CD Review: Ani Cordero's 'Recordar: Latin American Songs of Love & Protest'

Ani Cordero
Recordar: Latin American Songs of Love & Protest
La Nana Music

Puerto Rican-born and Brooklyn-based, Ani Cordero sings songs from an era of love and protest with Recordar: Latin American Songs of Love & Protest. The songs are mostly tunes originally conceived in the 1960's, but one song dates from 1930, one from 1942, and still a few others originate from the 1970's. The countries of origin for the songs come from Chile, Argentina, Colombia, Cuba, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Venezuela. Ani lends her vocals, guitar skills, and percussion repertoire to the album, alongside other instruments, such as bass, guitar, accordion, trumpet, flugelhorn, ngoni, trumpet, keyboards, cello, piano, and assorted percussion. The songs are uppity, classic, and catchy. Anyone with an interest in nostalgic songs from Latin America will love Ani's new album. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Very Be Careful's 'Remember Me From The Party?'

Very Be Careful
Remember Me From The Party?
Downtown Pijao

LA-based Afro-Colombian vallenato maestros, Very Be Careful, bring us another fine recording of upbeat, dance music on accordion, percussion, and other heart-pulsing instrumentation. The danceable music is characteristic of South American, Latin American, and North American tejano. The accordion-driven music is uptempo and refreshing, especially on "El Mosquito." Nevertheless, there are twelve rippling tunes of sonic beauty. The party atmosphere is full of vallenato music. Nothing is amiss here. The instrumentation and Spanish vocals are top notch throughout. Very Be Careful is essentially a party-version of Colombian polka music. Remember Very Be Careful is a group that knows how to perform. All in all, it's that good. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Rumba Vella's 'Els Ignorant'

Rumba Vella

Els Ignorants

Taller de Musics

The Barcelona-based group, Rumba Vella, largely produce Catalonia music with a rumba edge, Latin American vibe, and a nostalgic, French feel. The twelve musical tracks go way back to the 1960's and 70's, while others were first popularized by Panama's Ruben Blades and Puerto Rico's Ray Barretto. The highly-danceable music is accomplished with guitars, bass, percussion, and violin in a slightly syncopated song structure. The rumba, flamenco, and tropical sounds are inspired by Spain's musical history. The musicians know how to produce good vocal tracks with better-than-average lyrics and lively, dance tracks with a range of percussive sounds that span Europe, the Caribbean, and Latin America. However, the relatively short running time of forty-minutes is a less-than-desirable quality. Still, Rumba Vella is a 'danse de vigueur' to be reckoned with. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Da Cruz' 'Sistema Subversiva'

Da Cruz

Sistema Subversiva

Six Degrees Records

The Swiss-based Da Cruz is not an alpenhorn ensemble. On the contrary, it is an urban album of gritty, funky, and electronically-groovy tracks reflecting a South American and African presence. The contemporary beat of "Chega," "Boom Boom Boom," "Jangada," and others, turn the world upside down with a well-balanced set of music that is both Brazilian dance music and somewhat frenetic North American club music without the chintzy effects and endless, head-pounding club beats. Still, the music is largely urban-centered with some electrified bossa nova and funk with an electronic foundation. The album contains rather rudimentary instrumentation of programming, guitars, drums, bass, trumpet, sax, percussion, and Da Cruz' voice. Despite the limited instrumental repertoire, Sistema Subversiva is still an album with infectious beats, contemporary sounds, and a Brazilian edge that dispels myths of everything that has to come out of Brazil must be 'boss nova' or 'Carnaval'-related music. Da Cruz puts a new, fresh face on the sounds of Brazil (and Africa) via Switzerland. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Mr. Pauer's 'Soundtrack'

Mr. Pauer

Soundtrack

Fabrika Music

Mr. Pauer, otherwise known as, Toto Gonzalez, is a Venezuelan-born, Miami-based DJ, producer, and remix king. His latest release, Soundtrack, is the result of a lifetime living amidst tropical locales. The tropical elements of Soundtrack come through on the Spanish vocals and the Latin-beat sound. The electronic sounds and noises perfectly fuse with the tropical beats. Soundtrack's seemingly limited seven-track listing is easily compensated for with shots of diverse dub, funk, electric, cumbia, and Spaghetti Western-type music that fill the soul and move the body. Somewhat instrumental and somewhat vocal, Soundtrack is a groovy release unlike any other. It is fresh, modern, creative, and magical. The incredible instrumental zone of "Que Si Que No" and "Escaping" prove his musical abilities. The tropical beats of "Mente De Mente" are also very special in their own right. Let Mr. Pauer be your guide to the tropico-electric club grooves of Florida and Latin America. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Chile's Chico Trujillo

Chico Trujillo

Chico De Oro

Barbes Records

Chico Trujillo is Chile's cumbia innovators, but their musical expertise and repertoire extends beyond Chile's borders and engulfs the South American continent. The Spanish lyrics and upbeat party atmosphere of the instruments - both brass and percussion - highlight Chico De Oro's strengths. The music is definitely influenced by Latin music, but it also envelopes bits of Southeast Asian funk, psychedelic, afro-beat, gypsy, and tejano music. Keep in mind Chico De Oro is not a fusion album, but an album of innovative cumbia music. In short, the music is very energetic with a refined, uptempo rhythm. Chico Trujillo is the party music for your birthday celebration, or world music party! If you are into other Latin American Barbes recordings and cumbia music in general, then you will love Chico Trujillo's Chico De Oro. ~ Matthew Forss