Pianist and composer Arturo O'Farrill scales back to a smaller version of his Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra—a 10-piece unit he calls the Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble—for this program of two back-to-back extended suites. O'Farrill wrote both as commissions for the Cuban Malpaso Dance Company, so imagining the choreography in the mind's eye as one listens to these vibrant, expansive Afro-Cuban jazz works can add to the experience.

"Despedida" is O'Farrill's reflection on farewells, while the longer "Dreaming in Lions" takes inspiration from Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea—apropos given the novelist's many years as a Cuban resident.

Joined by his sons Adam and Zack O'Farrill (on trumpet and drums, respectively), the leader gets a big surging sound even with the smaller group, employing three multi-percussionists as well as Rafi Malkiel on euphonium and trombone, Alejandro Aviles cutting through the mix on flute and saxophones, Jose "Bam Bamn Rodriguez Platiau holding it down on bass and Travis Reuter bringing elegance and grit on nylon-string and electric guitars. O'Farrill is virtuosic and expressive on acoustic piano, and his silken, modern electric playing varies the band texture in many spots ("Ensayo Silencio", "How I Love", "The Deep", "Struggles and Strugglets").

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DESPEDIDA

1. Del Mar
2. Intruso
3. Beauty Cocoon
4. Ensayo Silencio
5. La Llorona

DREAMING IN LIONS

6. Dreaming in Lions
7. Scalular
8. How I Love
9. The Deep
10. War Bird Man
11. Struggles and Strugglets
12. I Wish We Was
13. Blood in the Water

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