Your Daily Lick: Bill Ortiz

From Where I Stand (Tangent Records)

Bay Area Bands Mon, Jul 13, 2009 at 3:03 PM

A ten-year member of Santana's touring band (he landed the gig after performing on Carlos' 1999 smash single "Smooth"), San Francisco trumpeter Ortiz steps out on his own with this sultry solo debut. Despite the Santana connection, there's no Latin to be found among Ortiz's thirteen originals; he dabbles instead in smooth jazz, soul, R&B, and even reggae, mastering each language as he goes.

— Nate Seltenrich