***RINGER OF THE WEEK****Omar Sosa & Paolo Fresu: Eros

One of my weak spots is an album that keeps the same mood all the way through. Paolo Fresu uses his trumpet and flugelhorn to team up with Omar Sosa’s touch on the piano and keyboards to weave a glorious tapestry of sounds. They each add spots of percussion, and with Natacha Atlas’ luminous voice, Jaques Morelenbaum’s exquisite cello and the occasional visit by the Quartetto ALborada, the music is glowing, luminous and dreamy. Atlas’ voice gets dreamy on “My Soul, My Spirit” and “Ya Habibi” while Fresu’s horn is breathy with or without a mute. Sosa’s touch is tender with “La Llamada” and the strings are silky all throughout. You get moods that are Latin, African, Arabic and simply intimate jazz. Fresu’s horn adds touches of the blues so even the most “worldy” songs keep with the tradition. This is one for keeping the candle burning to.

www.redeyworldwide.com

Leave a Reply