Roberto Perera has created some of the most exciting, exotic Latin-meets-pop-flavored jazz of the '90s, and most of his notable work is simply more festive and memorable than the darker, slower tempo fare of his debut. There are moments that hint at his trademark lighthearted exotica, like the galloping "My Paraguayan Song" (which simulates horse hooves touching ground) and "I Tell You Later." But contemplative pieces like "Bobby's Song" and the title track simply create romantic, synth-enhanced moods without generating a lot of drama. His use of synthesized strings make these suitable, for film scoring -- nice but hardly as vibrant as classic
Perera. One of his more interesting endeavors here is the way he plays with the tones of his unique instruments. There are occasional swells of strumming which call to mind the type of angelic images often associated with the harp. More often, however, he plays the strings in a lower register. At times, on the mystical "Arcy's Theme Song," it's as if he's playing a sly, gently rhythmic flamenco guitar. "Candombe," in fact, might be at home on one of
Jesse Cook's efforts. Overall, the effect is bright in spots, just a bit scattered overall. The passionate
Perera fan will love it; those curious about the artist would be best advised to check out his later catalog first. ~ Jonathan Widran