The Cusp

Bass player Roberto Occhipinti has been heard with Jane Bunnett's bands, but asserts his value as a leader on this date with an unstoppable ten-piece modern jazz band laced in vibrant, bright horn charts, a spicy Latin percussion underpinning, and music that consistently jumps out of the speaker, grabs your ears, and shakes them with both hands. Occhipinti has chosen his bandmates very well, collecting some players from the region where he resides in Toronto, and adding some heavyweights from the New York City Latino scene. Among the Canadians participating — the vibrant flutist Les Allt, saxophonists Phil Dwyer and John Johnson, and trumpeter Kevin Turcotte. Stoking the Afro-Cuban fire are the brilliant expatriate pianist Hilario Durán, drummer Dafnis Prieto, percussionist Pedro Martinez. It cannot be overemphasized how arresting, attractive, and strong this music is, the horns and flute fit beautifully together and must be absolutely thrilling to hear in performance. Occhipinti's compositional expertise comes to the forefront right off the bat during the bright and bold "David's Onda," a flute led, complex, extended line that recalls the early CTI recordings of Hubert Laws joined at the hip with Herbie Hancock's Mwandishi band. A stop-start pedal point, supported by Durán's piano and Prieto's effective drumming, sets the fire burning. It's Occhipinti's probing bass that ignites the smoldering "T. Dot," a lightning fast descarga/mambo identifies "Prieto" Azul," which paraphrases a Cedar Walton melody burst into flames by the percussionists. On the mellower side, Occhipinti wrote the delicate counterpointed 7/8 melody of "Septima," and the mellow, inquisitive, and curious title track accented by guest Michael Occhipinti's guitar. A cameo by violinist Hugh Marsh with Johnson's bass clarinet and Dwyer switching to piano buoys the Afro-charanga "Dogon." There's also a sweet take of Wayne Shorter's "Ana Maria," a slinky, bluesy, Jaco Pastorius like version of Jimi Hendrix's "Voodoo Chile," and a tribute to "Tosca" on the spacious Giacomo Puccini ballad dressed in a Gil Evans pencil skirt. A triumphant session filled to the brim with excitement, high level musicianship, and true teamwork, The Cusp cannot come more highly recommended. ~ Michael G. Nastos, Rovi