CD Review: Leticia Rodriguez Garza's 'Saguita Al Bate'

Leticia Rodriguez Garza
Saguita Al Bate
Self-Release

Growing up in Texas, one is never too far away from the energetic, pulsating, and danceable sounds of Latin America. Saguita Al Bate is a rollicking, four-track album of cumbia, salsa, Latin, jazz, Caribbean, and Afro-Latin elements with some tunes coming from a previous release, La Americana. The lively percussion, driving horns, punchy bass, and rootsy accordion on a few tracks makes the music come alive with a classic vein running throughout the album. The music of Latin America is timeless when jazzy piano, heavy percussion, and soulful vocals are involved. This is especially true on Saguita Al Bate. The music is seemingly out of the 1950's, but it is equally at home in today's era. Anyone with an interest in classic Latin American music will love Leticia Rodriguez Garza. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Kat Parra's 'Las Aventuras de Pasion'

Kat Parra
Las Aventuras de Pasion
JazzMa Records

California's Kat Parra brings us a rousing mix of Ladino and Sephardic-inpsired tunes with a Latin vein and inspiration from Puerto Rican bomba, afro-jazz, rumba, bolero, cha-cha, ballad, jazz, middle eastern, afro-peruvian, and classical music. The classy vocals and sweeping melodies on piano and percussion on "Call Your Name," is especially inviting and filmic. In short, Kat finds all the types of Latin music styles and delicately lines them up here. The superb instrumentation is pensive, upbeat, and showcases a diverse set of musical talents on vocals and instrumentation. The operatic bolero, "Lo Siento Mi Vida," represents a soulful mix of violin, assorted percussion, and vibrant vocals. The Middle-Eastern-tinged, "Yo M'Enamori D'Un Aire," opens with vibrant hand percussion and drones of strings. Kat's voice is free-flowing and emotive. The entire project is well-worth a listen or two or three. It is ideal for fans of sephardic music with a passion for Latin styles, too. ~ Matthew Forss