‘Alma Vieja’ is the latest CD from guitar virtuoso Russ Hewitt and is replete with the rumba flamenco rhythms and lightning guitar runs that have become trademarks of his distinctive style. The project also includes a stellar line up of backing musicians including former Miami Sound Machine percussionist Raphael Padilla and drummer Walfredo Reyes Jr who in his time has played with both Santana and Ricky Martin. They are joined by bass player Bob Parr and exciting flamenco guitar prodigy Alfredo Caceres while other significant contributions come from contemporary jazz saxophonist Michael Lington and Grammy award-winning violinist Charlie Bisharat who has graced the stage with heavyweights such as The Rolling Stones Yanni and Aerosmith.
It was in late 2008 that Hewitt released his debut CD ‘Bajo el Sol’. Typified by fierce Latin rhythms and infectious contemporary jazz grooves the collection garnered the kind of critical acclaim to suggest this talented player was already on the road to musical stardom. ‘Alma Vieja’ builds on this in spectacular fashion and is swiftly up and running with ‘Pelorhino’ which, with a very appealing beat, proves to be the ideal showcase for Hewitt’s intricate playing.
Bisharat’s distinctive violin is a key component of the expansive ‘Dhanyavad’ and when Hewitt turns down the tempo for the charming ‘Gabriela mi Corazon’ it provides one the album’s true magic moments. Indeed when the mood is mellow Hewitt is often found to be at his very best and this is certainly the case with the comforting vibe of ‘Las Cruces’.
Elsewhere, the hugely percussive, ‘Moonlake Drive’ is a further cut that shows off what Hewitt is all about and the superbly rhythmic ‘Soldade’ does very much the same.
The seductive nature of ‘Tango For Ahn’ sits in wonderful contrast to the Latin drenched ‘Gypsy’ and another fine slice of Latin jazz comes in the form of the mid tempo ‘Miss Mimi’ which in the latter stages Hewitt uses to break entirely loose. In terms of personal favorites, the smoothly flowing ‘Samba Samba’ has a title that tells you just about everything you need to know yet just as good is the easy grooving ‘Pacific Sunrise’. The place where Latin music collides with smooth jazz in the most delightful of ways, it is taken to a whole new level by the contribution of Lington on sax.
The music of Russ Hewitt is filled with sunshine and with ‘Alma Vieja’, it seems certain that the warm glow of attention will once again be very much on him.
