Pianist/composer Emilio Solla puts together a warm and fragrant mix of Latin and jazz with a simpatico team of Jorge Roeder/b, Tim Armacost/ts-ss-fl, Alex Norris/tp-fh, John Ellis/fl-ts-bc, Meg Okura/vi, Victor Prieto/acc and Eric Doob/dr. The music veers between in the pocket modern sounds and folksy traditional South American in an infectious and alluring fashion.
There’s an Old World charm to pieces such as “Para La Paz” or “Llegara’, Legara’, Legara” which mix romantic piano with swaying Bohemian violin and lilting horns. Some gently dancing andbass work mingles with percussion on the village-like dance on “American Patrol” and the team happily bops along as the horns create a swinging texture on “Chakafrik.” Romantic accordion sighs create a delightful mood on”Raro” and a floating flutes makes cameo appearances, particularly on a gentle “Rhythm Changed.” The mood here is always optimistic and bouncy, like a candle flickering to create just the right light in a room.
Emilio Solla Music