'Heart Beat' by Latin Jazz great Bill O'Connell, is his fourth release for the Savant label. Bill is joined by his acclaimed group The Latin Jazz All-Stars, featuring Conrad Herwig, Steve Slagle and Cuban percussion star Roman Diaz. Always one to seek out new ways to express his music vision, O'Connell has throughout his career embraced a broad stylistic swath of jazz, Latin and Brazilian idioms, while experimenting with an equally diverse orchestral formats, from a duo to unconventional trio settings and ensembles of various sizes. His well-known resume includes long stints as keyboardist and arranger for the legendary Cuban conguero Mongo Santamaria and Puerto Rican flautist Dave Valentín as well as engagements with a diverse array of jazz and Latin artists, from saxophonists Sonny Rollins and Gato Barbieri to trumpeters Chet Baker and Jerry Gonzalez. Personnel: Bill O'Connell (piano & arranger), Conrad Herwig (trombone), Steve Slagle (reeds), Luques Curtis (bass), Richie Barshay (drums), Roman Diaz (Latin percussion), Melvis Santa (vocals)