From Angola to Lisbon to the World Buraka Som Sistema Update Kuduro

Buraka Som Sistema's highly anticipated U.S. debut, Black Diamond, is finally here. The Lisbon-based trio makes a strain of kuduro music that's laced with the kind of urgent, raw lyrics that the music demands. Kuduro originally took root in Luanda, the capital of Angola, back in the late 80s, when African producers trying to make techno and house came up with a very different concoction. The African brew sampled traditional carnival music like zouk from the Caribbean, as well as semba and kilapanga from Angola. In its latest incarnation it gained traction in Europe via Angolan immigrants in Portugal where it morphed yet again, through the filter of European dance music. On Black Diamond, Buraka Som Sistema meld Angola's grimy electronic soundscapes and frenetic rhythms with other influences such as dubstep,  drum 'n bass, soca and baile funk. Club bangers abound and there's even a true diamond in the rough that outshines the rest in "General," a thumping house track that fuses with sparkling Afro-pop guitars.   

Arturo O'Farrill and Claudia Acuña Venture Outside the Expected Margins

Arturo O'Farrill is a renowned cross-pollinator who's constantly blurring the line between jazz and Latin music. Here he teams up with the wonderfully eclectic vocalist Claudia Acuña who is just as adept at navigating multiple streams with masterful fluidity. The project materialized after O'Farrill and Acuña decided to collaborate for the pure fun of it, a simple philosophy that shines through the album's twelve tracks. Together, the arranger/pianist/composer and the Chilean chanteuse interpret an unconventional repertoire and exude the kind of unbridled joy that can only come from a partnership rooted in friendship and mutual admiration. From the coquettish title track opener, "In These Shoes" to the Afro-Cuban closer "La Piye" the only commonality shared is a free-reign insouciance that makes the album whole. Cuts such as Brazilian roots rocker Lenine's "Paciencia," and Van Morrison's "Moondance," are just some of the protean offerings to set a new standard in the continuously expanding and melding jazz universe. Cuban drummer Dafnis Prieto's "Vida Sin Miel" has a quirky, impish vibe punctuated by eerie guitar stabs courtesy of Adam Rogers and "Willow Weep for Me," a jazz standard recorded by all the great performers of our time, is given off-center treatment as a funkified Cha Cha Cha with percolating rhythmic changes and exhilarating solos from O'Farrill on piano and Yosvany Terry on sax. Once again O'Farrill and his musical acolytes have carved out a new space outside the boundaries and it sounds like a future unbound by sonic borders.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona, The Soundtrack

Chance encounters, carnal pleasures, and the fine line between love and desire are strands that run through the storyline of Woody Allen's new film "Vicky Cristina Barcelona," a worldly romantic comedy that stars Javier Bardem, Penélope Cruz and Scarlett Johansson, set against the magnificent backdrop of the boundless city of Barcelona. There's no place in the world like it. The soundtrack fits the film like a glove. It's wonderfully eclectic, fresh, and cosmopolitan, with just enough brooding darkness below the surface to keep you on edge. Those moments coincide with Cruz's character, the untamed and quick-witted, suicidal/homicidal ex-wife of Bardem's Juan Antonio. The soundtrack even comes with a storyline of its own, one which has created buzz around a little-known indie band that formed in Barcelona, also quite by accident, and whose song fell into Allen's hands on a whim, only to become the score's main track. Giulia y los Tellarini's song "Barcelona," is a bouncy, harmonica-laden tune that's eerily seductive. Intoned by Giulia Tellarini's off-kilter, whispery vocals, the song reflects her on-and-off relationship with the city, written at a time when she was deciding between staying in Barcelona or returning to Paris. The soundtrack also includes another of the band's songs "La Ley del Retiro." Then there are the beautifully rendered instrumental guitar pieces. Guitarist Juan Serrano, whose reputation as a flamenco virtuoso spans six decades delivers the churning "Gorrión" early in the set, followed much later by the equally mesmerizing closer, "Entre Olas." Paco de Lucia's "Entre Dos Aguas" offers a sultry guitar/percussion arrangement driven by a plunging bassline that goads the transition from glowing embers into a fiery rumba. The Biel Ballester Trio oscillates from infectiously shuffling rhythms on "When I Was a Boy" to melodic artistry on "Your Shining Eyes."

