Manhattan Burn

Even for Paquito D'Rivera, Manhattan Burn is diversity run riot as he spreads his stylistic net even further afield. At first, perhaps in an effort to stir up some sales — or more kindly, in the spirit of adventure — Paquito turns to an easier-listening direction on the opening tracks, with Daniel Freiberg laying down the usual bland synth textures and Paquito limiting his playing to sweet fuzak licks. But "Guataca City" reignites the raucous Latin flame, and in a more or less straight-ahead jazz vein, Paquito teams up with tenor sax bopper George Coleman on the Chick Corea-penned "Paquito" and "A Lo Tristano." There is a requisite samba, with Claudio Roditi back on flugelhorn and Paquito dazzling as usual on clarinet, and there is even a graceful composition for classical guitar and clarinet, "Two Venezuelan Waltzes." Another solid album, though a bit short of the satisfying standards of Why Not? and Explosion. ~ Richard S. Ginell, Rovi