Nominated for PREIS DER DEUTSCHEN SCHALLPLATTENKRITIK

Ever since the beginnings of his work together with Luis Gasca and Mongo Santamaria, this native Texan has remained closely bonded to Latin Jazz. The NDR Bigband dedicated a retirement send-off to him with an array of his own Latin Jazz compositions in widescreen sound: “Latin Jazz Latino” from 2005 (here available) evolved into a benchmark for the big-band genre and became one of the most successful programs this orchestra ever had. With the album being presented here, “It is what it is”, Joe Gallardo is now taking up this format again with a rousingly inspired late work on which the credit for all the arrangements and a large majority of the compositions goes to him. The equally  authentic and fiery-hot arrangements by the trombonist who lives near Stuttgart are played splendidly by the SWR Big Band from the same region. Check out the Making of - Video

 

Over decades this big band has soared into becoming a phenomenal orchestra, not only in Germany but worldwide, which was appropriately honored in 2023 with a Grammy. In his arrangements Joe Gallardo refers first and foremost to the grand Latino orchestras from the 1950s and ’60s, and offers superior renditions of the entire range exhibited by Latin American Jazz.

and check out some first tunes...