# Feel The Heat: Arturo Sandoval at Flato Markham theatre: Photos, Videos

- Link: https://jazzblues.eu/2019/04/13/feel-the-heat-arturo-sandoval-at-flato-markham-theatre-photos-videos/
- Published: 2019-04-13T15:00:30+01:00
- Author: https://JazzBlues.EU

**Spring had arrived but you wouldn’t know it by the temperature outside. Only the
billboard with the promise, Feel the Heat of the Cuban Beat – Arturo Sandoval, made
me leave the comfort of my car. I was ready for some hot trumpet playing from the
ten time Grammy award winning Arturo Sandoval.**

The Arturo Sandoval supporting musicians for this performance: Mike Tucker (tenor
saxophone), Max Haymer (piano), John Belzaguy (bass), Johnny Friday (drums) and 
Tiki Pasillas (percussion, vocals).

The opening number was a swinging jazz tune, played at a fast tempo, an upbeat tune
giving the soloists lots of room to manoeuvre. Sandoval dug right in with a glorious
tone, lightning fast runs and wonderful phrasing. His playing was on fire this night
and he seemed to create the spark that set the other musicians to fire back with
their own exemplary playing. The piano player Haymer took a wonderful solo in bebop
tradition showing off his tremendous jazz chops. The saxophonist Tucker had a pleasing
tone and style that complimented Sandoval’s playing. The rhythm section played as
a tight unit that fed into the excitement. Tucker and Sandoval would dive into a
spirited call and response that built to an exciting crescendo.

The second song performed went into ballad territory. With beautiful, soulful trumpet
playing by Sandoval and ending with his vocal scatting/mumbling, reminiscent of 
something Clark Terry was famous for. But no doubt paying tribute to Sandoval’s 
mentor, Dizzy Gillespie who was the master of scatting.

The next song took the audience into a funky state of mind, think Tower of Power.
The tenor sax of Tucker was smoking and the percussion and drums beat out a funky
Latin frenzy. Everybody in the band was singing “Shake It Funky Baby”.   After that
tune, Sandoval addressed the audience, he spoke of people always placing jazz in
little square boxes and asking, “What you call that man”? Sandoval’s response, “
Music Man”.

Sandoval shouts into the audience, “Hilario are you here”? Hilario Durán famed Toronto,
by way of Cuba, pianist, composer, bandleader and educator, stood up and took a 
wave. Sandoval and Durán go way back to their days in Cuba. Durán was Sandoval’s
pianist, arranger and musical director for many years. The last time I saw them 
play together, 2008 at the Toronto Jazz Festival, when Durán was invited on to the
stage to perform with Sandoval’s group. The Hilario Durán Trio opened for Sandoval
that evening and gave a most memorable performance.

Sandoval went on to explain that he has a love hate relationship with the trumpet.“
Trumpet hurts the whole body. What I really wanted to be was a piano player. And
with Hilario’s permission I’m going to play piano” he said. He then positioned himself
behind the piano and the audience was treated to a trio performance, piano, bass
and drums of a jazz standard that sounded to me like “Embraceable You”.

The band returned to back Sandoval up as he ventured into the audience, meeting 
and greeting, telling stories and jokes. It reminded me of a club scene, very intimate.
He asked the sound technician to give him some reverb on the microphone and then
proceeded to serenade the audience with his Salsa tinged rendition of “When I Fall
in Love”.

Highlights for me included that romping opening number that set the tone for the
evening. As well as the best maraca playing I’ve ever heard from the excellent percussionist
Tiki Pasillas on the tune, “Suena”. Of course, the still mighty trumpet playing 
of the fantastic Arturo Sandoval, maybe not as many blistering high note solos as
back in 2008, yet still a superstar performance by a fiery entertainer.


⌊Arturo Sandoval at Flato Markham Theatre⌉⌊Arturo Sandoval at Flato Markham Theatre⌉

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