Imagine a man sitting back on the couch late at night. The room lights are out. The single halogen lamp is focused on the writing pad that's open to a clean page. Shortly after pressing 'Play' on the iPod, the writer's attention fades from the textural crispness of the page to...

Wedding receptions.

I know, I know... but it's not what you're thinking. No, the band is not playing yet another rendition of "Mony, Mony." No, this is a refined affair — an evening reception, white table linens, warm summer breezes, the bride dressed in antique silks, the father bursting with pride.

How did I get there?

I went to a lot of weddings when I was a kid. Polish weddings. The reception bands always featured one or two accordions for the inevitable rounds of polka music. It was both hilarious and heartwarming to see the aunts and uncles wheeling around the dance floor. When the accordions were dialed back for waltzes, the music took on an old-world feel.

Of course, they didn't play a whole lot of Cuban music at these events, but that didn't stop my ear parts from noting the common elements between the musics — the earthy rhythms, the warmth, the romance.

If, after listening to My Island, you were told that Rafi Malkiel was born and raised in Cuba, you would have no reason to doubt it. Such is the genuine nature of the music. In fact, Malkiel was born in Jerusalem in 1972, moving to New York in 1996. His jazz and Latin music pedigree includes a long list of artists such as Ray Anderson, The Duke Ellington Orchestra, Reggie Workman's John Coltrane Africa Brass Live, The Willie Colon Orchestra, and Salsa Picante. For this record, Malkiel said that he wanted to evoke in a jazz setting, the atmosphere of an evening spent in a Latin jazz club. He has done that and more.

Malkiel brings his trombone and euphonium skills, a great ensemble, plus some wide-ranging ideas (big ears!) to a program that manages to rewind my mind back to those many post-nuptial celebrations by taking a trip through a collection of styles, one per song. Why this turns my clock back was at first a bit of a mystery, but subsequent listens revealed the key: romance. Since most Latin music is never too far from romance, let's visit some of the songs leading up the the bride and groom's first dance.