4 Lagrimas Negras (Calle 54/Bluebird), by 80-something Cuban pianist Bebo Valdes and 30-something Roma flamenco vocalist Diego El Cigala, is not strictly jazz or Cuban or flamenco. It is simply a stroke of genius that defies category. The songs are well-known boleros (ballads) from various parts of the Spanish-speaking world. Valdes shines with a classic slow-burning Cuban piano dexterity, a sound he helped define before he left Cuba in the '50s (think Buena Vista Social Club). Cigala's voice is cloaked in a wail that is part Moorish, part Indian, part Iberian and unmistakably flamenco. The instrumentation is sparse: piano, voice, bass and the flamenco cajon (percussive box that is played like a drum). On the title cut, the sound is fleshed out with a stellar group: clarinetist Paquito d'Rivera, violinist Federico Britos (there is a duet album with Bebo and Britos in the can) and Cuban percussion masters Changuito and Tata Guines-but the larger group does not cloud the intimacy of this classic song of despair. Bebo and Cigala redefine flamenco and bolero with an artistic integrity that jazz fans will appreciate (especially if you follow along with the lyrics printed inside the CD). true 232 2007-06-07T14:05:44-04:00 15332 89 200503 true 0 100 2005-03-01T00:00:00-05:00

Lagrimas Negras (Calle 54/Bluebird), by 80-something Cuban pianist Bebo Valdes and 30-something Roma flamenco vocalist Diego El Cigala, is not strictly jazz or Cuban or flamenco. It is simply a stroke of genius that defies category. The songs are well-known boleros (ballads) from various parts of the Spanish-speaking world. Valdes shines with a classic slow-burning Cuban piano dexterity, a sound he helped define before he left Cuba in the '50s (think Buena Vista Social Club). Cigala's voice is cloaked in a wail that is part Moorish, part Indian, part Iberian and unmistakably flamenco. The instrumentation is sparse: piano, voice, bass and the flamenco cajon (percussive box that is played like a drum). On the title cut, the sound is fleshed out with a stellar group: clarinetist Paquito d'Rivera, violinist Federico Britos (there is a duet album with Bebo and Britos in the can) and Cuban percussion masters Changuito and Tata Guines-but the larger group does not cloud the intimacy of this classic song of despair. Bebo and Cigala redefine flamenco and bolero with an artistic integrity that jazz fans will appreciate (especially if you follow along with the lyrics printed inside the CD).

2009-03-02T00:24:22-05:00

4 Omara Portuondo's Flor de Amor (World Circuit/Nonesuch) is just that: a flower of love dedicated to classic old school son and boleros. Had she left Cuba before the revolution perhaps we'd have another First Lady of Cuban song along with Celia Cruz. In her 70s, the former Buena Vista star's voice is strong on this CD, as she improvises over rhythms that make the hips sway and the feet move. Opening with the African influenced "Tabu" sets the pace for what is to follow: sophisticated rhythms that smolder rather than burn under Portuondo's elegant, mahogany vocals. She is accompanied by three generations of Cuban musicians including the talented oud player Barbarito Torres and bassist Orlando "Cachaito" Lopez. Never overpowering, the music deftly supports Portuondo's rhythmic word play and old school ballad phrasing. true 232 2007-06-07T14:05:44-04:00 15333 89 200503 true 0 100 2005-03-01T00:00:00-05:00

Omara Portuondo's Flor de Amor (World Circuit/Nonesuch) is just that: a flower of love dedicated to classic old school son and boleros. Had she left Cuba before the revolution perhaps we'd have another First Lady of Cuban song along with Celia Cruz. In her 70s, the former Buena Vista star's voice is strong on this CD, as she improvises over rhythms that make the hips sway and the feet move. Opening with the African influenced "Tabu" sets the pace for what is to follow: sophisticated rhythms that smolder rather than burn under Portuondo's elegant, mahogany vocals. She is accompanied by three generations of Cuban musicians including the talented oud player Barbarito Torres and bassist Orlando "Cachaito" Lopez. Never overpowering, the music deftly supports Portuondo's rhythmic word play and old school ballad phrasing.

