Wayne Wallace: Fascinating Rhythm

San Francisco native Wayne Wallace continues to impress with his mastery of the Afro-Cuban idiom. His 2007 release The Reckless Search for Beauty was one of the neglected gems of the year, and his follow-up The Nature of the Beat is another small-label project that deserves to find a wider audience. This Gershwin tune is an unlikely candidate for Latin treatment -- its syncopated melody line is built on a rhythmic displacement that is more suited to prewar New York stylings than clave. But Wallace pulls out all the stops in giving a new flavor to this old song, crafting a crisp arrangement and even adding lead and background vocals in Spanish. Fascinating indeed!