Trumpeter Sandoval’s Natural Momentum

As often is the case, Arturo Sandoval wasn’t home. A call to his Miami home earlier this week, at a time arranged by his manager, produced Arturo Sandoval Jr., a budding visual artist of 20, but not his father, the trumpeter from Cuba.

“His plane has been delayed,” Arturo Jr. explained. “Yes, it’s true; he’s gone a lot.”

A lot and then some. A few hours later, Sandoval the elder was home from a trip that had taken him to Brazil to play classical music with the National Philharmonic, then to Orlando for a concert celebrating Disney World’s 25th anniversary.

“They had many big stars at Disney World,” he said. “I was just one little person there.”

But at 46, Sandoval--who plays Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa tonight--is no little person in the jazz world. Since defecting from Cuba in 1990, he has released seven albums, made countless public appearances and gained a reputation that transcends category, drawing fans from contemporary, Latin and mainstream jazz camps.

It’s mainstreamers who are most pleased by his latest GRP release, “Swingin’,” with tunes from Dizzy Gillespie, John Coltrane and Woody Shaw along with Sandoval’s own hard-bop inspired numbers.

It’s a decided switch from “Arturo Sandoval & the Latin Train,” “Danzon,” a collection of Latin dance styles, and “The Classical Album.” Before those, Sandoval did everything from a contemporary album (“Flight to Freedom”) to a be-bop tribute to Clifford Brown.

“I love the freedom, Man. I love having no conflicts, no compromises, no boundaries on what kind of music I can play,” he said. “That’s what I really love.”

Gillespie--who went with him to the U.S. Embassy when Sandoval sought asylum--was a light of Sandoval’s life.

“My hero,” Sandoval calls him. “I played with him many years, recorded five albums with him. I learned a lot of what I know just watching him play. My biggest honor in life was to be his friend.”

He also cites be-bop trumpeter Brown, who died at 25 in a 1956 auto accident.

“He was an incredible musician. But what I’ve learned about him is that he was a great human being. I’ve been fortunate to meet his wife and his son, Clifford Jr., and his widow has told me beautiful stories about him. Everybody I know in the music business who has been around long enough agrees that he was an incredible person.”

A third influence--less connected with Sandoval until the release of “Swingin’ “--is Shaw, who led one of the most important hard-bop combos from the late ‘70s until his death in 1989.

“I met him in Cuba in 1979 and even got to play with him three or four times. He was a beautiful guy . . . one of a kind.”

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The influence of all three trumpeters can be heard on Sandoval’s “Swingin’,” tunes, which are rich in be-bop lines and hard-bop drive. Sandoval said he had just enough time at home to write the music for the album.

“I have to get right to it, though. Every day when I’m home, I go straight from the bed to the piano and play something, put together some lines, piece a melody together, then I go brush my teeth.”

His heavy schedule is a carry-over from the Miami days when he needed every job he could get.

“I have to work, man. It’s a necessity to go out and play. I have to pay the bills and take care of No. 1, but I also want to get the music out to the people. If I don’t do that, what am I going to do? Retire?”

And answered himself: “No way.”

* Arturo Sandoval plays tonight at the Robert B. Moore Theatre, Orange Coast College, 2701 Fairview Road, Costa Mesa. 8 p.m. $20 in advance, $24 at the door ($18 for OCC students, seniors, children under 12). (714) 432-5880.