Both players possess superb instrumental technique, equally superior expressions, tone, touch, and ideas. Although operating in a comfort polyglotal zone that reveals as much bop as it does pop, Latin romantic song, classical and Afro-Caribbean tales, they never come across as multi-culti musical braggarts. This duo performance is a rare piece in the jazz canon.

There are some unexpected noirish lines from Humberto Ramírez’s muted trumpet on the title cut, which also features a rhythmic foundation based on a variation on the guaguancó, Spaniard fragrances, chords that seem extracted from La Borinqueña, and a free flowing hard-handed bongo playing underlying the rare chance to listen to Pedro Pérez on bass guitar.

"Estimado Gilberto" is one of two Marín compositions on this disc. It reveals a sensible pianist engaged in the open with a tight small ensemble, with loads of poise, strength and some devilishness too. In "Máscara," things heat up and one must pay attention to the conga soloing therein. "¡Qué falta tú me haces!" is slow as molasses and Iván Maraver's romance on guitar is bootilicious. Even Israel López "Cachao" is referenced in "Ése soy yo," where the listener gets the atypical opportunity to listen to Pérez solo on acoustic bass.

Monroig had a voice and delivery with much more personality, character, and emotive capabilities than actual vocal resources. He did not lack a singer’s voice, but his popularity and lasting interest cannot be explained simply by his tone, phrasing, or range. Was Marín, however, successful in pouring such a Monroig mix in a Latin jazz mold?

Unbeknownst to someone knowledgeable in his career, the disc was played as background music during a recent dinner at my house. Within a few bars of the opening title cut, said person readily identified it as "a bolero that Gilberto Monroig used to sing so well…" "Inconsolable" is a Rafael Hernández composition that has been interpreted by many, yet this person readily identified it as being particularly touched by Monroig.

This is one of the most important Puerto Rican jazz productions ever recorded.