2009-03-02T00:24:22-05:00

4 There is a strong tie between African-influenced Peruvian sounds and Afro-Cuban Santeria drum music. The bond is best shown in lando music, the perfect hybrid of Andean melodic tradition and African rhythmic sensibilities, with the percussion played slightly behind the beat. Eva Ayllon is an icon of the Afro-Peruvian culture and tradition, and Eva! Leyenda Peruana (Times Square) is her most successful attempt to combine lando with elements from both folk and contemporary Latin music. The standout cut is "Cardo o Ceniza," a stripped-down cover of a tune by the grand dame of lando, Chabuca Granda. Against sparse accompaniment (piano and rhythm section), Ayllon's voice is rich and deep, and her phrasing is both reverent and playful. true 232 2007-06-07T14:05:44-04:00 15334 89 200503 true 0 100 2005-03-01T00:00:00-05:00

There is a strong tie between African-influenced Peruvian sounds and Afro-Cuban Santeria drum music. The bond is best shown in lando music, the perfect hybrid of Andean melodic tradition and African rhythmic sensibilities, with the percussion played slightly behind the beat. Eva Ayllon is an icon of the Afro-Peruvian culture and tradition, and Eva! Leyenda Peruana (Times Square) is her most successful attempt to combine lando with elements from both folk and contemporary Latin music. The standout cut is "Cardo o Ceniza," a stripped-down cover of a tune by the grand dame of lando, Chabuca Granda. Against sparse accompaniment (piano and rhythm section), Ayllon's voice is rich and deep, and her phrasing is both reverent and playful.

2009-03-02T00:24:22-05:00

4 Chilean vocalist Mariana Montalvo's new CD, Piel de Aceituna (World Village), which means "olive-skinned," is a remarkable mixture of Chilean nueva cancion, French chanson and a splash of world-music sensibilities (reggae and West African). Montalvo delivers a cosmopolitan record that sounds as if it came from both Santiago de Chile and Paris (where it was recorded). Montalvo's music echoes the great Chilean singer-songwriters Mercedes Sosa and Victor Jara-exquisitely written narratives accompanied by music played on traditional Andean instruments. The best cuts are the songs written by Montalvo herself, where she sings melodies that are perfectly suited for her light yet expressive voice. The session is dominated by accordion, and that instrument provides the cultural glue that makes the worldly Piel de Aceituna work as well as it does. true 232 2007-06-07T14:05:44-04:00 15335 89 200503 true 0 100 2005-03-01T00:00:00-05:00

Chilean vocalist Mariana Montalvo's new CD, Piel de Aceituna (World Village), which means "olive-skinned," is a remarkable mixture of Chilean nueva cancion, French chanson and a splash of world-music sensibilities (reggae and West African). Montalvo delivers a cosmopolitan record that sounds as if it came from both Santiago de Chile and Paris (where it was recorded). Montalvo's music echoes the great Chilean singer-songwriters Mercedes Sosa and Victor Jara-exquisitely written narratives accompanied by music played on traditional Andean instruments. The best cuts are the songs written by Montalvo herself, where she sings melodies that are perfectly suited for her light yet expressive voice. The session is dominated by accordion, and that instrument provides the cultural glue that makes the worldly Piel de Aceituna work as well as it does.

2009-03-02T00:24:22-05:00

4 The Argentinean bandeon-an accordion-like instrument that fuels the tango-gets an update on vocalist Gabriela Anders' Last Tango in Rio (Narada). She uses the bandeon where the saxophone would normally be in a jazz group, and while it takes some getting used to, it works. Anders has been a longtime resident of New York, but she studied music at conservatories in Buenos Aires. The influence of both cultures is in every note of her music. The CD also has a contemporary sound-hip-hop-tinged but with a solid jazz sensibility-and Anders' feathery vocals float a batch of originals and a mini tribute to Billie Holiday. Taking on tunes so closely associated with a legend ("Body and Soul" and "God Bless the Child") is dangerous ground. Borrowing heavily from chill-out electronica, Anders deconstructs "Child" to a point that it is almost unrecognizable. Blasphemy? Maybe, but I think Anders pulls it off with great success. true 232 2007-06-07T14:05:44-04:00 15336 89 200503 true 0 100 2005-03-01T00:00:00-05:00

The Argentinean bandeon-an accordion-like instrument that fuels the tango-gets an update on vocalist Gabriela Anders' Last Tango in Rio (Narada). She uses the bandeon where the saxophone would normally be in a jazz group, and while it takes some getting used to, it works. Anders has been a longtime resident of New York, but she studied music at conservatories in Buenos Aires. The influence of both cultures is in every note of her music. The CD also has a contemporary sound-hip-hop-tinged but with a solid jazz sensibility-and Anders' feathery vocals float a batch of originals and a mini tribute to Billie Holiday. Taking on tunes so closely associated with a legend ("Body and Soul" and "God Bless the Child") is dangerous ground. Borrowing heavily from chill-out electronica, Anders deconstructs "Child" to a point that it is almost unrecognizable. Blasphemy? Maybe, but I think Anders pulls it off with great success.