The New Blood of Cajun Music

On Feufollet's lastest disc, Cow Island Hop (Valcour Records), Kristi Guillory, a folklorist and media archivist at the University of Louisiana At Lafayette, paints a vivid narrative picture of this wonderfully innovative, contemporary Cajun outfit:

"On a Saturday night, twenty and thirtysomethings, scholars, writers, artists, bohemians and young professionals dance to Feufollet at the favorite local outdoor venue, The Blue Moon Saloon. Red and blue neon permeates the scene and, as the band pounds, the wooden deck of the dance floor threatens to crash to the ground or fly clear into th Louisiana sky. Here is a vortex of vibrant energy, a buzzing flow of youthful expression, a scene of endless possibility that can be found on any given weeken night in Lafayette, LA."

Guillory goes on to write that Feufollet has emerged as one of the most important voices for Louisiana's Cajun youth. Originally touted as a band of child prodigies -- singer/accordionist/guitarist Chris Stafford and fiddle player Chris Segura have been members since the band's inception in 1995 when they were 8 and 11 years old respectively -- Feufollet is no longer a troupe of debutantes solely steeped in tradition. The sextet has updated the Cajun sound for 21st century ears and dancin' feet with a rock-n-roll aesthetic and some strains of French chanson that are both mindful of the past and forward-looking. While Feufollet is first and foremost a live band, they've seamlessly translated that in-the-moment dirt and grit that comes from playing before an audience onto disc.

Listen for that fuzzed out Farfisa organ, the reworked archival gem "Femme l'a dit," the Mellotron and backward vocal track on "Chère Bèbè Crèole," or even the rambling "Sur la Bord de l'eau," and you'll soon realize that Cow Island Hop is not your typical Cajun album of standard two-steps and waltzes.

The New Blood of Cajun Music

On Feufollet's lastest disc, Cow Island Hop (Valcour Records), Kristi Guillory, a folklorist and media archivist at the University of Louisiana At Lafayette, paints a vivid narrative picture of this wonderfully innovative, contemporary Cajun outfit:

"On a Saturday night, twenty and thirtysomethings, scholars, writers, artists, bohemians and young professionals dance to Feufollet at the favorite local outdoor venue, The Blue Moon Saloon. Red and blue neon permeates the scene and, as the band pounds, the wooden deck of the dance floor threatens to crash to the ground or fly clear into th Louisiana sky. Here is a vortex of vibrant energy, a buzzing flow of youthful expression, a scene of endless possibility that can be found on any given weeken night in Lafayette, LA."

Guillory goes on to write that Feufollet has emerged as one of the most important voices for Louisiana's Cajun youth. Originally touted as a band of child prodigies -- singer/accordionist/guitarist Chris Stafford and fiddle player Chris Segura have been members since the band's inception in 1995 when they were 8 and 11 years old respectively -- Feufollet is no longer a troupe of debutantes solely steeped in tradition. The sextet has updated the Cajun sound for 21st century ears and dancin' feet with a rock-n-roll aesthetic and some strains of French chanson that are both mindful of the past and forward-looking. While Feufollet is first and foremost a live band, they've seamlessly translated that in-the-moment dirt and grit that comes from playing before an audience onto disc.

Listen for that fuzzed out Farfisa organ, the reworked archival gem "Femme l'a dit," the Mellotron and backward vocal track on "Chère Bèbè Crèole," or even the rambling "Sur la Bord de l'eau," and you'll soon realize that Cow Island Hop is not your typical Cajun album of standard two-steps and waltzes.

