Latest Updates
You can now visit the band at their MySpace page!
Reviews
“Think of a jazzier, big-band mambo sounding Spanish Harlem Orchestra and you’ll get the idea of what The Latin Giants of Jazz are all about…Led by timbalero/arranger/conductor Jose Madera and featuring many members of Tito Puente’s highly acclaimed dance orchestra, this band has more swing than should be allowed…This is a welcome harken to the rich, fat dance orchestras like that of Tito Puente, Tito Rodriguez, and Machito.”
-Descarga, July 13,2004
“The Latin Giants, with core members from the Tito Puente orchestra, deliver big band mambo muscle on their second release. The project bubbles over with the dense, rich history of jazzy Latin big-band dance orchestras like those of Puente, Machito, Tito Rodriguez and Chico O’Farril…Randy Brecker shows up for “Alex Mambo”, and gratefully, the final soprano sax solo from the late Mario Rivera is documented here as well. There are some truly outstanding tracks here…”
-Descarga, October 1, 2007
When the 15 member Latin Giants of Jazz finished their last song, a Tito Puente cover, the Harbor Pointe crowd gave them a well-deserved standing ovation.
It was the first standing ovation I’ve seen at one of the festival’s free shows. The Giants brought their south-of-the-border sound for more than an hour, complete with splashy brass, layered percussion and Spanish lyrics.”
-Sam Sessa, Baltimore Sun; August 11,2007
“Once 11:15pm strikes in the Queen City of the Plains, the rest of the world had better look out. The Latin Giants of Jazz will be recording live. Featuring all-stars from the former Tito Puente Orchestra, the Giants will let everyone across the airways know that Denver is ready to shake what her mama gave her…Highly contagious salsa rhythms will stretch into the first moments of the new year, when Giants music director Jose Madera will unveil his special arrangement of “Auld Lang Syne”. “
-Adam Cayton-Holland, Westword; December 30,2004
Cuero Na’Ma - #3 on Salsa Cental
Cureno Na’Ma - #1 at HXLU 88.9fm – L.A., California