Robin Jones - 1971 - Denga

Robin Jones Quintet 

1971

Denga

01. Denga 3:15

02. Goodbye Batucada 3:23

03. Urubu 3:06

04. Autumn 3:20

05. Con Fuego 3:55

06. Zapatos Amarillos 3:02

07. Africa Revisited 3:07

08. El Sueno 3:13

09. Surfaticket 2:55

10. My Summer Love 2:58

11. Hop 'n Jump 2:30

12. Tristeza 3:07

13. Sucio Mambo 2:30

Bass – Percy Borthwick

Congas, Percussion – Tony Uter

Drums, Timbales, Pandeiro – Robin Jones

Flute, Alto Flute, Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Olaf Vas

Percussion, Bongos – Simon Morton

Piano, Electric Piano – Ian Henry

Often affectionately referred to as the "Godfather of British Latin music" Robin Jones was truly one of the great performers on the international Latin scene.

Denga, his first recording from 1971 is a scintillating fusion of Afro-Cuban and Afro-Brazilian rhythms laden with heavy Fender Rhodes sounds and no less than three Afro-Latin Percussionists. The hard-to-find album has now been reissued by legendary London jazz DJ Paul Murphy's Jazz Room Records imprint. It should be an essential purchase for anyone who loves Latin jazz.

Feature's Robin's personal favorites including "Goodbye Batucada" which rightfully lays claim to be the first Brazilian Jazz Samba tune recorded in the UK and the Worldwide Sound standard setters "Denga" and "Africa Revisited".

A hell of a record of Latin Jazz – recorded in the UK, but with a vibe that puts the whole thing right up there with some of the most inventive American albums of a few years before – such as Latin jazz classics by Sabu Martinez, Cal Tjader, or Eddie Palmieri! Robin Jones is the leader, and plays drums and timbales here – and the group are a tight sextet who work with no vocals at all – just flutes and saxes from Olaf Vas, a great talent who really shades in the sound – plus piano and Rhodes from Ian Henry, bass from Percy Borthwick, and percussion from Simon Morton and Tony Uter. Given the lack of other instrumentation, there's a fantastic focus on the percussion, reeds, and piano – and the whole thing's a cracker through and through.