Yusa Comes Close To Perfection On "Haiku"

Compared to just about every songstress from Me’Shell Ndegeocello to Maria Bethania, singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Yusa represents a new generation of artists in Cuba whose all-encompassing, genre-defying sound is creating new paradigms of Cuban music. As the title suggests, the album, which was recorded in Havana and mixed in Rio, rides on a quiet eloquence and sophistication, especially where the arrangements and poetic lyricism coalesce to reveal a deeper meaning. From beginning to end – opening with a chorus-fueled Yoruba song in collaboration with the Afro-Cuban fusion band Síntesis and closing with “Gente Simple,” a contemporary rumba sung with sonero Francis del Rio -- Yusa’s third full-length displays a cadence that is at once expansive and intimate. Much to the credit of Brazilian producer Alê Siqueira, who's worked with Marisa Monte, Bebel Gilberto, and Carlinhos Brown, Yusa’s delicate songs unfold with a playful minimalism that builds on dichotomies: the quasi-mythical city of Havana and the sea, the past and present, the roots and the horizon beyond, all culminate in the enigmatic inner world of this modern day troubadour. A conservatory-trained musician who's performed with Havana collective Interactivo and Brazilian roots rocker Lenine, Yusa is at her most pensive on "Walking Heads," the album's only track sung in English where lyrics such as "illusions have their own horizon," and "so much to learn so close to me," hint at the constant ebb and flow of her music. On the jazz-infused "No Tengo Otro Lugar," Yusa's soulful vocals and Roberto Carcassés's meandering piano give off an updated filín vibe anchored in the song's intelligent lyrics. Midway through, "Conga Pasajera," is the standout track where a blend of subtle electronic garnishes and percolating percussion ripple in a swaying melody that draws from Brazil. "Sirvió De Algo?" is the edgiest track on the album -- a barebones voice and guitar tour de force that cascades with the kind of clarity and rawness that will move you to listen again and again.

Yusa Comes Close To Perfection On "Haiku"

Compared to just about every songstress from Me’Shell Ndegeocello to Maria Bethania, singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Yusa represents a new generation of artists in Cuba whose all-encompassing, genre-defying sound is creating new paradigms of Cuban music. As the title suggests, the album, which was recorded in Havana and mixed in Rio, rides on a quiet eloquence and sophistication, especially where the arrangements and poetic lyricism coalesce to reveal a deeper meaning. From beginning to end – opening with a chorus-fueled Yoruba song in collaboration with the Afro-Cuban fusion band Síntesis and closing with “Gente Simple,” a contemporary rumba sung with sonero Francis del Rio -- Yusa’s third full-length displays a cadence that is at once expansive and intimate. Much to the credit of Brazilian producer Alê Siqueira, who's worked with Marisa Monte, Bebel Gilberto, and Carlinhos Brown, Yusa’s delicate songs unfold with a playful minimalism that builds on dichotomies: the quasi-mythical city of Havana and the sea, the past and present, the roots and the horizon beyond, all culminate in the enigmatic inner world of this modern day troubadour. A conservatory-trained musician who's performed with Havana collective Interactivo and Brazilian roots rocker Lenine, Yusa is at her most pensive on "Walking Heads," the album's only track sung in English where lyrics such as "illusions have their own horizon," and "so much to learn so close to me," hint at the constant ebb and flow of her music. On the jazz-infused "No Tengo Otro Lugar," Yusa's soulful vocals and Roberto Carcassés's meandering piano give off an updated filín vibe anchored in the song's intelligent lyrics. Midway through, "Conga Pasajera," is the standout track where a blend of subtle electronic garnishes and percolating percussion ripple in a swaying melody that draws from Brazil. "Sirvió De Algo?" is the edgiest track on the album -- a barebones voice and guitar tour de force that cascades with the kind of clarity and rawness that will move you to listen again and again.

