Exciting Afro Cuban ideas are explored by leader Raul E Blanco, who plays piano and percussion while singing a bit with his team of Brandt Fisher/ts, Noah Austin/tp, Gabriella Aragon/tb-voc, Joseph Ballestrasse/b and Anthony Channita/dr through a dozen riveting originals. Except for the wild and calypso’d synth fest of “Ska-Monk”, the tunes are filled with acoustic and dramatic ideas. Aragon goes chanteuse on a bluesy “The Blick” and sears through the gauntlet of bold horns on “Brutal Fairytale”. Blanco’s piano flows through Channita’s hard driving beat and Austin’s stratospheric horn on “Digital Memory” with Ballestrasse’s bowed bass on “Fireplace” leading into some sensuous horns on “Hermit’s Songs”. The moods change faster than a Latin lover, with crying and joy mixed on “Lo-Fi Banger” and a traffic jam with the horns blaring and bumpers bumping on “Wooden House.” Flying sparks abound. Stay away from dry straw on this one.