Composer and tenor saxist Florencia Gonzalez straddles the worlds of South and North America on this album that gives light to her familial background of New York and Uruguay. She has written charts for big bands, which shows on this sextet set that has rich arrangements with Jonathan Powell /tp-fh, Shannon Barnett/tb, Luis Perdomo/p, Fernando Huergo/b and franco Pinna/dr. She’s got a rich and yearning resonant tone, as displayed on the gentle dance with intriguing themes on “Woman Dreaming of Escape” and the sauntering title track. She has some fun with the pen, as street sounds celebrate joyfully on “Weird Pericon,” featuring Powells’ crisp horn, and “Zamba for Jose Gervasio” which serves as a spotlight for the gentle trombone of Barnett. The band can bop with the best, as displayed on “Chacarera for Greg” and through it all, the charts sound fresh and interest keeping on repeated listenings. She’d be one to see pull this stuff off in concert, melding passion with sophistication like a summer pasta sauce.
Zoho Records