2009-03-02T00:24:22-05:00

4 Maria Marquez was born in Venezuela, studied music at Berklee in Boston and has been making wonderful music in the Bay Area. Her latest Princesa de Naturaleza (Nature's Princess) is the best showcase of her grasp of pan-Latin traditions and jazz singing. This is really a storytelling session: folk legends, poems, boleros and Marquez's originals are set to jazz and folk music but played with chamber-music sensitivity. The melodies are clearly rooted in traditional sounds but the instrumentation is original and surprising. John Santos is the costar of Princesa, and he and his percussion arrangements shine throughout. For example, his subtle rhythmic touch draws attention to Marquez's haunting vocals on the Venezuelan work song "Tonada de Ordeno." Throughout the CD an eclectic range of instruments from Latin America as well as the U.S.-who would have expected a New Orleans-style sousaphone on "Besame Mucho"?-accompany her dark, captivating voice. This CD is a major step forward for an artist who deserves much more recognition. true 232 2007-06-07T14:05:44-04:00 15337 89 200503 true 0 100 2005-03-01T00:00:00-05:00

Maria Marquez was born in Venezuela, studied music at Berklee in Boston and has been making wonderful music in the Bay Area. Her latest Princesa de Naturaleza (Nature's Princess) is the best showcase of her grasp of pan-Latin traditions and jazz singing. This is really a storytelling session: folk legends, poems, boleros and Marquez's originals are set to jazz and folk music but played with chamber-music sensitivity. The melodies are clearly rooted in traditional sounds but the instrumentation is original and surprising. John Santos is the costar of Princesa, and he and his percussion arrangements shine throughout. For example, his subtle rhythmic touch draws attention to Marquez's haunting vocals on the Venezuelan work song "Tonada de Ordeno." Throughout the CD an eclectic range of instruments from Latin America as well as the U.S.-who would have expected a New Orleans-style sousaphone on "Besame Mucho"?-accompany her dark, captivating voice. This CD is a major step forward for an artist who deserves much more recognition.

2009-03-02T00:24:22-05:00

4 Vocalist Maria Rita (WEA International) comes from elite blood: her mother is the late Elis Regina, one of Brazil's greatest vocalists, and her father is pianist and arranger Cesar Camargo Mariano. Rita takes on her legacy head-on with her self-titled debut, which was a hit in Brazil and earned her a Latin Grammy. The CD is filled with tunes by some of Rita's homeland's best-known songwriters (Milton Nascimento, Ivan Lins), and the album brims with acoustic jazz, Brazilian art song and intelligent pop-sometimes all on the same tune. The Portuguese lyrics are not translated, so the music has to convey their emotional impact-and it does. Rita's voice has some of the breathiness that sounds so bossa nova, but the arrangements let her dig her heels in and color in a lot more of the sound. true 232 2007-06-07T14:05:44-04:00 15338 89 200503 true 0 100 2005-03-01T00:00:00-05:00

Vocalist Maria Rita (WEA International) comes from elite blood: her mother is the late Elis Regina, one of Brazil's greatest vocalists, and her father is pianist and arranger Cesar Camargo Mariano. Rita takes on her legacy head-on with her self-titled debut, which was a hit in Brazil and earned her a Latin Grammy. The CD is filled with tunes by some of Rita's homeland's best-known songwriters (Milton Nascimento, Ivan Lins), and the album brims with acoustic jazz, Brazilian art song and intelligent pop-sometimes all on the same tune. The Portuguese lyrics are not translated, so the music has to convey their emotional impact-and it does. Rita's voice has some of the breathiness that sounds so bossa nova, but the arrangements let her dig her heels in and color in a lot more of the sound.

