Medellin is a retitled reissue of
Juan Carlos Quintero's 1990 self-titled solo debut, remastered, shuffled slightly in song order, and with one new track, an acoustic revision of his fan favorite "Anoche."
Quintero mostly plays acoustic throughout the ten-song set, accompanied by a pair of other guitarists (including the great
Tommy Tedesco), electronic and acoustic keyboards, bass, drums, and occasional sax and trumpet. The resulting music is based on the Colombian-born, Berklee-trained musician's artful blending of Latin and European jazz styles in the
Stan Getz style. Neither tradition is entirely dominant over the other, either on the title track (a heartfelt homage to Quintero's native city) or on standards like "My Favorite Things."
Medellin may well be too slick for some, but it's not one of those albums where technique overpowers taste. ~ Stewart Mason