Carlos Jimenez

Carlos Jimenez
Arriving
CD (Martinete Music 8772), Released 2005;

Editor's Pick:
Here's a find: A fine debut Latin jazz release by flautist Carlos Jimenez whose warm, melodic flute playing moderates the intensity of Hilton Ruiz' masterful piano work and the top notch percussion of conguero Aryam Vazquez and drummer Adam Weber. Listen to the discourse between Jimenez and guest Lewis Kahn on "Flute and "Violin." Pretty darn good. On this same track Hilton Ruiz lets loose on his piano, alternating a solo with conguero Vazquez.
And timbalero Guillermo Jimenez shows some muscle on the near ten minute "Arriving." Geoff Brennan does some fine bass work here. Listen to what he does against Ruiz's piano on "Tunnel of Flowers." He's good: rich bottom flavor without over-shining.
With additional guests David Valentin, Bobby Porcelli.
Recommended. (BP, 2005-03-11)

Brooklyn, NY



- Bruce Polin

There is no doubt that for a large part of the movie-watching population, jazz flute will instantly call to mind Will Ferrell’s heroically unhinged performance on said instrument in a scene from Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy. That Ferrell is now synonymous with jazz flute in some quarters says something, although I’m not exactly sure what. Regardless, Carlos Jimenez approaches the flute on Arriving in a traditional manner, without a sense of irony.


The great danger of playing flute in a jazz setting is that the light breathiness of the instrument can evaporate into the ether, leaving listeners with nothing to hold on to. Luckily, Jimenez solves this problem by ensuring that the music behind him has a heavy percussive base. For the most part, the rhythm section locks into a solid timbal and conga-spiced groove while Jimenez solos freely on top. The contrast between the high and low makes both ends that much more compelling and vivid.


Four of these eight tracks feature guest musicians who help keep the sound fresh and evolving. Violinist Lewis Khan’s appearance on “Flute & Violin” is particularly stimulating. Khan and Jimenez play over a Middle Eastern-tinged melody that is both exotic and alluring. On Miles Davis’ “So What”—incidentally, the only track not composed by Jimenez—Dave Valentin also sits in on flute, with a deeply hypnotic result.


Arriving is a fine display of mellow Latin jazz on which the high points outnumber some of the more generic tunes. And, just in case fans of Anchorman may be wondering, the album does not feature a quote from “Aqualung.”

-All About Jazz - October 7, 2005
761 Sproul Road, #211
Springfield, PA 19064
- Stephen Latessa

A very modern, jamming descarga ( Flute & Violin)

Reviewer: TAXI.- (click for website)
Well-written structure, good music in verses, good music in choruses. This is obviously first rate stuff and I wish you all success and predict that you will achieve it. Mucha Suerte! TAXI.-

California- - -Taxi

New Cuban/Salsa additions:

A new Latin Jazz album by Carlos Jimenez, called "Arriving" is a pleasant surprise for the Latin Jazz lover. It features special performances by legends Hilton Ruiz and Dave Valentin among others.

-Latin Cool Now.com

New Jersey-

- David Wasserman

Carlos Jimenez -- Arriving . . . CD

A GREAT set of Latin jazz from a player we know almost nothing about -- and a record that's way better than you might guess from the cover! Carlos plays flute in a sweetly gliding way that really reminds us of some of the best Latin flute work of the 70s -- particularly in the way the instrument floats around over the top of the tracks, freed from the tighter, more rhythmic use of the instrument in older Latin recordings -- and grooving to a pulsating sound that reminds us a lot of the best 70s work of Bobby Vince Paunetto. Hilton Ruiz is on piano throughout -- giving the tunes a deeply soulful quality that's really beautiful -- and the album also features work by Bobby Porcelli on alto sax, plus a bit of guest flute from David Valentin! Jimenez has a beautiful vision for his work -- one that flows out effortlessly, and which makes the album sparkle like some of our favorite indie Latin jazz sides from decades back -- with none of the cliches that seem to weigh down sets of the type in recent years. Titles include "Tomando Cafe", "Natalie's Cha Cha Cha", "Arriving", "Tunnel Of Flowers", "My Allison", and "Que Paso". (From the Latin CD page.)

Chicago-
- Rick Wojcik

Carlos Jimenez - Arriving - Album di esordio per un giovane flautista che si destreggia e dialoga molto efficacemente con il gruppo che lo accompagna formato da strumentisti ed ospiti di eccellente livello.

-Salsa Brescia.Italy. - Italy- March-23-2005

Carlos Jimenez @ Enbreve Latin Jazz

"Arriving" that is the title of Carlos Jimenez's CD, and after listening to some of his cuts, we have to agree! The CD is appropriately named as this young artist brings together talents and the essence of a true artist to arrive at a tight CD that is a worthwhile addition to any Latin Jazz aficionado's collection. WEPA!! Accompanying Carlos on this CD are Hilton Ruiz - Piano, Guillermo Jimenez - Timbales, Geoff Brennan - Bass, Aryam Vazquez - Congas, & Adam Weber - Drums. Featured Performers on this CD include: Dave Valentin, Bobby Porcelli, and Lewis Khan. Some of these names will be familiar to our audience from past featured articles, we were even reminded that we had Carlos caught in a candid shot at out favorite haunt (Willie's Steak House). Just goes to show that you never know whom is sitting in the audience.



