Review of Tony Lujan - Tribute
on Bella Records
by Alfredo Cruz

Damn!

While a one-word exclamation may not exactly qualify as adequate liner note content, it was my initial reaction when I heard the first few bars of Tribute, the new recording by trumpeter Tony Luján. There wasn’t much need to say anything else. The more I listen, however, the more convinced I am that this is the same spontaneous reaction that you’ll have when you hear Tony play.

This isn’t just some hot-s..., straight-ahead, hard swingin’ recording. No sir, this is a whole lot more. Tribute is an inspiring musical thrill ride! Not the scary kind, but the kind that makes you want to go back on again, again and again. On Tribute, Tony Luján re-defines Jazz and Latin Jazz by breaking down barriers and redrawing the musical boundaries that have historically confined Latin Jazz to a narrow category. Imagine trying to stuff a whale into a fishbowl, anybody with half a brain knows it can’t be done, plus it isn’t fair to the whale! That’s what Tribute is like. You can’t pigeonhole this recording; it’s as straight-ahead as they come, with the added bonus of being Latin Jazz! It’s a whale of an album that advances the Jazz continuum and helps answer the question of where Jazz is heading in the future.

As the title implies, Tribute is an homage to musicians who have made an indelible impression on trumpeter Tony Luján. However, unlike most "tribute" records, Luján’s Tribute has the unprecedented character of having its own artistic and creative accomplishment. After playing this project for his mentor, Clark Terry, Luján was humbled when Terry called it an "historic musical achievement." The respectful approach to standards by younger musicians is nothing new. However, actually breathing new creative life into them is. That’s what Tony Luján does on this recording. While maintaining musical integrity for the originals, the treatment given to these standards makes them sound more like new compositions. This is an indication of Tony’s deep respect for the Jazz tradition and an example of his abilities as an arranger – he arranged five of the nine selections.

The first track, Miles Davis’ Nardis, while given a hard-driving "salsa" or"timba" treatment, takes on an almost Moorish quality in some of its horn inflections and end phrasing. This has the effect of making the listener wonder how much of this is intentional, or simply endemic to a long-forgotten, deeply rooted musical nuance of arranger Luján’s New Mexico cultural experience. A very interesting little twist that just sounds right. I think Miles would approve.

Tony made a name for himself as a first call trumpet player while living in Los Angeles for the better part of two decades. During that time, he had the opportunity to play with and get to know many legendary Jazz musicians, among them fellow trumpeter Freddie Hubbard with whom Luján studied and cites as another of his major influences. Hubbard’s composition Intrepid Fox gets the no-holds-barred treatment and burns with intensity from beginning to end.

The gorgeous danzón treatment given to Luján’s original Forever My Love reflects Tony’s love and respect for classic Latin American musical traditions – specifically, in this case, Cuban. It starts off in the most proper of danzón forms with sophisticated strings conjuring up images of early 20^th Century formal social gatherings. You can almost hear the passing of decades as the soloists begin to soar without detaching themselves from the song’s beautiful foundation. This ones whirls and builds to an almost calliope-like ending that leaves you craving more. Go ahead, start it again, it’s okay. ¿Bailamos?

Tomorrow’s Destiny by Woody Shaw, recalls the Newark native’s sense of musical urgency wrapped in a celebratory comparsa rhythm. Again, as much an homage to a teacher and trumpet legend, it’s also a tribute to the vibrant and imaginative interpretation abilities of Luján and his band mates – this one arranged by pianist Edsel Gómez.

Another inventive treatment is given to Lee Morgan’s classic, this time with a Venezuelan merengüe rhythm. The groove is established by a compelling introduction played on cajón – a percussion instrument fashioned out of a wooden box. You’ll get caught up in the intro before the "ahá!" factor’ kicks in, as in "...ahaaa! That’s what it is." Ceora never quite sounded like this before. Once again, Lujan respectfully takes musical possession of a classic and makes it his own without violating integrity.

Daahoud by Clifford Brown, gets another straight-ahead delivery that no one can argue with, it just seems to fit perfectly with this Latin Jazz interpretation. Before you know it, you’re swingin’ so hard, you forget it’s "Latin" Jazz! It’s just great Jazz.

Sheba is an especially beautiful tribute to Tony’s mentor, teacher and friend Clark Terry. And it should be – Tony calls Clark his musical father. The use of strings here is again a gorgeous effect. Starting off in a bolero tempo, listen for a touch of mariachi in the horn section accompaniment right before the tempo changes to a samba. There is something very special in Tony’s playing on this one, something that conveys a deep love and emotion coming through the music, something that seems to propel his amazing solo. Miguel Zenón on alto and Conrad Herwig on trombone also solo beautifully here over a cushion of strings before returning to the original tempo.

This collection of musical salutes wraps up with Kenny Dorham’s Short Story, a rollicking ride driven by the percussion and rhythm sections. Then, Dizzy Gillespie’s Tin Tin Deo closes this session with growling confidence. Tony punctuates his musical urgency with a screamin’ ending to Tribute.

There are a couple of things to take note of here. One is that Tony Luján has assembled some exceptionally versatile Jazz musicians who just happen to be Latino. All experienced and trained musicians that know how to, and can, play Jazz. And with the exception of one original tune by Luján, every composition here is by an African-American musician. This speaks volumes for the reverence and respect that Tony has for the masters of his craft, for his instrument, and for the giants of the American Jazz tradition.

Tony Luján’s Tribute is a beautiful, and at times, breathtaking expression of artistry and musical vision. Already considered a premiere, world-class trumpeter, this recording is sure to help further establish Luján’s musical presence on the Jazz landscape. Extending the boundaries for creatively interpreting Jazz classics, while preserving the masters’ integrity, Tribute signals that Tony Luján is here to stay.

Take note of your first reaction at the beginning of this recording...or even after hearing the screeching final note, and then tell me if you don’t agree. Damn!

Alfredo Cruz
Jazz Broadcaster & Journalist
Producer/host for United Airlines’ "Jazz Session," contributor to the Smithsonian Institution’s traveling exhibition "Latin Jazz-La Combinación Perfecta/the Perfect Combination," Descarga, and a veteran of NPR Jazz, WBGO and KKJZ.