(Mama Records)

For composer-arranger-conductor Socrates Garcia, this production is an autobiographical tapestry. Back Home pays tribute to Garcia’s experiences growing in his native Dominican Republic. Each of the wonderfully written works are an homage to people and places in the Caribbean island that influenced his life. The tunes are rich with percussive Afro-Latin rhythms and lush horn arrangements.  The horn section is comprised of outstanding woodwind, trumpet, flugelhorn and trombone sections, while the percussion unit includes congas, atables, guira, and timbal, all backed by an excellent 5-piece rhythm section. There are also vocals included on of the tracks. The melding of the sounds and the writing make this just a fantastic recording.