Tropic Heat

Personnel: Dave Valentin (flute); Dick Oatts (alto & tenor saxophones); David Sanchez (tenor saxophone); Mario Rivera (tenor saxophone, bass clarinet, vocals); Charlie Sepulveda, Raymond Vega, Piro Rodriguez (trumpet); Angel "Papo" Vasquez (trombone); Bill O'Connell (piano); Bernd Schoenhart (acoustic guitar); Lincoln Goines (bass); Robbie Ameen (drums); Jerry Gonzales (congas); Milton Cardona (congas, percussion); Johnny Almendra (percussion).
Recorded at Sound On Sound Studios, New York. Includes liner notes by Alfredo Alvarado.
Personnel: Dave Valentin (flute); Mario Rivera (vocals, bass clarinet, tenor saxophone); Bernd Schoenhart (guitar, acoustic guitar); Dick Oatts, Dick Otts (soprano saxophone, alto saxophone); David Sanchez (tenor saxophone); Raymond Vega, Piro Rodriguez, Charlie Sepúlveda (trumpet); Angel Papo Vasquez (trombone); Bill O'Connell (piano); Lincoln Goines (electric bass); Robby Ameen (drums); Milton Cardona (congas, percussion); Jerry Gonzalez (congas); Andreu Johnny Almendra (timbales); Johnny Almendra (percussion).
Director: Bill O'Connell .
Unknown Contributor Roles: Angel Papo Vasquez; David Sanchez ; Dick Oatts; Andreu Johnny Almendra; Raymond Vega; Jerry Gonzalez; Johnny Almendra; Lincoln Goines; Mario Rivera; Milton Cardona; Piro Rodriguez; Robby Ameen; Bernd Schoenhart; Bill O'Connell ; Charlie Sepúlveda.
Arrangers: Angel Papo Vasquez; Bill O'Connell .
Flutist Dave Valentin's 16th album for GRP is one of his best. His regular group (a quartet with pianist Bill O'Connell, bassist Lincoln Goines, and drummer Robbie Ameen) is augmented by two percussionists and an excellent seven-member horn section that consists of the reeds of Dick Oatts, Mario Rivera, and David Sanchez; trombonist Angel "Papo" Vasquez; and three trumpeters, including Charlie Sepulveda. All of the horns get their opportunities to solo and the result is a particularly strong Latin jazz session. Valentin continues to grow as a player and he cuts loose on several of these tracks. ~ Scott Yanow