Spanish Rice

Clark Terry joined forces with Cuban bandleader Chico O'Farrill for these 1966 studio session, which consist almost exclusively of Latin tunes. Although there are a number of all-stars present in addition to Terry, including trumpeters Joe Newman, Ernie Royal, and Snooky Young, along with guitarists Everett Barksdale and Barry Galbraith, the solos are all by Terry, so there is little interaction in these brief charts. Terry is in top form, as always, with his rich flügelhorn in "Angelitos Negros" and his fat-toned trumpet in an original blues called "Joonji." Terry and O'Farrill collaborated on the narrative comic original "Spanish Rice," though it isn't particularly memorable. Terry's modification of the lyrics to "Happiness Is" salutes a number of fellow jazz greats (particularly his impression of Louis Armstrong's singing), though the anonymous vocal group that accompanies him is quite forgettable. This is a fun recording that had the potential to be a memorable one, but it falls a bit short.