CD Review: Argentina's Gabriel Palatchi Releases 'Trivolution'

Gabriel Palatchi
Trivolution
Self-Release

Argentinian pianist and synth player, Gabriel Palatchi, is joined by Kerry Galloway on electric bass and Jose Maria Gonzalez on drums and percussion. Trivolution is a work of three band members that are not alone, as a few additional performers are added to the mix. The down-tempo, psych-driven grooves are jazz-infused and South American-tinged. The synths create a fluid, smooth jazz feel at times. On "Sefarad Roots," the music takes a Klezmer turn with a Gypsy-esque beat and melody. In fact, 'sefarad' suggests a Ladino presence with Old Spain. The funky sounds of "What Da Funk" contain a few vocals by David Gall. "Vive" is the only other track with vocals. Some of the songs are ripe with Latin brass and heavy percussion, while not straying too far from their South American jazz roots. The punchy and varied beats are a must-hear for fans of world jazz, South American music, and psych-funk concoctions. Trivolution is an excellent album. Join in the fun! ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Axel Krygier's 'Hombre De Piedra'

Axel Krygier
Hombre De Piedra
Crammed 

The contemporary recording, Hombre De Piedra, showcases an experimental vein of Axel Krygier's cross-cultural side. As a singer and composer, Axel brings together spaghetti Western, folk, Balkan, French cafe, blues, electronica, funk, and jazz influences for a truly exciting collection of songs that are never boring. The musical origins stem from Axel's Argentinian background, but this is not your typical tourist trap music. Instead, Axel combines edgy French, Russian, and Latin-American song styles for an enthralling release. A diverse instrumental repertoire helps the songs reach new heights and incredible appeal. Whether it is down-tempo or world music, Axel manages to create wonderful songs that are highly catchy and always memorable. If you are into new music with an ear-friendly beat; then try Axel's new release. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Chancha Via Circuito's 'Amansara'

Chancha Via Circuito
Amansara
Wonderwheel Recordings 

Argentina's Chancha Via Circuito is spearheaded by Pedro Canale. The electronic meastro incorporates indigenous sounds with contemporary arrangements that are scintillating, at times urban, and Latin dub-step all the way. The instrumental, "Sueno en Paraguay," is an excellent tune with Paraguayan harp and an electronic Andean folkore sound with bits of cumbia, dance, and avant-garde that will please even the purist. There are guest artists, including Lido Pimienta, Mirian Garcia, Sara Hebe, and Barrio Lindo, which provide a well-rounded cast of influences. The percussion-heavy, "Coplita," is a great example of folkloric sounds coming together with female vocals and a South American beat. There are eleven total tracks, which are imbued with electronic, percussion, and native sounds in one easy to understand production that does not stray too far from its roots. This will satisfy cumbia, neo-indigenous, and contemporary listeners seeking music from South America. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Cinco Santos' 'Duplicidad'

Cinco Santos
Duplicidad
Motivo Music Group

Formed by Lorenzo Montero of Canadian and Spanish decent, Cinco Santos embodies the spirit of Latin fusion incorporating various singers, guitarists, and musicians from Mexico, Colombia, and Argentina. The moving "Azucar y Amor" is a gypsy, flamenco, and fusion tune with jazzy, Latin elements that are ripe with roots, folk, and breezy rhythms. "Nunca Mas" is an edgy, Latin fusion track with a choppy beat and great guitar accompaniment. "Te Quiero Aqui" opens with an industrial element that quickly delves into a Latin jazz and flamenco tune. "Duplicidad" begins with a jingly guitar and bass opening that includes an edgy vocal line that infuses a lighter guitar accompaniment throughout. There is a mix of grunge, Latin jazz, and Latin pop with rock, roots, and folk throughout. Without a clearly-defined path, Cinco Santos feel better forging their own path of music with mixed Latin influences for a truly engaging and charming mix of music. Fans of Latin fusion, jazz, Latin rock, flamenco, gypsy, and South American pop will love Duplicidad. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Rafi eL's 'Ay De Mi'

Rafi eL
Ay De Mi
Dutty Artz

The L.A.-based singer, songwriter and musician, Rafi eL, possesses roots in Jewish and Argentinian cultures, which shines through on his new, adventurous release, Ay De Mi. The music is slightly electronic, urban, and spacious enough to let the melodies permeate the souls of the listeners. The somewhat synth-infused concoctions represent a refreshing style of music never before heard in the music world today. The eleven tunes contain sparkling, reverberating, and electronic-tinged melodies and rhythms that bridge South American and American influences. The light rhythms fuse a bit of Enigma, Jack Johnson, and Xavier Rudd in an imagined urban vacuum with cumbia as a foundation. Everyone will love this one. Rafi eL succeeds on Ay De Mi with a healthy dose of folkloric and electronic compositions that seem to bring back ancient melodies and spirits for today's generations. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Argentina's Tremor Releases 'Proa'

