It’s easy to discern a deep sense of purpose running through Tambó, the latest release from Puerto Rican tenor saxophonist David Sánchez. It’s a recording that folds Afro-Caribbean ritual, folklore and jazz modernism into something both searching and remarkably grounded. As with Carib Sánchez again looks towards the shared musical lineage of the Caribbean, but here the focus feels even more rooted in ceremony, ancestry and rhythmic transmission.
The title itself points towards percussion and communal memory, and throughout the album rhythm functions less as accompaniment than as narrative force. Sánchez draws inspiration from Puerto Rican bomba traditions, Haitian ceremonial music and the culture of San Basilio de Palenque in Colombia, connecting these strands with an organic fluency that never feels academic or overworked.
There is a strong ensemble ethos at play. Sánchez, who also adds his percussion playing and vocals to the sound, shapes the music with a warm, authoritative tone that avoids unnecessary grandstanding. Instead the performances unfold collectively, with layered percussion, chant-like refrains and tightly interlocking rhythmic cells carrying much of the momentum. The atmosphere can be processional, even hypnotic at times.
Among the personnel are pianist Luis Perdomo, bassist Ricky Rodriguez, drummer Obed Calvaire, guitarist Lage Lund, percussionist Jhan Lee Aponte and Haitian percussionist Markus Schwartz. The percussion writing in particular is central to the album’s identity, creating dense but highly controlled textures around the melodic material.
Tracks such as ‘Benkos y los Cimarrones’ and ‘Lumbalú’ carry considerable dramatic weight, Sánchez allowing themes to emerge gradually from the rhythmic framework rather than driving everything towards soloistic climax. The pacing is one of the album’s strengths. Nothing here feels hurried. Instead Tambó develops through accumulation, atmosphere and collective detail.
What impresses me most is the seriousness of Sánchez’s approach. This is not a cosmetic fusion project, nor a straightforward Latin jazz date built around virtuoso blowing and energetic grooves. Tambó is more reflective and culturally embedded than that, drawing on living traditions while remaining fully contemporary in its harmonic language and ensemble conception.
The result is a richly textured and thoughtfully assembled recording that rewards repeated listening, confirming Sánchez once again as one of the most distinctive voices in modern Afro-Caribbean jazz.
