Chano Dominuez injects history of jazz piano into Flamenco Jazz

Photo courtesy Dizzy's Coca Cola/Jazz at Lincoln Center

Reviewed by Dwight Casimere, Saturday, January 12, 2013 at Dizzy's Coca Cola, Jazz at Lincoln Center

NEW YORK---From the romanticism of Claude Debussy to the pre-modern rustlings of Maurice Revel, the inspired genius of Thelonius Monk and the cool jazz musings of Bill Evans and Miles Davis, pianist Chano Dominquez and his high-energy trio amp, injected a sense of jazz piano history into its presentation of Flamenco Jazz at Dizzy's Coca Cola jazz club at Jazz at Lincoln Center in the Time Warner Center of midtown Manhattan. The entire set had a sense of purpose about it, with Dominquez generously sprinkling in piano quotes from the masters of the instrument from Bud Powell and Monk to Bill Evans and the recently departed Dave Brubeck , all the while segueing into the Brazilian and Flamenco-styled references that provided entre' to the rustically charming vocals of Dafnis Prieto, with his John The Baptist mane of hair and fervent cries. Dominguez led the capacity audience through a master class of jazz piano improvisation from Chic Corea to Monk's "Ruby My Dear" to a touching rendition of Bill Evans/Miles Davis'  "All Blues."  Prieto punctuated each of the musical journeys with a detour into the realm of almost other-wordly whoops and cries that recalled the tribal "throat singing" of a timeless race and culture. It was a performance that both stirred and satisfied the soul.