Tremor
Proa
Wonderwheel Recordings

Contemporary folklore musicians, Tremor, shake it up with Proa, which is a heady mix of digital noises and sounds with groovy beats, South American percussion, and exotic embellishments that are never dull or boring. The trio features Camilo Carabajal on bombo leguero, snare drum and caja; Gerardo Farez on keyboard and analog synthesizers, bombo leguero, snare drum, drums, melodica and kazoo; and Leonardo Martinelli on guitars, charanga, ronrocco, walaycho, sachaguitarra, kazoo, trutruca, bombo leguero, synths, samples, and programming. Keep in mind there are some vocals throughout, but the majority of music is instrumental. There are a few guest musicians on tarkas, quenas, sicus, clarinet, bass clarinet, and soprano sax. The title Proa symbolizes "the place where the bow of the boat cuts through the water." In this case, Proa cuts right to the top of the surface with quasi-modern beats, swishy percussion, and a South American spread of luscious sounds and melodies. Think of Nuklearte mixed with psychedelic cumbia masters, Bondi Blaster and Chico Trujillo. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Various Artists' 'Latin Noir'

Various Artists
Latin Noir
Piranha

Latin Noir is a Latin music gem with obscure rhythms, noises, and melodies originating from Argentina, Cuba, Colombia, USA, and Mediterranean regions. There is a mix of instrumental and vocal music. The vocal music is in English, Spanish, and French. The baker’s dozen album contains rich rhythms with lively percussion and melodies with Afro-Caribbean and indigenous cultural roots. Anyone familiar with Latin jazz, South American music, Caribbean, and Latin American music will love the tracks on Latin Noir. There are quieter tunes, but the music is generally upbeat. The breezy guitar work of “Dejame Me Que Te Lleve” is especially intriguing, along with the Cuban vocal delivery. There are tracks by Watcha Clan, Eddie Bobe, Chango Spasiuk, Alfredo Gutierrez, and many others. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Silvana Kane's 'La Jardinera'

Silvana Kane
La Jardinera
Six Degrees

Born in Peru and based in Canada, the soft-spoken and brilliant Silvana Kane creates a beautiful medley of folksy, South American-tinged compositions that are cheery, poppy, and ballad-esque. The slow, meandering folk song, "Duerme Negrito," is a good song with minimal percussion and instrumentation that is led by Silvana's voice and a distorted guitar. The playful, "La Jardinera," is a sweet song with bird sounds and a light guitar melody. The soft songs are reminiscent of nearby Argentina, Brazil, and Chile. The sweet voice of Silvana is matched by her good looks, which happen to resemble Jordana Brewster - an actress and another South American-native. However, Silvana is not acting here; her music is genuine all the way. Additionally, the ten songs are highly recommended for fans of Peruvian and Brazilian music. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Trio Garufa's 'El Rumor De Tus Tangos'

Trio Garufa
El Rumor De Tus Tangos
Garufa Records

The US-based tango troupe, Trio Garufa, explores the historical lineage of the tango as a musical form in Argentina. The Trio--with members from Argentina, Switzerland, and California--combine violin, viola, bandoneon, upright bass, cello, and flute for instrumental delicacies. The compositions are steeped in history and variety according to the types of tangos presented. The repertoire covers styles from the early-mid 1900s, modern tangos, folkloric music, original compositions, and electro-tangos. Not only tango is represented here, but milonga, electro milonga, nuevo tango, vals, chacarera, guarania, gato, and tango criollo styles and/or time signatures are also present. The instrumental melodies are moving, sensual, and enjoyable. Fans of Argentinian music, bandoneon, tango, and South American folk music will the love the instrumental sensibilities of the only US-based tango ensemble to have performed in the tango dance clubs of Buenos Aires. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Che Sudaka's '10'

Che Sudaka
10
Cavernicola Records

The assembly of Argentinian and Colombian musicians based in Barcelona, Spain, continue to brighten up the world music and punk-folk genres with their characteristic party sound and South American-inspired rhythms. The punk-rap style of "C'est plus beau" contains blaring horns, harmonies, and a party-dance rhythm that is extremely infectious. "Inmigrant Soul" is a great tune with luscious harmonies, a bit of electronica, and accordion amidst a catchy melody in a similar way to the South Pacific's Te Vaka. It is one of the best songs on the album, but "Desearia," "Ya nunca me veras caer," "Stress," "Crisis de amor," and "Hombre libre" are close behind. There are a number of styles and influences included here with ska, reggae, jazz, folk, dance, rumba, Latin, and light punk-rap winning out. This is one of the best contemporary recordings to come out of Spain in recent memory. It is titled 10, because it is a 10. Liner notes are included for the song lyrics. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Las Hermanas Caronni's 'Baguala de la siesta'

