Julya & Raul

The Mirror finds Raul Midón breaking new ground for himself, including two entrancing solo spoken-word pieces (“If I Could See” and “One Day Without War”). The album also features studio meetings with such veteran jazz colorists as vibraphonist Joe Locke (“A Certain Café”), as well as a songwriting collaboration with top pianist Gerald Clayton, “Deep Dry Ocean.” Another highlight is the road-weary jazz ballad “Cold Cuts and Coffee,” while title track “The Mirror” beguiles with its easy tropical groove, lyrical sophistication and Midón’s flowing electric guitar. As National Public Radio set the stage before his captivating edition of its “Tiny Desk Concert” broadcast: “Raul Midón lives in a world of sound.

Released in 1978, Don't Ask My Neighbors was the second and last album that George Duke produced for Raul De Souza. For the most part, Duke serves the Brazilian trombonist well, but this vinyl LP isn't without its flaws. Duke sometimes overproduces, and a few of the tracks are weak – especially De Souza's disappointing versions of major R&B hits of the late '70s. Instead of really interpreting the Emotions' "Don't Ask My Neighbors," De Souza provides a pointless note-for-note cover and turns the song into elevator muzak. He doesn't fare much better on Michael Henderson's "At the Concert," which is marred by robotic female background vocalists who insist on singing the chorus instead of getting out of the way and allowing De Souza's trombone to be dominant.

Victoria is probably the best known Spanish composer of the Renaissance. His intense, emotional music, is considered the peak of the Golden Age of Spanish polyphony and his works are sung by every and all vocal ensemble worldwide. The perfection of his style and the serene and austere beauty of his output have made of Victoria a favourite among the music lover, who will possibly find it very interesting to have this masterpiece available, intensely sung by a Spanish chamber choir.

The works of Tomás Luis de Victoria are today an international paradigm of the Spanish Renaissance heritage. This master, born in Avila, rises like a standard-bearer from the huge spectrum of Spanish composers who carried the art of polyphony to its highest musical and liturgical significance.

This nearly forgotten Brazilian trombonist - a protégé of Airto Moreira and Flora Purim who made a moderate impact in the U.S. in the '70s only to mysteriously give it up and return to Brazil and subsequent obscurity - resurfaces on a CD reissue of a star-studded session from 1974. Producer Airto, who appears frequently on percussion (never mind the camouflaged percussion credits "Kenneth Nash and others; " one shake and you know it's Airto), succeeded in enlisting J.J. Johnson to make the horn arrangements and getting the polyrhythmic drums of Jack DeJohnette to drive the session. Cannonball Adderley makes one of his last appearances on record (he died nine months later), his alto sax burning in an otherwise cluttered stab at Baden Powell's "Canto de Ossanha," and venturing on the outside on "Chants to Burn"…

On June 16th, 1972 a folk-rock all acoustic event called Acusticazo took place at the Teatro Atlantic. Gabriela, Litto Nebbia, Miguel y Eugenio, Leon Gieco and a young singer Raúl Porchetto played on that event. Raúl's performance of "Cortar el viento" was included on the album. For his first LP, a conceptual opus called Cristo Rock (Christ Rock), he was joined by Charly García (keyboards) and Oscar Moro (drums), along with the usual La Pesada staff: Billy Bond (mixing console and effects), Claudio Gabis, Kubero Diaz (guitars), Alejandro Medina (bass), Jorge Pinchevsky (violin) and Jimmy Marquez (drums). A string orchestra and a church organ were also used for the recording. Cristo Rock has an "Obertura" and eight numbered tracks. It is a strange but attractive album, full of climatic sounds and interesting playing; more noteworthy Gabis' wah-wah guitar.

Considered as one of the most important Spanish composers of his time, together with Victoria and Morales, Guerrero’s music has very rarely been recorded. This magnificent music comes now to the light in its full splendour and glory. This CD contains motets and hymns chosen primarily for their great interest and outstanding quality. The purity and the spirit of this music deserve to be discovered by the most exigent music lovers.

Cristóbal de Morales was the finest Spanish composer of the early 16th century (2000 marked the 500th anniversary of his birth ca. 1500, possibly in Seville). He was also one of the most important contributors to a repertoire of musical settings used in the liturgy for the dead. His five-voice Requiem (or Missa pro Defunctis, as it was originally called) was published in Rome in 1544 while he was a member of the Papal choir, and from there it became widely known across Europe. This overwhelming and impressive music was probably sung in 1599 in Mexico as part of the memorial ceremonies for Emperor Charles V (almost an exact contemporary of Morales), and then in 1598, in the context of a full Requiem Mass celebrated in the Cathedral of Toledo upon the death of Philip II.