This is Colombian music, but refracted through a slightly different prism.
Lucia Pulido has a wonderfully luminous voice, and her music, much of it traditional from different parts of the country, has the flavor of heat about it, even under a silky coolness. There's a strong jazziness to much of it, largely thanks to Stomu Takeishi, whose bass playing is a revelation, a perfect foil for the singer -- their three duets are little short of breathtaking. The rest of the band is more versed in the different traditions, and the pull of jazz against that creates excellent tensions that are even better for remaining unresolved. Although she's delicious with others, she's quite transcendent on the unaccompanied "Canto de Vaqueria" which gives her the chance to really shine. It's a disc that can be played repeatedly -- best at night when it can shimmer -- and continue to bring its rewards. ~ Chris Nickson