Fields of Moons

Trombonist Chris Washburne's long-running SYOTOS band (the acronym stands for See You On The Other Side) plays a sophisticated form of Latin jazz that focuses on the latter half of that genre descriptor. They don't merely add longer solos to Eddie Palmieri-esque grooves, though almost all the bandmembers have played with salsa veterans; rather, they add a slight Latin edge to a quite beautiful and graceful swing. This disc opens with two originals by the bandleader, the title track and "Seas of Slumber." Each sways gently, like he's playing for a cruise-ship audience, albeit one full of serious jazz heads. Trumpeter John Walsh and pianist Barry Olsen augment the melodies beautifully with solos that never erupt into fervor for its own sake. Elsewhere on the album, the band tackles Charles Mingus' "Duke Ellington's Sound of Love" and the standard "When Lights Are Low," and closes the disc with a grooving but stately journey through "Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans." This is a very beautiful record by a band of highly skilled and emotionally attuned artists, recommended to fans of Latin jazz as well as jazz, period.