Mixing sounds of Iberia and jazz, pianist and composer Olivia Perez-Collellmir has put together an enchanting musical mosaic of an album, blending solo piano sonatas with passionate folk-group ensembles.
The solo “Promenades” that are interspersed around the larger piece include a calm chambered’ “I”, and elegant “3” and impressionistic “4”. Her fingers create ripples with cellist Naseem Alatrash on Ravel’s “Le Tombeau de Couperin” while generating a romantic cadence with percussionist Aleix Tobis on “Canco I Dansa VI”. Andalusian rural tones are melded with world effects as sitarist Leonardo Prakash and Giri Subramaniam’s tablas mix with Jose Moreno’s cajon and Shradha Ganesh’s earthy vocals on “Together”. Likewise, footstomping Sonia Olla dances around flamenco vocalist Ismael Fernandez on the sweaty “Granada”. The colors and contrasts of an El Greco painting are put to sensuous sounds by this impressive lady.