It’s only been four years since Brazilian born drummer and percussionist Samuel Martinelli started jazz vibing with the top cats on the NYC scene, but the incredible buzz around his dazzling array of polyrhythmic and compositional talents netted him the best of the best for his stunningly diverse, groove engaging debut album Crossing Paths.
Creating the perfect urban exotica fusion of straight ahead and Brazilian jazz, Martinelli and his cohorts – Claudio Roditi (trumpet, flugelhorn), Marcus McLaurine (bass) and Tomoko Ohno (piano) – fuel a mix of lively, swinging originals (“Samba Blend,” “Bob’s Blues”) and thoughtful spins through Sonny Rollins’ “St. Thomas” (featuring the haunting bowing of McLaurine) and Dizzy Gillespie’s “Birks Works,” a spirited showcase for Roditi.