Keyboardist Jean-Pierre Mas'
(H)ombre is consistently impressive. Each selection on his set utilizes slightly different personnel and focuses on a different part of the music.
Toots Thielemans' harmonica,
Didier Lockwood's violin,
Juan-José Mosalini's bandoneon, and Idriss Boudrioua's saxes are in the spotlight in different times, as is Mas' haunting voice. The music is sometimes explorative, sometimes melodic, ranging from Afro-Cuban and Brazilian jazz to bits of pop and ballads. Although generally a mixture of Latin music with jazz, the results are constantly unpredictable yet always colorful. This set grows in interest the longer one listens to it, and it is easily recommended. ~ Scott Yanow