js “Hot, Cool and Latin” is the combination of two albums that Eric Dolphy had worked on from 1959 to 1960, but were not released until 1996. Its interesting that they would combine these two albums, because their musical sounds are quite different from each other. The first eight cuts on this CD feature Dolphy fronting an unusual quartet (three string players - bass, guitar and cello) playing very creative chamber jazz that had little in common with the “free” avant-garde of its time, nor the hard bop of the mainstream. The following seven cuts feature Dolphy fronting a Latin jazz quintet playing standards and originals in a Latin pop-jazz style that also features Dolphy’s idiosyncratic oddness. Overall this CD presents an exotic mix of musical styles that transcend the jazz of its time and hold a lot of appeal to collectors of unique and unusual instrumental music.

The first eight cuts on this album are very eclectic and combine a smorgasbord of styles from crazy high speed bop, to classical chamber music, blues, early jazz and music never heard before. Each of these short little gems present a unique musical world that are the jazz equivalent of Brian Wilson's work with pop music. Dolphy plays mostly alto on these numbers with an approach rooted in Charlie Parker’s high speed melodic ideas, but with Dolphy’s characteristic left hand turns. Dolphy sounds like a portrait of Parker that was smeared before the colors were dried. All of these cuts are great, but one standout is “Opening”, one minute and thirty nine seconds of blistering high speed punk-bop that was light years ahead of its time.

The following seven cuts feature Dolphy’s odd take on the Afro-Cuban pop jazz of the time. Dophy mostly plays flute on these cuts with a very pretty and melodic sound that combines with Felipe Diaz’s vibraphone to produce an almost “exotica” atmosphere similar to Herbie Mann. This is one of the most unique collection of recordings you will find in the world of jazz, or in the world of music in general for that matter.