Cimarrón

The Latin jazz and folkloric traditions of the Dominican Republic have long been jettisoned by music lovers in favour of that created by its Caribbean neighbour, Cuba, despite the wild creativity and fecund output of the likes of, say, pianist and bandleader Michel Camilo and Afro-Dominican trumpeter Guillo Carias. This third album by pianist, composer and arranger Josean Jacobo sees the self-styled ‘Ambassador of Afro-Dominican Jazz’ and his sextet Tumbao (two saxes, drums, bass and percussion) attempt to redress the balance. These ten finely crafted tracks embrace the traditional rhythms of the small nation, with its coexisting musical traditions and subgenres, and strengthens contemporary Afro-Dominican jazz.

The album's title sets the tone: cimarronaje were escaped black slaves that took refuge in the mountainous regions of Hispaniola, eventually birthing Dominican culture. The lesser-known grooves of Dominican culture – bamboulá, salve, bachata – are showcased in Jacobo's piano tumbao patterns, which are subtly different to Cuban montuno patterns in their harmonic and rhythmic construction. This is especially noticeable on six originals, including jazz fusion wig-out ‘El Maniel’ and ‘Mind Reset’, variously soothing and angular. Of four re-imagined tracks, ‘San Antonio’ by Enerolisa Núñez is a short and sweet exchange between piano and percussion, while ‘Anaisa Pye’, a traditional folkloric song, blends rhythms in ways that will please world music and jazz fans alike.