Percussionist Sammy Figueroa & His Latin Jazz Explosion Releases “Urban Nature” on Aug. 30th, 2011

TWO-TIME GRAMMY® NOMINEES SAMMY FIGUEROA &

HIS LATIN JAZZ EXPLOSION TO RELEASE THIRD ALBUM

URBAN NATURE ON AUGUST 30, 2011

LISTEN TO AN EXCLUSIVE STREAMING TRACK FROM URBAN NATURE

It’s not every day that a distinguished sideman makes a successful transition to solo artist. But percussionist Sammy Figueroa
not only has become a successful leader in his own right, but is also
one of the most exciting artists in Latin Jazz today. He calls Urban Nature, his third recording with his twice Grammy® nominated band, The Latin Jazz Explosion, “the most satisfying record we’ve ever done. It truly reflects my personality.” Urban Nature
also marks a new beginning – this is his debut album on Senator
Records, an imprint created for Sammy in cooperation between Berlin’s
Senator Entertainment and Ashé Records.

After two decades as New York’s number-one percussionist, recording and performing with artists such as Miles Davis, the Brecker Brothers, Sonny Rollins (with whom he is currently touring) and pop stars David Bowie, Chaka Khan, and Mariah Carey
to name a few, Sammy was ready for a change. He moved to South Florida
where, between the extraordinary Frost School of Music at the University
of Miami and a community of excellent musicians from Cuba, Venezuela,
Puerto Rico, Brazil and Argentina, he discovered a vibrant Latin jazz
scene, rich with musical opportunities.

Gathering
together some of the best players in town, Sammy and his band made
their debut at the Hollywood Jazz Festival in 2002. He hasn’t looked
back since. The band’s first two albums, And Sammy Walked In and The Magician,
each received Grammy® Nominations for Best Latin Jazz Album and their
exciting performances have gained them enthusiastic fans throughout the
United States and Europe.

Sammy Figueroa & his Latin Jazz Explosion
is a true ensemble, balancing dazzling displays of virtuosity with
touches of classical elegance, swinging Latin rhythms and sophisticated
fusion, with Sammy always anchoring the music with his rich expressive
playing. Remarking on Sammy’s creativity and ease on his instrument,
saxophone colossus Sonny Rollins has pronounced that “there is no better
percussionist than Sammy Figueroa.”

The Latin Jazz Explosion features the brilliant pianist Silvano Monasterios and accomplished bassist Gabriel Vivas (both from Venezuela), Alex Pope Norris on trumpet, saxophonist John Michalak and the young Puerto Rican drummer Nomar Negroni. On Urban Nature the group is joined by special guests Ed Calle on sax, Mike Orta on piano and Venezuelan percussionist José Gregorio Hernandez.

Urban Nature
is a salute to the creativity that Sammy, a native New Yorker, has
experienced during his time in Miami. These are not the gritty streets
of New York City: it’s a place where condo towers, fast cars, culture
clash and urban poverty meet the vibrant blue and green of sky and sea,
where violent storms swiftly transition into incredible sunsets, where
mangos block your driveway at certain times of year and where alligators
might be lurking in the canals alongside I-95.

The
album’s kinetic cover photo, taken in motion on the causeway between
Miami Beach and the mainland, reflects this message, and the music’s
combination of earthy rhythms and heady harmonies, carries it forward.

This album was created as a team effort between Sammy, composer/arrangers Silvano Monasterios and Gabriel Vivas, and producer Rachel Faro. Monasterios and Vivas offer seven signature pieces, composed specifically for Sammy and this album.

The
album opens with the clarion call of “Gufillo,” an original piece by
Monasterios, featuring one of Sammy’s hand-blurring solos. This segues
into the title track, a catchy, yet majestic cha-cha by Vivas. Mike
Orta’s original “Latin What?” features a quirky raw solo by Calle on
tenor sax. “Zuliana” follows, a delicate folk-influenced tune by Silvano
Monasterios dedicated to his father’s home province in Venezuela.

Monasterios’
“7th Door On Your Left” is in 7/8 meter and just about seven minutes
long. This magic number takes the listener through a winding, relaxed
journey that leads into “Cuco y Olga,” a tribute to the late, great
Mongo Santamaria.

The
last three tunes on the album, all originals by Vivas and Monasterios,
further establish the group’s characteristic sound. “Cha Cha ‘Pa Ti” is a
sinuous cha-cha, its melody winding around a steady base of repetitive
rhythm parts. “Queen From The South” is Silvano’s homage to one of the
many beautiful women in his native land. The album closes with “Funny
Talk,” Vivas’ tribute to Sammy’s famous sense of humor.

“The
Latin feel in jazz has been around since jazz began,” says Sammy. “It’s
all about the rhythm, the movement and certain swing. When you hear it,
you don’t have to be Latin to like it. It just does something to your
system that one cannot explain. On this album we had the opportunity to
successfully combine the joy of Latin rhythms with the sophistication of
jazz harmonics. I hope the listener will enjoy this music as much as we
have playing and recording it.”

UPCOMING SAMMY FIGUEROA APPEARANCES:

September 4 | Detroit International Jazz Festival | Detroit, MI

September 16 | Jazz At The Palm | West Palm Beach, FL