Sandoval, a Cuban ex-pat who was a founding member of Irakere, one of Havana's most legendary jazz bands, has so far won four Grammys, six Billboard Awards, and even an Emmy (for the soundtrack to For Love Of Country -- The Arturo Sandoval Story). His trumpet style, with its soaring improvisational pyrotechnics and sometimes blustery but always sonorous tone, has influenced an entire generation of young Latin players. Now a tenured professor at Florida International University and proud owner of Miami's Arturo Sandoval Jazz Club but still a working musician, he has performed with everyone from Dizzy Gillespie to Michel Legrand to Tony Bennett to Patti Labelle. The present album captures both his virtuosity and generosity toward other musicians, as he leads a hand-picked cadre of headliners through 12 delightful tracks, all recorded in robust, state-of-the-art sound. Felipe Lamoglia (sax), Antonio Perez (piano), Armando Gola (bass), Alexis "Pututi" Arce (drums) and Tomas Cruz (percussion), plus some very talented sidemen, toss themes around with playful or obsessed abandon, making some tunes into a mad scrimmage and others into a post-coital meditation. Even a new-comer to jazz and/or Latin music will be charmed and elated by the sonic brilliance and musical passion on tap here -- it's one of Sandoval's latter-day high points and that's saying a lot. --Christina Roden