After receiving four Grammy nominations for his highly successful series of recordings that "latinize" the music of John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Joe Henderson, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock and Horace Silver, Conrad Herwig turns his attention to the legendary Charles Mingus. An imposing figure in jazz, Mingus was known for being complicated, volatile and a touched-by-genius innovator. As an homage to this influential artist, Conrad Herwig provides a fiery excursion into the world of Afro-Caribbean rhythms skillfully applied to Mingus' wildly imaginative compositions. Joining Herwig is special guest trumpeter Randy Brecker together with long-time "Latin Side" band colleagues pianist Bill O'Connell, reedman Craig Handy and the trumpet/flugelhorn of Alex Sipiagin with the rhythm section of Luques Curtis, Robby Ameen and Camilo Molina.

Conrad Herwig's second Criss Cross release is a trombonist's dream as Herwig joins forces with another trombonist, former Jazz Messenger Steve Davis, and a first-rate rhythm section of pianist David Kikoski, bassist James Genus, and drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts to perform three Herwig originals, two jazz classics, and two standards. Both Herwig and Davis are skilled improvisers with distinctive voices on their chosen instruments, choosing to complement each other rather than compete. Herwig plays mostly in the bone's upper register, Davis prefers the middle and lower registers, while Kikoski, Genus, and Watts supply enough fire to keep the proceedings heated. Favorites include the hard swinging "Syeeda's Song Flute," written by John Coltrane, "Kenny K"…

Conrad Herwig follows up Unseen Universe with another all-original set, this time paring down to a quartet. It's not common for a trombonist to lead a small-group session as the only horn, but Herwig, with his technical facility, expressiveness, and timbral range, is uniquely capable of doing so. The pianist on the date is Bill Charlap, who's been gaining a reputation as a traditionalist and a champion of standard tunes. What he does here with Herwig's expansive harmonies and forms makes clear that he's not so easily pigeonholed. Bassist James Genus and drummer Gene Jackson complete the formidable lineup, generating heat ("Hieroglyphica," "Island of the Day Before") and light ("The Orange Dove," "Solar Circle") in perfect proportion. On "Quiet Mountain," Herwig and Charlap perform as a duo, with celestial results.

What more could Latin jazz fans ask for, seriously? Not only are all the players just this side of top guns, they have been playing together in the same group for just shy of ten years. An all-star lineup and the genuine synergy that comes with regular collaboration do not happen often. When they do, well, it's clave magic. Pianist Edsel Gomez's playing is sly and intuitive. Bassist John Benítez, whose Descarga in New York could be one of the decade's most defining Latin jazz records, is strong and confident. Richie Flores is the genre's most underappreciated conguero, and his playing is typically incendiary. Robby Ameen is, of course, among the most in-demand drummers on the scene, and his playing is dazzling as always…

On nearly all his projects, trombonist Conrad Herwig is known for his tasteful arrangements, excellent playing, and keen instinct for top-notch personnel, characteristics he’s brought to bear on his Latin treatments of compositions by jazz legends like John Coltrane and Miles Davis. Herwig applies the same standard to his live recording, he Latin Side Of Wayne Shorter, taking on compositions by the great saxophonist, including “Ping Pong,” “Adam’s Apple,” and “Footprints,” and infusing them with healthy doses of Brazilian, Afro-Cuban, and other Latin rhythms. Shorter’s dynamic tunes provide the perfect backdrop for Herwig’s impressive facility for reinvention.