For the title, isn’t “Passion” and “Latin Jazz” a bit redundant? Especially with Raquel Cepeda at the vocals?
Cepeda sings like she’s been on an iv drip of South American coffee with a core team of Adriano Santos/dr, Thomas Helton/b, Cassio Duarte/perc and a rotating tam of guests. She’s bold and beautiful singing in Portuguese with Ernesto Vega’s soprano sax on a sensuous read of “Berimbau” while her English carries a torch on “From Afar” and gets urgent on a modal take of Cole Porter’s “Easy To Love.” As far as singing in Spanish, she bares her soul with Omar Martinez/tp and Ernesto Vega/fl on “Lloraras” and slithers across the floor on “Mil Congojas” while giving a bacchanal urgency to a bright colored take of Ellington’s “Caravan” that cruises like a 57 Chevy on Saturday night. This lady sings with penetrating eyes.