Concord's The Colors of Latin Jazz series rounds up Latin jazz sounds originally released by their Concord Picante offshoot. The tunes on Cha Cha Soul! are a mix of Latin styles, but mainly focus on the cha cha and guajira rhythms, and are taken from records released between 1982 and 2003. Tracks by Mongo Santamaria, Ray Barretto, Eddie Palmieri, Cal Tjader (with the great Carmen McRae), and Tito Puente provide marquee drawing power, and the rest of the performers aren't exactly unknowns in the Latin jazz field. None of the aforementioned performers are at the peak of their powers, but they turn in credible and often exciting dance music. Standout performances include McRae's gritty take on Santana's "Evil Ways" and Tito Puente and his band going to town on a live take of their classic "Oye Como Va." So while the sound of the record certainly reflects the time the songs were recorded, very clean and with most of the grease wiped away, this collection will satisfy fans of Latin jazz looking for a smooth and easy selection of modern sounds. ~ Tim Sendra, All Music Guide