Guitarist and vocalist Christian Larumbe brings the best of North and South America together in this latest release, as his trio of bassist Kitt Lyles and drummer Gustavo Cortinas explore Latin American musical landscapes with modern jazz sensibilities, with each culture building off of the other.
Thick toned tenor saxist Roy McGrath joins in with the post bopping “Involvidable” which includes rich and passionate vocals from the leader, whereas Emily Kuhn’s trumpet dances over the drums on the fiesta-feeling “La Bikina”. Larumbe’s voice has a kind of husky Chet Baker vibe, and it works well with the gentle guitar strums and around Lyles’ bass on “Como Fue”, while the ominously dark “La Llorna” is gloriously melancholy. McGrath and Larumbe stroll well together with Cortinas on “Oaxaca” with some folksy frames created on the gentle refrain of “Sabor A Mi”. Most alluring is the finale “Cucurrucucu Paloma”, where Larumbe starts things off in a casual and relaxed corner, but slowly builds up to a dramatic climax. Modern passions in the Plaza Latina