Dave Valentin
Valentin, a Bronx-born flutist who has always played Latin-and-rock-tinged jazz, has worked more and more Latin and rock and less and less jazz into his playing in the four years since he recorded his first solo album. This is his fifth, and there are flashes on its eight tracks of the kind of lyrical imagination he has shown in the past—particularly on his and Mike Viñas' tune Dansette. There is also a lot of walk-through material, however, from the pro forma funk of Street Beat to his backing of singer Jolyon Skinner on the disco-ish "I Don't Wanna Fall in Love (I Just Wanna Dance)". Valentin's flute seems listless at times, meandering at others; this is far from his best music.
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