FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION FOR THE 63rd GRAMMY AWARDS
SPANISH HARLEM ORCHESTRA: THE LATIN JAZZ PROJECT (ArtistShare)
Spanish Harlem Orchestra - The Latin Jazz Project
Latin Jazz Album
Spanish Harlem Orchestra - "Descarga De Jazz"
Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella


featuring





Kurt Elling
Bob Franceschini
Jimmy Haslip
Tom Harrell
Dave Liebman





Joe Locke
Bob Mintzer
Jonathan Powell
Michael Rodriguez
Miguel Zenon
The Latin Jazz Project
Release Date: May 22, 2020
Label: Artist Share
After flashing glimpses of their Latin Jazz prowess over the course of their previous six recordings, Spanish Harlem Orchestra goes ‘all in’ on The Latin Jazz Project, their first full length Latin jazz release. A litany of top-tier jazz artists join the ensemble as featured guests soloists: Kurt Elling, Miguel Zenon, Tom Harrell, Dave Liebman, Bob Mintzer, Joe Locke, and others. This is a fan-funded project through ArtistShare.
For the past 17 years, Spanish Harlem Orchestra has earned their reputation as today’s premier salsa ensemble. Considered “the leading light of the salsa reconstruction movement” (Newsday), SHO has released six critically acclaimed albums including Anniversary (Artist Share), which most recently won the GRAMMY® Award for Best Tropical Latin Album. They have performed on the world’s top stages and at nearly every major jazz festival including those in Newport, Montreal, and Monterey. Especially through their live performances, SHO has successfully built a bridge between Latin and jazz music, evidenced by their countless standing ovations at festivals and critical acclaim from the press. The Latin Jazz Project builds upon that legacy and brings SHO full circle into the Latin jazz arena.
The Latin Jazz Project is a natural progression for Spanish Harlem Orchestra. For starters, SHO Artistic Director Oscar Hernández is considered one of the most important Latin jazz pianists of his generation. His storied career extends back four decades and includes performances and recordings with an impressive list of Latin music greats including Tito Puente, Machito, Celia Cruz, Conjunto Libre, and Willie Colon, among others. Hernández spent six years playing with Ray Barreto and appeared on five of his recordings including the seminal Rican/Struction. Herná
As a leader, Hernández has released two Latin jazz albums with Origin records: The Art of Latin Jazz (2017) and Love The Moment (2019), which went on to receive four stars by Downbeat Magazine. Now, Hernández has melded his Latin jazz expertise with Spanish Harlem Orchestra’s signature salsa dura sound to produce an instant classic in The Latin Jazz Project, the ensemble’s first all-Latin jazz recording. “We have always been steeped in the tradition of Latin jazz,” says Hernández, adding, “…it makes sense for us to finally get to this point. I couldn’t be more proud of this project and this band.”
Spanish Harlem Orchestra has long collaborated with jazz greats; in 2015, Chick Corea and Joe Lovano appeared on their self-titled release and Anniversary featured a guest appearance by Randy Brecker. The tradition continues on The Latin Jazz Project, which features an impressive cadre of jazz elite including Miguel Zenon and Kurt Elling (“Invitation”), Bob Mintzer (“Bobo”), Bob Franceschini (“Acid Rain”), Tom Harrell (“Los Palmas”), Jimmy Haslip and Dave Liebman (“Silent Prayers”). Jonathan Powell (“Round Midnight”), Michael Rodrigeuz (“Fort Apache”), and Joe Locke (“Latin Perspective”).
The Latin Jazz Project presents a new side to Spanish Harlem Orchestra. Co-producer and trombonist Doug Beavers says: “…we really wanted to present SHO in a different light with this project- that of a world-class ensemble that can go toe-to-toe with any renowned jazz ensemble or jazz orchestra in the world. For this, we thought the vehicle of Latin Jazz gave us the best medium to explore how different jazz masters would mesh with the orchestra and explore the idiom.The results came out very natural sounding and exciting, as if these jazz greats had been performing with SHO for years.”
