45
Carlos "Patato" Valdes
7     Nica's Dream 7:48
Horace Silver
8     El Montuno de Patato 3:45
Jorge Dalto
9     A Los Pianistas 7:25
Carlos "Patato" Valdes
Credits :
Bass – Andy Gonzalez
Bongos – Charlie Santiago
Chorus – José Alberto 'El Canario', Nestor Sanchez, Rodrigo Siens, Sabu Martinez
Congas – Carlos "Patato" Valdes
Drums – Ignacio Berroa, Steve Berrios
Flute – Artie Webb, Rolando Briceño
Piano – Jorge Dalto, Michel Camilo
Soprano Saxophone – Ronnie Cuber
Timbales – Nicky Marrero
Trumpet – Jerry Gonzalez
Vocals – Orlando José Castillo, Vicentico Valdés, Wilfredo "Moreno" Tejeda