Earlier this year, Afro-Cuban jazz band leader Arturo Sandoval released his 49th album, Sangú, which was built around a title track that explores both the cultural history of Cuban jazz music and his own personal lineage, with the multi-instrumentalist bringing a few family members into the mix. “‘Sangú’ is the heart of this album,” he shares of the track. “It represents everything I love about making music—the rhythms and spirit of my Cuban heritage, the freedom of jazz, and the joy of bringing different musical worlds together. It’s also deeply personal, because I produced it alongside my son, Tury, and my daughter-in-law and manager, Melody. Creating this music together made the project even more meaningful.”
Given the rousing nature of the tune, it’s also an exciting piece to end a performance on. Such was the case when Sandoval and his band took the stage for one of three nights in Tokyo a few months back, with a string of shows booked at the Japanese capital’s Blue Note Jazz Club location. Fortunately they were able to capture the performance—which includes an intro to the band midway through—for “FLOOD Sessions,” with an extended nine-minute version featuring plenty of exciting twists and turns. “Performing it at Blue Note Tokyo was unforgettable!” the jazz icon exclaims. “The audiences there listen with such respect and passion, you can feel every note landing. There was a beautiful connection in the room, and every night felt like a conversation through music!”
Check out the performance below, and catch the band on the East Coast later this summer—including an upcoming residency at Blue Note NYC—at the dates listed here.
