Caribbean Jazz Project

In 1993, vibraphonist Dave Samuels, who also plays marimba, assembled the Caribbean Jazz Project for its inaugural performance at a special concert held in the Central Park Zoo. He gathered brilliant and pioneering jazz steel drummer Andy Narell together with saxophonist Paquito d'Rivera, who switches among alto, clarinet, and soprano. Pianist Dario Eskenazi, bassist Oscar Stagnaro, and drummer Mark Walker later joined the lineup. The ensemble forged a distinctive and highly appealing sound. Framing their intent as "a musical tour of the Caribbean," the group extended its reach to several South American countries and to Dizzy Gillespie-era New York. Ever since, the Caribbean Jazz Project has maintained a part-time touring schedule while cutting a couple of fine sets for Heads Up. Its first live album, Here and Now, came out on Concord Jazz in 2005. The studio follow-up, Mosaic, arrived the next year, also on Concord.