Reviews and Liner Notes

Tribute
Tony Lujan
(Bella Records)
Review by Latin Beat Magazine

Having toured, recorded and played with just about everyone in the jazz and Latin music scene throughout his career, trumpeter/bandleader/composer Tony Lujan is back with perhaps one of his best recordings ever. Tribute is Lujan's homage to the master horn players, which helped in shaping his own career and inspired him to develop his own personal musical sound. From his mentor Clark Terry to Miles Davis and Clifford Brown, Lujan breathes new life to classic standards such as Nardis, Daahoud and Sheba (during which he transforms his horn to a sultry lead vocalist surrounded by the beauty of a string orchestra conducted by Felipe Salles). From Woody Shaw's Tomorrow's Destiny to Kenny Dorharn's Short Story, he performs straight ahead jazz with rare elegance, with the added bonus of performing with an all-star cast of Latin jazz giants. Conrad Herwig, Yosvanni Terry, Miguel Zenon and Edsel Gomez top the list with John Benitez, Richie Flores, Dafnis Prieto and Luisito and Robertito Quintero securing the groove. Completing the repertoire is a Lujan original, Forever My Love, brilliantly arranged as a Cuban danzon with sophisticated strings and a montuno, of course. The set closes with the Gillespie classic Tin Tin Deo, aggressively yet thoughtfully arranged by Lujan.
(GR)

Magic Circle checks in more aggressively brash trumpet: strong-arm tenor and soprano: supple, galloping rhythm section: chops up and down. The trumpeter, who gets good words from Clark Terry in the liner notes. comes from the Freddie Hubbard-Tom Harrell school, and on the title track his declamatory entrance recalls Red Rodney. Both he and the band take a progressive, studio-conscious ap- proach. Sheppard is a gun-you-down player like Mike Brecker. The veteran Cables sounds very much at home with the hornmen's highly charged style of modernity. Witness his hot intro to "Excess Baggage." But all is not run- and-gun, as "A Little Amber" shows by its soprano-and-flugeihorn entwined lyricism. Bass and drums are very up-front in this album, manned by energetic players with technique to burn. This is Lujan's debut album His credits include work in Las Vegas as well as big band experience with Ray Charles. Gerald Wilson, and Bill Holman.

There's nothing "wrong with either of these albums. just the nagging question of how to separate them from so many others of similar instrumentation, stye, and skill.

(reviewed on CD) — Owen Cordle
Down Beat October 1991

Tony Lujan is one of the world's premier trumpet players, but his wife had to start her own label to get his magnificent talent back in the public limelight. You Don't Know What Love Is (Bella Records) took years to get to market and follows a number of personal setbacks, including an auto accident that almost ended the brilliant musician's career. Since leaving his native New Mexico at a tender age, Lujan's golden trumpet has graced the bands of such luminaries as Frank Sinatra and Luis Miguel, but it's his fiery brand of Latin-laced jazz that is his calling card. In the company of saxophonist David Sanchez, bassist John Benitez and other notables, Lujan swaggers through a sumptuous 74-minute program of originals that should reestablish him as one of the preeminent trumpeters of the day.

Mark Holsten

Trumpeter Tony Lujan, a native of New Mexico, was a well-established straightahead jazzman before he fully explored his Latin roots and gained prominence through work with Tito Puente, Poncho Sanchez, Luis Bonilla, and others. On Zulu (Capri), Lujan is joined by saxophonist Rob Lockart and a trio headed by pianist Kei Akagi in a program that focuses mostly on hard-driving, Blakey-style bop, while Latin flavored fare like the leader's joyful "No Te Preocupes" suggest the trumpeter should consider a fully realized Latin jazz project. Lujan's technical prowess, gorgeous tone, and tasteful soloing make him one of the best of the up-and-coming crop of promising Latin jazz artists.

Tony Lujan is a veteran trumpeter who has been on both Eddie Palmieri and Tito Puente's A list of top players in the business. Now you can experience their sentiments on his new CD, You Don't Know What Love Is (Bella) with an amazing line up of musicians that includes David Sanchez, John Benitez, Edsel Gomez, Miguel Zenon, Luis Bonilla and Richie Flores. It's a wonderful journey into the mind of one of the industry's most innovative and creative horn players. Two of the tracks are recorded live with his quintet.

This double CD of Tony Lujan's quintet live is a must-have in any serious jazz fans collection, especially jazz trumpeters. Tony's playing has grown and grown over the thirty or so years I have known him to a point where he now sits high on the list of the best jazz trumpet players in the world. He is playing at the top of his game. I listened to these CDs several times, not because of writing notes for them but because I LOVED LISTENING to them. The group is really top-notch as well. Tony ALWAYS surrounds himself with excellent players and these CDs are no exception. Congratulations, Tony. You are one BAD CAT!!

Bobby Shew

Liner notes by Clark Terry

To say that Tony Lujan is gifted would be an understatement however, one of his greatest gifts is his deep rooted desire for perfection and his ability to diligently apply himself toward accomplishing it!! Ever since the first time I saw and heard Tony (almost 15 years ago) when he was a high school student at Manzano - in Albuquerque, New Mexico, he has continued to progress rapidly. I'm proud to have led Tony in the trumpet section of my All-Star Youth Big Band, which performed in Europe and U.S.A. Since leaving my band, Tony has acquired immeasurable amounts of valuable experience working with the likes of Frank Sinatra, Tony, Bennett, Robert Goulet and many more headliners in Las Vegas. Tony has worked with jazz greats like Johnny Griffin, Tete Montoliu, Branford Marsalis, George Cables, Chris Woods, and has worked in the big bands of Ray Charles, Bill Holman, and Gerald Wilson. On Tony's debut release as a leader, he has surrounded himself with artists like George Cables, John Patitucci, Bob Sheppard and Tom Brechtlein. (A fantastic group.)

All of the tunes on the CD except one (Craig Yancey's "Saul's Samba") are his own compositions and arrangements. No need to pick any particular tune apart. I'd like to suggest you relax and enjoy all the tunes on the CD. I dig them all! Aside from the marvelous tunes, the fine ensemble playing and the overall spirited performance by the whole group — you're going to hear the phenomenal artistry of one of the most accomplished trumpeter/fluegelists on the scene today. take my word for it!!