Points Of View
Left Angle, 2022
8/10
A veteran fixture of the Bay Area scene for over 4 decades, the trumpeter Bill Ortiz finds himself alongside many players on this first solo album since his departure from Santana in 2016.
“Sunburst” starts the listen with no lack of energy, where Dennis Chambers’ thumping drums and Marcus Shelby’s throbbing bass complement Ortiz’s soulful horns, and “Alex The Great” follows with Matt Clark’s agile piano and Azar Lawrence’s strategic tenor sax helping make for a time dynamic jazz climate.
At the halfway point, “Okonkole y Trompa” flows with a mesmerizing landscape thanks to John Santos and Javier Navarrette’s percussion and background vocals, not to mention Ortiz’s bright trumpet and effects, while “Fusion/Noche Cubana” welcomes much culture into the rhythmic display that showcases Marc Van Wageningen’s electric bass.
Advancing towards the end, “Oriental Folksong” is a more intimate moment that benefits from the meticulous rhythm section and rich song craft of the Wayne Shorter original, and “My Lord And Master” exits the listen with a stirring dreaminess that surrounds the piano led finish.
The 10 tracks present represent the best vehicles for Ortiz to illustrate his personal voice on trumpet, and they sure do suit his return to improvisational jazz, too, with much diversity and memorableness.
Travels well with: Chris Standring- Simple Things; Eric Goletz- A New Light