Gumbi Ortiz
Miami
(KWIP – 2006)
by Paula Edelstein
Master percussionist Gumbi Ortiz’s debut for KWIP MUSIC is a musical tribute to his home state of Florida. MIAMI features an all-star cast of musicians including Al DiMeola, Jeff Lorber, Eric Marienthal, Dave Weckl, Jay Beckenstein, Brandon Fields and many others. Ortiz kicks off his set with “South Beach” the first of 3 original compositions that reflect the ambience of Florida cities and neighborhoods.
“Miami” and “Biscayne” bring about an array of Latin rhythms and Caribbean beats that will have you on the dance floor before you know what happened. The CD also uses Ortiz’s expertise as a percussionist to features an array of samba, retro soul and even a little gospel inflected R&B rhythms. Very few percussionists can boast of such affiliations, but Gumbi Ortiz who has played with Al DiMeola for the past 19 years can definitely be proud of this stellar debut and should gain ample respect for his abilities as a bandleader. Check it out.
Reprinted with permission of…
