Dick Metcalf, editor, Contemporary Fusion Reviews
Great groovin’ jazz Ojoyo – PLAYS SAFROJAZZ: I’m not always a big fan of “re-issues“, but I can tell you right now that if you love great groovin’ jazz with the kind of energy that will make you get right on up & dance – this is your TICKET, folks.
NYC-based sax, clarinet and penny-whistle master Morris Goldberg first put this album out in ’96, and after much re-mastering and enhancement, he’s put together a solid 56 minutes of joyful music for your pleasure… before I move on to the review, here’s an older video that shows Ojoyo in action…
Morris pulled in some truly hi-energy players for his nine originals (CYRO BAPTISTA; Chris Botti – trumpet; Bakithi Kumalo – bass; Tony Cedras – keyboards; Diego Urcola – trumpet; Cecilia Tenconi – tenor sax; John Guth -guitar; Richard Cummings – keyboard and Chulo Gatewood – bass Additional musicians: Dan Carillo – guitar and Kofo – talking drum)… samples won’t be available until closer to the 28 May 2021 release date, but if you have true respect for the rhythm, you’ll fall in love with the stellar energy on “Forward Motion”… DJ’s will be spinning this constantly, I predict!
There’s some ultra-cool organ and funky bass on “Dolphin Jive”, and the band’s swaying energy will quickly be giving you visions of our playful pals in the sea… this is one of the most danceable tunes I’ve listened to (yet) in 2021.