2009-03-02T00:24:22-05:00

4 The Girl From Bossa Nova (Groove Note) is not from bossa nova actually. Or Brazil. In fact, she is not even from anywhere in Latin America. Vocalist Jacintha is from Singapore, but she hopscotches her way through a handful of outstanding Brazilian tunes on this CD. Working with a group that includes legendary Brazilian percussionist Paulinho da Costa, Jacintha's sultry vocals move quite easily into bossa nova mode from her usual torch-singer style. The problem with the album is that we have heard many of these tunes ("Desafinado," "Wave," "How Insensitive," "Corcovado," "Waters of March," etc.) countless times by better singers. Songs by composers like Vinicius de Moraes, Tom Jobim or Luiz Bonfa are not serviced by Jacintha's inability to dig into the saudade (melancholy) that makes their songs so distinctive and timeless. true 232 2007-06-07T14:05:44-04:00 15339 89 200503 true 0 100 2005-03-01T00:00:00-05:00

The Girl From Bossa Nova (Groove Note) is not from bossa nova actually. Or Brazil. In fact, she is not even from anywhere in Latin America. Vocalist Jacintha is from Singapore, but she hopscotches her way through a handful of outstanding Brazilian tunes on this CD. Working with a group that includes legendary Brazilian percussionist Paulinho da Costa, Jacintha's sultry vocals move quite easily into bossa nova mode from her usual torch-singer style. The problem with the album is that we have heard many of these tunes ("Desafinado," "Wave," "How Insensitive," "Corcovado," "Waters of March," etc.) countless times by better singers. Songs by composers like Vinicius de Moraes, Tom Jobim or Luiz Bonfa are not serviced by Jacintha's inability to dig into the saudade (melancholy) that makes their songs so distinctive and timeless.

2009-03-02T00:24:22-05:00

4 Marco Figueira is a guitarist and vocalist who knows how to keep good company. On his debut CD, Brazilliance (Blue Toucan), Figueira is accompanied by trumpeter Claudio Roditi, pianist Helio Alves, legendary bassist Sergio Brandao and Tom Jobim's longtime drummer Paulo Braga. The music draws from jazz as much as it does from Brazil. While the instrumentation is mostly contemporary and electric, the musicians play with acoustic sensibilities. The melodically percussive "Olho de Peixe" is the one cut that seems to tie it all together, the old and the new, in an eloquent display of tasty guitar and earnest vocals. On the rest of the CD Figueira's guitar is supported with lush string arrangements, subtle percussive colors and jazz piano. "Dunas," composed by vocalist Rosa Passos, is an old school bossa nova that best illustrates Figueira's strength: taking the bossa to new places while never forgetting its classic form. true 232 2007-06-07T14:05:44-04:00 15340 89 200503 true 0 100 2005-03-01T00:00:00-05:00

Marco Figueira is a guitarist and vocalist who knows how to keep good company. On his debut CD, Brazilliance (Blue Toucan), Figueira is accompanied by trumpeter Claudio Roditi, pianist Helio Alves, legendary bassist Sergio Brandao and Tom Jobim's longtime drummer Paulo Braga. The music draws from jazz as much as it does from Brazil. While the instrumentation is mostly contemporary and electric, the musicians play with acoustic sensibilities. The melodically percussive "Olho de Peixe" is the one cut that seems to tie it all together, the old and the new, in an eloquent display of tasty guitar and earnest vocals. On the rest of the CD Figueira's guitar is supported with lush string arrangements, subtle percussive colors and jazz piano. "Dunas," composed by vocalist Rosa Passos, is an old school bossa nova that best illustrates Figueira's strength: taking the bossa to new places while never forgetting its classic form.

2009-03-02T00:24:22-05:00

4 Ana Caram's Hollywood Rio (Ches-ky) is a concept that actually works: a few well-chosen popular movie themes songs are given the bossa nova treatment. Who knew Burt Bacharach was from Brazil? "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head" sounds as if it is supposed to be sung in Portuguese. Charlie Chaplin's "Smile" and "As Time Goes By" (from Casablanca) are perfect for the lush strings and jazz quartet. The familiar melodies are sung in Portuguese, and the music is balanced between bossa and jazz. Caram's vocals are perfectly suited to strike a balance between familiarity and experimentation, and while her phrasing might not always match bossa nova's lilting rhythmic ticks it doesn't distract from her performances. true 232 2007-06-07T14:05:44-04:00 15341 89 200503 true 0 100 2005-03-01T00:00:00-05:00

Ana Caram's Hollywood Rio (Ches-ky) is a concept that actually works: a few well-chosen popular movie themes songs are given the bossa nova treatment. Who knew Burt Bacharach was from Brazil? "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head" sounds as if it is supposed to be sung in Portuguese. Charlie Chaplin's "Smile" and "As Time Goes By" (from Casablanca) are perfect for the lush strings and jazz quartet. The familiar melodies are sung in Portuguese, and the music is balanced between bossa and jazz. Caram's vocals are perfectly suited to strike a balance between familiarity and experimentation, and while her phrasing might not always match bossa nova's lilting rhythmic ticks it doesn't distract from her performances.

2009-03-02T00:24:22-05:00