The American guitarist, composer, singer, bandleader, arranger, producer, technician Chris Cortez can easily be called a busy bee. In 2015, he took a break from his Blue Bamboo Music label and returned to his hometown of Winter Park, Florida, to build a performing arts center there. That center grew into an asset for the local community. After that, he breathed new life into his label. But realizing that he had never recorded a live album before, he took up that challenge. He has hosted several performances with drummers Joel Rosenblatt and Jeff Sipe, bassists Ron Jenkins and Doug Mathews, saxophonist Jeff Rupert, trumpeter John DePaola, flautist Dan Jordan, and pianist Bob Thornton. Opener is 'The Visit', which is a tribute to guitarist Pat Martino, followed by the swinging Earth, Wind & Fire cover 'That's the Way of the World'. 'Arlington Park' floats on a Latin beat, followed by the optimistic sounding 'Awakenings'. And swinging does 'Different Strokes', while 'Aarrgh' is named after the sound an old man makes when he gets up from his couch. The bluesy ballad 'Melody Makes it Happen' is dedicated to his wife Melody, after which we find ourselves again in Latin with 'The Rose of Shalamar'. Closer 'A Remark You Made' is dedicated to all those we lost during the Corona pandemic. This is their interpretation of a ballad by Joe Zawinul. So a varied album, in which Chris' guitar is always in the foreground.
		Website Cortez Tracks: 01 The Visit 02 That's the Way of the World 03 Arlington Park 04 Awakenings 05 Different Strokes 06 Arrgh 07 Melody Makes It Happen 08 The Rose of Shalamar 09 A Remark You Made