Las Hermanas Caronni
Baguala de la siesta
Snail Records

The music of Las Hermanas Caronni is actually produced by twins--Laura and Gianna Caronni. The twins are from Argentina. The duo performs tango, folk, and classical music with only a cello and a clarinet. Keep in mind, the duo also sings. The emotive vocals possesss very theatrical--almost operatic--undertones. The worldly nature of the songs is reflected from ancestral origins from Switzerland, Russia, Italy, and Spain. The music is devoid of any additional instrumentation. The entire project is relatively low-fi, but the sounds are beautiful, emotional, and enthralling. Though, fans seeking a more traditional Argentinian release should look elsewhere. Fans with a leaning toward the classical approaches will enjoy Baguala de la siesta the best. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Bondi Blaster's 'Lo' Juimo!'

Bondi Blaster
Lo' Juimo!
Stronghold Sound

The music of Argentina is showcased on an inventive and decidedly modern release by San Francisco-based, Bondi Blaster. Bondi Blaster is DJ Juan Data, who experiments with down-beat samples, electronic cumbia, and acrobatic vocals that hint at folk, spoken word, and rap. The album's title is inspired by a classic Colombian cumbia album, Nos Fuimos!, by Corraleros del Majagual. The result is a party-like atmosphere that is void of sleepy, folk tunes. Instead, Bondi Blaster knows how to entice a danceable spirit and youthful exuberance in the listener with foot-stomping and hip-shaking rhythms and melodies. A handful of original compositions, remixes, and instrumentals provide a heterogeneous mix of dance, down-tempo, trance, urban, and nu-cumbia influences with a few pan-pipes that are sure to create a lively and joyful raucous. Anyone interested in South American cumbia, hip-hop, rap, dance, electronica, and funky, good music will find satisfaction in Bondi Blaster's latest hit, Lo' Juimo! ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Gerard Edery's 'Edery Sings Yupanqui'

Gerard Edery
Edery Sings Yupanqui
Sefarad Records

Gerard Edery's influential work on the Sefarad Record label is unsurpassed in the sephardic music genre. However, on this release, Gerard celebrates the life and music of Argentina's writer, singer, guitarist, and composer, Atahualpa Yupanqui. A worldwide performer, Yupanqui was considered the most influential Argentine folk musician in the 20th century. Gerard knows how to tap into this musical legacy with commanding vocals, light percussion, and airy guitar stylings that are intimate, meditative, and alluring. The folksy rhythms are equally dosed in rays of Latin sunshine without the addition of Argentina's most popular instrument--the accordion. The rumba, flamenco-type melodies ensnare the listener to come closer and relax to the sounds of Argentina's greatest musician. The thirteen tracks are folk melodies that come from the soul and strike the heart with utter tenderness and solace. Gerard should be applauded for this effort, especially since 2012 marks the 20th anniversary of Yupanqui's death. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: The Musical Art Quintet's 'Nuevo Chamber'

The Musical Art Quintet
Nuevo Chamber
Classical Revolution Records

Formed in San Francisco, California in 2008, The Musical Art Quintet coined a new term for the music they were producing: "nuevo chamber". This music attempts to encompass the various world music influences and styles now infusing classical traditions. For instance, Nuevo Chamber incorporates tunes devoted to, or inspired by, Argentinian tango, the great Fela Kuti, Malagasy guitar, South American percussion, and classical waltzes. The mostly instrumental album contains twelve tracks without the accompaniment of drumkit or electric guitar. In fact, this is primarily a string album with some notable accompaniment on conga, bongo, maraca, guiro, and keyboards. The only vocals are contained on "Life Is Beautiful" and "Ombligao en Argentina," which are a little different in sound than the rest of the album. Still, Nuevo Chamber is a new sound with a new name, and The Musical Art Quintet leads the way! ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Gabriel Palatchi Band's 'Diario de Viaje'

Gabriel Palatchi Band
Diario de Viaje
Self-Release

Argentinian-born and Canadian-based, Gabriel Palatchi and his band of Latin-jazz connoisseurs create engaging and fresh songs on trumpet, flute, keyboard, piano, drums, assorted percussion, bass, and even vocals. Gabriel incorporates lively tones and rhythms that are well-suited for the Afro-Cuban, Latin-jazz, and South American aficionado. The classical melodies echo back to the spy-thriller soundtracks of the 1970s or 80s throughout South America, USA, and even Bollywood. The slightly funkadelic tunes--notably, "Electroshock," "Raices," and "Chilangotango"--transcend musical boundaries and eras with catchy, musical numbers fun for the whole family. The mostly instrumental tunes are great for relaxing, dancing, and contemplating the meaning of Latin-jazz in a modern context. Importantly, a sense of musical realism and creative authenticism cuts across genres, generations, and geographic locales. The creative spirit of Gabriel's band makes Diario de Viaje (Travel Diary) well worth the journey down to your locale music store or online retailer. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Oscar Penas' 'From Now On'

