Medianoche finds Don Grolnick in the company of a hybrid Latin and post-bop supergroup of sorts, with Michael Brecker on tenor, Mike Mainieri on vibes, Dave Valentin on flute, Andy Gonzales on bass, and Don Alias, Steve Berrios, and Milton Cardona on percussion. The idea is simple: authentic Latin arrangements of very hip jazz material like Andrew Hill’s “Catta,” Wayne Shorter’s “Water Babies,” Horace Silver’s “Cape Verdean Blues,” and Chick Corea’s “Oran.” Four strong Grolnick originals also appear, including a Latinized version of the brooding “Heart of Darkness.” Quite beautiful, but not as essential as the late pianist’s brilliant output on Blue Note. – David R. Adler
more »