St. Petersburg, Florida's O Som Do Jazz Drops A Debut Album, Infinita Bossa

I distinctly remember O Som Do Jazz performing live when they opened for Brazilian multi-instrumentalist/composer/arranger Jovino Santos-Neto at the Palladium in St. Petersburg, Florida a few years ago. Carioca singer Andrea Moraes Manson, who's married to David Manson, an architect by day and the ensemble's trombonist and arranger by night, got up onstage and told the story of how her American husband, upon hearing her sing around the house, cajoled her into lending her voice for a bossa nova inspired jazz group he had thought about forming. Reluctant at first, Moraes Manson eventually warmed up to the idea. This year O Som Do Jazz released its debut Infinita Bossa. The sixteen-track album breezes through the Brazilian Songbook -- interpreting some of the timeless gems from the bossa repertoire and other surprises along the way. More contemporary bossas by Antônio Carlos & Jocafi, Djavan, Pedro Caetano, and Rita Lee -- the original singer of 60s psychedelic rock band Os Mutantes -- are interspersed among the standards from luminaries like Tom Jobim, Vinícius de Moraes, Carlos Lyra, Marcos Valle, Baden Powell, and Luiz Bonfá. There's even an original composition by David Manson titled "Sea & Salt," a smooth horn infused, jazz-bossa conversation that shines even in the company of masterpieces. Moraes Manson's vocals have more of a jazz inflection that emanates a sun-baked tangible vibe in stark opposition to the conventional airy and ethereal voice associated with female bossa sirens. The arrangements, on the other hand, are in keeping with tradition, subtle in striking just the right balance between vocals and instrumentation -- that quintessentially Carioca sway that's been nurtured since the birth of bossa 50 years ago this year. Not to be overlooked are the able musicians who participated in the recording. Roberto Bertone (drums), Ademar Fonseca (bass), Régis Moreira (keyboards), Jeremy Powell (sax), John Ward (flute), and the Alfredo Rivero, who's beautifully nuanced guitar work kept the cadence in check. O Som Do Jazz does bossa nova the right way without getting lost in musical clichés. Come support this local band as they perform live on June 22 at NOVA during the Brasil Arts Festival. You'll feel like you're in Ipanema, if only just for a day.

St. Petersburg, Florida's O Som Do Jazz Drops A Debut Album, Infinita Bossa

I distinctly remember O Som Do Jazz performing live when they opened for Brazilian multi-instrumentalist/composer/arranger Jovino Santos-Neto at the Palladium in St. Petersburg, Florida a few years ago. Carioca singer Andrea Moraes Manson, who's married to David Manson, an architect by day and the ensemble's trombonist and arranger by night, got up onstage and told the story of how her American husband, upon hearing her sing around the house, cajoled her into lending her voice for a bossa nova inspired jazz group he had thought about forming. Reluctant at first, Moraes Manson eventually warmed up to the idea. This year O Som Do Jazz released its debut Infinita Bossa. The sixteen-track album breezes through the Brazilian Songbook -- interpreting some of the timeless gems from the bossa repertoire and other surprises along the way. More contemporary bossas by Antônio Carlos & Jocafi, Djavan, Pedro Caetano, and Rita Lee -- the original singer of 60s psychedelic rock band Os Mutantes -- are interspersed among the standards from luminaries like Tom Jobim, Vinícius de Moraes, Carlos Lyra, Marcos Valle, Baden Powell, and Luiz Bonfá. There's even an original composition by David Manson titled "Sea & Salt," a smooth horn infused, jazz-bossa conversation that shines even in the company of masterpieces. Moraes Manson's vocals have more of a jazz inflection that emanates a sun-baked tangible vibe in stark opposition to the conventional airy and ethereal voice associated with female bossa sirens. The arrangements, on the other hand, are in keeping with tradition, subtle in striking just the right balance between vocals and instrumentation -- that quintessentially Carioca sway that's been nurtured since the birth of bossa 50 years ago this year. Not to be overlooked are the able musicians who participated in the recording. Roberto Bertone (drums), Ademar Fonseca (bass), Régis Moreira (keyboards), Jeremy Powell (sax), John Ward (flute), and the Alfredo Rivero, who's beautifully nuanced guitar work kept the cadence in check. O Som Do Jazz does bossa nova the right way without getting lost in musical clichés. Come support this local band as they perform live on June 22 at NOVA during the Brasil Arts Festival. You'll feel like you're in Ipanema, if only just for a day.