Jerry Gonzalez, equally proficient at trumpet and congas, leads his Fort Apache Band through a live set concentrating on Latinized versions of bop standards and pieces directly from the Afro-Cuban santeria tradition. The bop pieces,
Dizzy Gillespie's "Bebop" and
Bud Powell's "Parisian Thoroughfare," are given rough and tumble treatments, bobbing along on extensive percussion and tight arrangements. They feature some fine soloing from pianist
Jorge Dalto and altoist Wilfredo Velez especially, the latter stretching things a bit beyond the changes. But the real highlights are the songs by vocalist Frankie Rodrigues, including the title track (though it's listed in Spanish as "Rio Esta Hondo"). The call and response of the singers over the crackling, extraordinarily complex rhythms of the percussionists is very exciting stuff, providing a unique sort of tension and release. The final cut, "Wawina Era Wo," makes the African part of Afro-Cuban crystal clear: a wonderful interlocking melody reminiscent of parts of
Clifford Thornton's The Gardens of Harlem, with the horns and percussion in an intricate and heady dance. On the whole, The River Is Deep has perhaps a shade less bite than the preceding release,
Ya Yo Me Cure on American Clave, but it's an invigorating session nonetheless. Recommended. ~ Brian Olewnick