Oscar Penas

From Now On

BJURecords

Oscar Penas' latest work is a Spanish/Jazz excursion that is full of smooth rhythms, cool grooves, and improvisational goodness. As a guitarist and composer, Oscar strikes a perfect balance between Spanish and jazz music. A bit of flamenco-type rhythms, Latin sensibilities, and smooth jazz leanings make From Now On a classy little gem. Oscar is joined by Dan Blake on saxophones, Moto Fukushima on electric bass, Richie Barshay on drums, Gil Goldstein on accordion and piano, and Franco Pinna on bombo leguero (Argentinian drum). Smooth jazz characterizations aside, Oscar also employs a Brazilian presence with "Choro N. 1" and "Choro N. 2". The entire album is instrumental. The soothing sounds of Oscar's guitar and additional work by assorted musicians makes From Now On an exciting musical journey for everyone. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Laura Ros' 'Del Aire'

Laura Ros

Del Aire

Confluencia

Argentina's Laura Ros is a talented singer and songwriter with a flamboyant lyrical flair and spicy instrumental arrangements. Laura's voice is a mix of Ceu and Lila Downs put together. As a South American singer, Laura incorporates a variety of contemporary influences from singers in Brazil, Latin America, and her homeland of Argentina. Thirteen compositions with a mix of folk and modern arrangements provide an accessible and fun recording. Fans of Argentinian music will be disappointed if they are seeking an album of accordion or bandoneon music. However, the accordion or bandoneon does make an appearance on a few tracks. 'Sueno Infinito' is an especially catchy track with a folksy-rock beat. As a whole, Del Aire is an album with a classic mix of strings, folk music, modern pop, jazz, and South American percussion in all the right proportions to drive anyone wild with happiness. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Maria Volonte's '9 Vidas'

Maria Volonte

9 Vidas

Acqua Records

Argentina's Maria Volonte is a fresh face in the musical world of South America. Though, performing music for years, Maria tops herself with 9 Vidas. The title, Spanish-language track is a pleasant tune. It precedes an English-lyric tune, 'SF Tango'. 'Boulevard Of Broken Dreams' is a languid, jazzy, and bluesy tune with all the charisma of Ceu or Bebel Gilberto. Maria's voice on 'Beso Azul' awakens even the heaviest sleepers. The soulful vocals, lively percussion, harmonica, and guitar, provides a catchy set of melodies. The harmonica playing is also indicative of the more common (and local) accordion instrument. A range of jazz, folk, blues, Latin, and classy vocals do not disappoint. The sparkling keyboards on 'Gracias A La Vida' and the folksy beat to 'En El Bar' are a testament to the creative side of the spectrum. However, all of the songs have strengths with minimal disparities from the Argentinian home-base of Maria Volonte. If I had nine lives, I would listen to this one in each life. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Katja Cruz Y Los Aires' 'Mi Corazon'

Katja Cruz Y Los Aires

Mi Corazon

Leo Records

The Argentinian, Katja Cruz, opens up her heart on Mi Corazon (My Heart) with eight original compositions and three tunes attributed to Argentinians Astor Piazzolla, Anibal Troilo, and a Chilean, Violeta Parra. All of the compositions are inspired by the Candomble musical tradition of orishas, or saints. Taken from an Afro-Latin perspective, Katja's songs are Brazilian, Argentinian, Chilean, Portuguese, and inherently Latin-American. The tender vocals, sweeping percussion, and jazzy melodies are timeless and unforgettable. As a vocalist, Katja captures your attention from the first few stanzas on any song. "No se que pasa" is a breezy little tune with light percussion, aerophones, and a splash of rhythmic color from south of the border. Mi Corazon is heartfelt, honest, cheery, relaxing, and serene. Anyone with an interest in Afro-Latin, Argentinian, South American, Candomble, or tango music should acquire Katja's latest release while you still can. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Fantasma's 'Fantasma City'

Fantasma

Fantasma City

FireAnt Music

The neo-cumbia sounds coming out of Argentina are showcased on Fantasma's latest album, Fantasma City. The Argentinian band flirts with Tex-Mex beats, Latin rhythms, electronica, and reggae beats with an astounding result. The psychedelic and electronic elements blend with the accordion, flutes, and heart-stopping percussion with an equal amount of gritty, in your face vocals. The dance beats, wild vocals, and engaging trance and eletronica songs echo around in one's head with a result leading to a high degree of satisfying pleasure. Twelve tracks feature a range of modern and urban vocal and electronic accompaniment with some of the better tracks. It is difficult to find much fault with anything Fantasma seems to do. Fantasma City is a fantastic album with every track a party unto itself. Perfect for fans of South American cumbia music and Latin electronica. ~ Matthew Forss