Ray Mantilla is a veteran percussionist, composer, bandleader and arranger who‘s played with such giants as Art Blakey, Charles Mingus, Max Roach, Eartha Kitt, Cedar Walton and countless others. This new recording on Savant features pianist Edy Martinez, Cuban trumpeter Guido Gonzalez, saxophonist Ivan Renta, drummer Diego Lopez, bassist Cucho Martinez and vibraphonist Mike Freeman in a terrific setlist of jazz and Latin standards with a few surprises thrown in. Mantilla is an astute leader, but he‘s also smart enough to let the players shine and play out. The session is a kind of amalgamation of Mantilla‘s Puerto Rican roots and the Afro- Caribbean style typified by his stint with Gato Barbieri. There is much to savor here. Put it on and prepare to move and be moved.
