Paquito D'Rivera (the highly regarded Cuban-American alto saxophonist and winner of 14 Grammy Awards) and Arturo Sandoval (the highly regarded Cuban-American jazz trumpeter and winner of 10 Grammy Awards) rejoined in Germany to record this incredibly special album originally released in 1991.
Reunion was the first time that Paquito D'Rivera and trumpeter Arturo Sandoval recorded together since D'Rivera's defection in 1980; Sandoval had recently left Cuba himself. The co-leaders are joined by a superb band: pianist Danilo Perez, acoustic guitarist Fareed Haque, bassist David Finck, drummer Mark Walker, and Giovanni Hidalgo on conga. The group mostly performs originals plus a couple Chucho Valdes songs, Body and Soul (a showcase for Sandoval) and Dizzy Gillespie's Tanga. Plenty of fireworks occur on this consistently heated Afro-Cuban jazz set and the co-leaders clearly inspire each other. When will they have their next reunion? -Scott Yanow, AllMusic