With The Latin Jazz Project, Spanish Harlem Orchestra adds to an impressive discography that showcases a dynamic music legacy built by their previous six releases. These recordings have garnered five GRAMMY® nominations and three wins (in 2004 for sophomore album Across 110th Street, in 2010 for Viva La Tradicion, and as noted, last year for Anniversary).
Press for The Latin Jazz Project
JANE CORNWELL
JAZZWISE
"An opus that dazzles." Full four star review here.
MARK SULLIVAN
ALL ABOUT JAZZ
"Another excellent outing from the Spanish Harlem Orchestra." Read the full review here.
RAUL DA GAMA
LATIN JAZZ NETWORK
"The compositions themselves supply the Spanish Harlem Orchestra and its guests with a cornucopia of dancing melodies, insistent and energetic rhythms, and edifying harmonic concepts. Naturally the makes for many memorable moments woven into a diaphanous sonic fabric made up of the most spectacular musical texture." Read the full review here.
MIKE HOBART
FINANCIAL TIMES
"The body of the album sashays between the soulful and the serene and each track has a strong narrative drive" ★★★★☆ Read the full review here.
TOM SCHNABEL
KCRW
This week’s playlist potpourri features mostly new plus a sprinkling of vintage tracks from around the world. Read the full playlist here.
DEE DEE MCNEIL
MUSICALMEMOIRS'S BLOG
"All in all, here is a lovely Latin album featuring tight, well-rehearsed arrangements, stellar orchestra members and a star-studded list of special guests. What’s not to love?" Read the full review here.
JOSÉ RAMÓN
LA HABITACIÓN DEL JAZZ
"Spanish Harlem Orchestra se ha convertido en un grupo de culto en su estilo gracias a su maestría interpretativa." Lea este articulo aquí.
SOLAR LATIN CLUB
"Un album con alta factura, como nos tiene habituados Oscar Hernandez. Precisión y maestría insuperables." Lea esta reseña aquí.
DJ WALTER B NICE
NEWGENSALSA
"Understanding the powerful and unique quality of these particular moments, leader Hernandez along with co-producer Doug Beavers visualized that it was finally time to shine a slightly different light on the band and present the 3x Grammy-winning ensemble solely within the context of the culturally-rich and transcendent Latin Jazz genre." Read the news piece here.
TRAVIS RODGERS
THE JAZZ OWL
"Oscar Hernandez and Spanish Harlem Orchestra have created an album of raw energy, tight grooves, beautiful melodies, and compositions to thrill and amaze any listener. The Latin Jazz Project was wroth the wait." Read the full review here.
DJ HECU
SALSA SON TIMBA
"La Spanish Harlem, siempre ha sido una orquesta dedicada al bailador, esta es su primera producción mayormente dedicada al Jazz Latino, aunque su director Oscar Hernandez, ya habría presentado como solista algunas producciones con esta linea musical en 2017 y 2019." Lea esta reseña aquí.
JIM HYNES
GLIDE MAGAZINE
"This is the SHO’s seventh release, having achieved five GRAMMY® nominations and three wins (in 2004 for sophomore album Across 110th Street, in 2010 for Viva La Tradicion, and as noted, last year for Anniversary. With this star power and the SHO’s momentum with the GRAMMY® voters, another could be in the wings."
Read the full review here.
DAVID RODGERS
WTJU
: The Latin Jazz Project is an intriguing album that serves as a superlative example of what happens when Latin jazz sensibilities are coupled with the jazz idiom.” (https://blackgrooves.org/spanish-harlem-orchestra-the-latin-jazz-project/). Read the full review here.
HECTOR MARTIN
CANCION A QUEMARROPA
Read the news piece here.
MATT MICUCCI
JAZZIZ
"Universally acclaimed salsa ensemble, The Spanish Harlem Orchestra, released their first full-length album of transcendental Latin jazz."Read the full feature here.
DEE DEE MCNEIL
L.A JAZZ SCENE
“I just want my legacy to be about good music. My music comes from a real place. It comes from a place where I am a part of that history. It’s been close to fifty years now and I’ve had the opportunity to keep putting my music out there; music that I feel in my heart." Read the full feature here.

Our album Anniversary won the GRAMMY for Best Tropical Latin Album in 2018. We couldn't have done it without your support. Thank you from all of us at Spanish Harlem Orchestra.