Flight to Freedom is an album by Cuban jazz trumpeter, pianist and composer Arturo Sandoval, first released on the GRP label in 1991.
The Allmusic review stated "On his American debut, Sandoval mostly performs boppish jazz (other than the dull "Marianela") with slight touches of rock and spiced with Latin percussion. The trumpeter shows restraint on the ballads (including a tasty "Body and Soul") and displays plenty of fire on the often-funky uptempo romps, not overdoing the effortless high notes. With the assistance of the high-powered tenor of Ed Calle, the versatile guitarist Rene Luis Toledo, and a variety of talented sidemen (including guest Chick Corea on three songs), Arturo Sandoval's long overdue debut is well-rounded, exciting, and highlighted by a fast rendition of Dizzy Gillespie's "Tanga."
All compositions by Arturo Sandoval except as indicated
- "Flight to Freedom" (Danilo Pérez)
- "Last Time I Saw You"(Richard Eddy)
- "Caribeno"
- "Samba de Amore" (Rene Luis Toledo)
- "Psalm" (Chick Corea)
- "Rene's Song" (Rene Luis Toledo)
- "Body and Soul" (Frank Eyton / Johnny Green / Edward Heyman /Robert Sour)
- "Tanga" (Dizzy Gillespie)
- "Caprichosos de la Habana"
- "Marianela"
Backing Vocals – Ed Calle (tracks: 3), Orlando Hernandez (tracks: 3), Rene Luis Toledo* (tracks: 3)
Bass – Anthony Jackson (tracks: 1, 2, 5), Nicky Orta* (tracks: 3, 4, 6 to 10)
Co-producer – Richard Eddy
Coordinator [Album] – Julia Fuller
Cowbell – Arturo Sandoval (tracks: 3)
Drums – Dave Weckl (tracks: 1, 2, 5, 7, 8, 10), Orlando Hernandez (tracks: 3, 4, 6, 9)
Edited By [Digital] – Joseph Doughney, Michael Landy
Electronic Wind Instrument [EWI] – Ed Calle (tracks: 3, 10)
Engineer [Assistant Mixing] – David Amlen*, J.B. Chupick
Engineer [Assistant Recording] – Jackie Brown, Neil DiGnon
Executive-Producer – Dave Grusin, Larry Rosen
Flugelhorn – Arturo Sandoval (tracks: 4, 6, 7, 10)
Flute – Ed Calle (tracks: 4, 5)
Guitar – Rene Luis Toledo* (tracks: 3, 4, 6, to 9)
Lead Vocals – Arturo Sandoval (tracks: 3)
Liner Notes – Arturo Sandoval
Mastered By – Ted Jensen
Mixed By [Digitally] – Carl Griffin, Richard Eddy
Percussion – Arturo Sandoval (tracks: 9), Long John* (tracks: 1 to 9)
Piano – Chick Corea (tracks: 1, 2, 5), Mike Orta* (tracks: 3, 4, 6 to 8)
Producer – Joel Dorn
Producer [Associate] – Carl Griffin
Producer [Post-Production] – Joseph Doughney, Michael Landy
Recorded By – Gene Paul
Saxophone – Ed Calle (tracks: 1 to 3, 6, 8)
Strings – Alfred Brown (tracks: 4, 7, 10), Elliot Rosoff (tracks: 4, 7, 10), Eugene Moye (tracks: 4, 7, 10), Gene Orloff (tracks: 4, 7, 10), Harry Zaratzian (tracks: 4, 7, 10), Jesse Levy (tracks: 4, 7, 10),John Pintavelle* (tracks: 4, 7, 10), Matthew Raimondi (tracks: 4, 7, 10), Max Ellen (tracks: 4, 7, 10),Sanford Allen (tracks: 4, 7, 10)
Synthesizer – Arturo Sandoval (tracks: 8, 10), Danilo Perez (tracks: 1), Mike Orta* (tracks: 9), Richard Eddy (tracks: 2)
Tenor Saxophone – Ed Calle (tracks: 9)
Timbales – Arturo Sandoval (tracks: 3)
Trumpet – Arturo Sandoval (tracks: 1 to 3, 5, 6, 8 to 10)
Vocals – Arturo Sandoval (tracks: 9), Ed Calle (tracks: 9), Joel Dorn (tracks: 9), Julia Fuller (tracks: 9),Mike Orta* (tracks: 9), Nicky Orta* (tracks: 9), Orlando Hernandez (tracks: 9), Pete King (4) (tracks: 9), Rene Luis Toledo* (tracks: 9)
