Crossroads (Jerry González album)
| Crossroads | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1994 | |||
| Label | Milestone | |||
| Producer | Todd Barkan | |||
| Jerry González chronology | ||||
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Crossroads is an album by the American musician Jerry González, released in 1994.[1][2] He is credited with his Fort Apache Band.[3][4] The album was nominated for a Grammy Award for "Best Latin Jazz Performance".[5]
Production
[edit]Crossroads was produced by Todd Barkan.[6] Steve Berrios played on the album, as did John Stubblefield.[7][8] "Lament" is a cover of the J.J. Johnson song; "Fort Apache" is a cover of the Jackie McLean song.[9][10] "Thelingus" is a tribute to Thelonious Monk, Duke Ellington, and Charles Mingus.[11]
Critical reception
[edit]| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [12] |
| DownBeat | [3] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [13] |
| MusicHound World: The Essential Album Guide | [8] |
The Edmonton Journal wrote that the band is "equally adept at diving into bop arrangements, ballads and Afro-Cuban rhythmic patterns with considerable zeal."[14] The Times Colonist called the band "the world's premier Latin jazz group," and praised the "great writing, dynamic soloing ... thoughtful arranging, and fiery rhythmic grounding."[9]
The Toronto Star deemed the album "Afro-Cubop at its best, a live-wire 12 tracks mixing rumba and riff, Western horns with fierce Latin rhythms over constant percussive cutting sessions."[15] The News & Observer praised the "baked-in-coals rhythm section."[16] The Wichita Eagle declared: "Perhaps today's best blend of Afro-Cuban music and jazz, this 15-year-old sextet is stunning as it roars through a varied program."[17]
AllMusic wrote that the band "somewhat de-emphasizes the Latin side of its music in favor of swinging hard bop."[12]
Track listing
[edit]| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Malandro" | |
| 2. | "Rumba Columbia I" | |
| 3. | "The Vonce" | |
| 4. | "Thelingus" | |
| 5. | "Guaguanco I" | |
| 6. | "Ezekiel Saw the Wheel" | |
| 7. | "Rumba Columbia II" | |
| 8. | "Viva Cepeda" | |
| 9. | "Lament" | |
| 10. | "Guaguanco II" | |
| 11. | "Fort Apache" | |
| 12. | "Elegua" |
References
[edit]- ^ Rozzi, James (Dec 1994). "Crossroads by Jerry Gonzalez & the Fort Apache Band". Audio. Vol. 78, no. 12. p. 125.
- ^ Lloyd, Jack (9 Dec 1994). "Jerry Gonzalez and the Fort Apache Band". Features Weekend. The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 20.
- ^ a b Birnbaum, Larry (Dec 1994). "On the Latin fringe". DownBeat. Vol. 61, no. 12. p. 63.
- ^ Smith, Will (October 16, 1994). "Fiery Sextet Brews Blend of Jazz, Salsa". Entertainment. Omaha World-Herald. p. 11.
- ^ "Jerry Gonzalez". Recording Academy. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
- ^ "Album reviews — Crossroads by Jerry Gonzalez and the Fort Apache Band". Billboard. Vol. 106, no. 37. Sep 10, 1994. p. 88.
- ^ McNally, Owen (22 June 1995). "Apache's rhythm master...". Calendar. Hartford Courant. p. 6.
- ^ a b MusicHound World: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 2000. p. 299.
- ^ a b Blake, Joseph (17 Nov 1994). "Crossroads Jerry Gonzalez and the Fort Apache Band". News. Times Colonist. p. 1.
- ^ Campbell, Tom (August 19, 1994). "Jerry Gonzalez and the Fort Apache Band". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. p. P3.
- ^ Hale, James (19 Nov 1994). "Artists switch genres, drum up superb CDs". Ottawa Citizen. p. E4.
- ^ a b "Crossroads". AllMusic.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 3. MUZE. p. 812.
- ^ Levesque, Roger (8 Oct 1994). "Jazz". Edmonton Journal. p. D5.
- ^ Chapman, Geoff (10 Dec 1994). "Jerry Gonzalez and the Fort Apache Band on Crossroads...". Toronto Star. p. K18.
- ^ Cordle, Owen (September 11, 1994). "Memorable Latin jazz". The News & Observer. p. G6.
- ^ Roe, Jon (November 21, 1994). "Sextet stunning". The Wichita Eagle. p. 10A.