- John Irizarry

Carlos Jiménez, “Arriving” (Martinete Music)

Para el crítico Barry Ulanov, el jazz no es sólo improvisación, trabajo colectivo, creatividad; es, a un nivel a la vez más sencillo y más profundo, un sentimiento, casi una intención. Carlos Jiménez -joven flautista neoyorrican- tuvo toda la intención de hacer un buen disco de jazz, y lo logró. Ciertamente, aquí predominan los ritmos latinos, pero sin estridencias; la textura general del disco es, en términos generales, agradablemente suave. Y el feeling de la flauta del líder -sobre todo en cortes como Tomando café, Flute & Violin y ¿Qué pasó? es decididamente de jazz. La presencia de Hilton Ruiz en el piano añade sabor, maestría e interesantes ideas y la inclusión de tres invitados importantes -Dave Valentín en flauta, Lewis Kahn en violín y Bobby Porcelli en saxo alto-, aunque esporádica, representa un toque de variedad. Sin pretensiones de originalidad, éste es un trabajo recomendable, escrito, arreglado y producido por Jiménez.

EL NUEVO DIA-NEWSPAPER,
SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO- DOMINGO 23 DE OCTUBRE, 2005


- Ragui Vega

A dream come true. That's what the new album Arriving is for it's leader Carlos Jimenez. After Taking trumpet lessons for awhile in Puerto Rico, jimenez heard a recording by Mongo Santamaria featuring flutist Bobby porcelli. Jimenez was inspired. Upon returning to his birthplace, Yonkers, New York, a series of events, beginning with the purchase of a Tito Puente album, led Jimenez to Puente himself. That opened the door for Jimenez to make his way to Mario Rivera, Mitch Frohman, Dave Valentin and Bobby Porcelli himself---Jimenez' hero. Fast forward, and Porcelli appears as a guest soloist on Jimenez' Arriving.
Arriving features seven compositions by Jimenez and one piece, "So What", by Miles Davis. Backing up Jimenez is a fiery Latin rhythm section led by veteran Hilton Ruiz on piano. The title tune is an up-tempo number and Jimenez glides over the array of supporting rhythm and percussion, congas, timbales.
"Tunnel Of Flowers", features a simple relaxed bossa groove, lends ample space for Jimenez to play his ample technique. Pianist Ruiz follows with a characteristically musical solo, powered by his spectacular technical skills. Bobby Porcelli joins forces with Jimenez on "My Allison," a pretty ballad. Porcelli and Ruiz each get solo spots, tastefully complementing the relaxed quality of the composition, and providing contrast to the simplicity of Jimenez' melody. "Que Paso?" focuses on a 6/8 groove, deriving it's harmonic base from "Afro Blue." Jimenez demonstrates a solid sense of time, melodic inventiveness, and general mastery of the flute. The album concludes with a toe-tapping Latin redention of Miles Davis' "So What." The expected kicks and rhythms are there---just with a Latin Twist. Jimenez is joined by flute master Dave Valentin on this track.
"Flute and Violin" moves quickly. Harmonically it features a Spanish (technically Spanish Phrygian) sound. Jimenez navigates easily over the vamp that provides the back drop for solos. Arriving is a pleasant listen throughout. It is impressively recorded, mixed and sequenced, offering welcome variety of grooves and tempos. Much of the album features music that gives Jimenez the opportunity to play over vamps and modal music. Given his warm and inviting sound on flute, and his musical understading, I am anxious to also hear him play on harmonically complex compositions. In the meantime, Arriving is a noteworthy beginning.

-Jazz Improv Magazine
Elkins Park, PA - Winthrop Bedford

With Latin Jazz now being righteously recognized worldwide as one of the legitimate expressions of music heard around the world, Puerto Rican flutist/composer/arranger/bandleader Carlos Jimenez debuts with Arriving. Mentored by veteran players Dave Valentin and Bobby Porcelli, Jimenez travels in the sea of mostly quiet storms, sailing through a repertoire of original scores, with the exception of the Miles Davis composition So What, Brilliantly arranged by Jimenez that features him and Dave Valentin on Flutes. Saxophonist Bobby Porcelli is featured on the totled track and on My Allison ( dedicated to Jimenez's wife). But the true hero here is pianist Hilton Ruiz, whose amazing talents come through in every selections, paving the way for Jimenez's melody to come alive. Other winners here include the selections Flute & Violin featuring another guest musician, Lewis Kahn on violin, and Que Paso? ( a 6/8 tempo heavily driven by Ruiz with interesting solos by Jimenez and bassist Geoff Brennan).

(Rudy Mangual) Publisher, Editor-in-Chief of Latin Beat Magazine.

Gardena, California - Rudolph Mangual