Customer Reviews

Nuevo Mundo

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Overview:
Peruvian trumpeter Gabriel Alegria has combined traditional Afro-Peruvian music with jazz on his latest album Nuevo Mundo to create perhaps the top Latin jazz CD of 2008. If you are not familiar with Afro-Peruvian music, you don't know what you are missing. It is one of the most fascinating sub-genres of Latin music. To get a grounding on what Afro-Peruvian music is, check out the this classic compilation "Afro-Peruvian Classics: The Soul of Black Peru".

While this CD more of a jazz CD than an Afro-Peruvian CD, it combines elements of both styles in to beautifully crafted songs. The CD features Alegria on trumpet, Walter Velasquez on guitar, Joshca Octz on bass, Hugo Alcazar on drums, Laurandrea Leguia on tenor sax, and Freddy Lobaton (percussions & chants?). Also the album features various special guests on some of the tracks including Bobby Shew on trumpet on track 1.

Song Highlights:
Summertime - It's hard to imagine any more being done on this classic, but Alegria has come up with a completely new take on the song. The time signature is changed, and an Afro-Peruvian bass line has been inserted. The melody is played with a muted "plunger" trumpet. The overall effect is fantastic. It's one of my favorite renditions of summertime, which is saying a lot.

Las Hijas del Sol - This song reminds quite a bit of Herbie Hancocks Dolphin Dance. It has the same dreamy seaside feel to it. There are great airy horn lines and light cymbal based drumming (a la Tony Williams).

Buscando a Huevito - This song has several different sections each with a completely different tempo, time signature, and feel. The song opens with interplay between the trumpets, bass and drums. About two minutes in there is just a blazing trumpet solo by Shew that initiates a shift in tempo. At the end of the solos the tempo shifts again this time slowing to crawl. With about 1.5 minute to go the tempo picks back up for a race to the finish.

My favorite Latin Jazz CD of the year, and the first time I've heard Afro-Peruvian music fused with jazz. I hope to hear more of it.

oh my gosh, Gabriel Alegria is just amazing on the trumpet!
The music on this CD if wonderful and uplifting and just plain great
to listen to.
And if you are in New York City, you can often catch Gabriel at the midtown
Tutuma Social Club....and he heads down to Peru a lot, so you can hear him
there.
Don't miss this great new music.