Luis Dalvan

This is the mainstream recording debut of Luis Salinas, the young Argentinian guitarist/composer whose admirers include Chick Corea and the late, great Brazilian guitarist/composer Baden Powell. Salinas plays both electric and acoustic guitar on this set of his own compositions, fronting a quartet that includes the popular Sammy Figueroa on percussion. At first blush, given the continuous layer of synth violins, the sound seems to fit the familiar formula of "smooth" jazz. Yet while the music is largely relaxed, it's more varied and interesting than the usual "lite" fare - it has real drums and a clear sense of direction. Salinas offers a personalized mix of bossa nova, salsa, Argentinian folk music, bolero, and jazz; the percussive accents and expressive range of the guitar and piano keep the mix from blending too smooth. Most of the tunes are taken at mid-tempo; the distinctive high points are the ballads…

‘Canto interno’, or ‘inner voice’, is the nesting place of the elements necessary for the expressive, melodic, and timbral elaboration of one’s musical construction where, before the sound becomes real or audible, it is developed consciously in the innermost depths of our being. It is the space where we can hear and feel music in its purest state.

Portuguese composer Pedro de Cristo is nowhere near as familiar as Duarte Lobo or Manuel Cardoso, who may show up on general concerts of Renaissance choral music. Cristo's music was never published and was largely lost to history until some painstaking research work, described in the booklet of this Hyperion release. That is likely to change after this 2022 release by the eight-voice choir Cupertinos, which made classical best-seller charts late that year. The music is lovely, with the limpid, reverential treatment of text found in the works of Cristo's greatest Spanish contemporaries. There are long homophonic stretches in the motets that have a starkly emotional effect. The Missa Salve regina, whose motet exemplar is included, is more thoroughly polyphonic, but Cristo's orientation toward directness and clarity remains. Sample the gorgeous Crucifixus section.

While pianist Luis Perdomo has earned plenty of praise for his work in Latin jazz settings with different artists such as percussionist Ray Barretto and saxophonist Miguel Zenon, classifying him as a "Latin jazz pianist" would be a mistake. Perdomo may earn his daily bread playing piano with many Latin luminaries and legends-to-be, but his work with saxophonist Ravi Coltrane and his own albums place him at the vanguard of modern jazz, in all of its expansive and inclusive glory. Universal Mind is the Venezuelan-born pianist's fourth release as a leader, but it marks the debut of this compelling trio. Bassist Drew Gress and Perdomo built a chemistry and musical bond through their shared experiences in Coltrane's outfit, but the real story here is the connection between Perdomo and drummer Jack DeJohnette. The two push, prod and propel one another to great heights, while creating music that's thought-provoking, powerful, and unique.

Mexican superstar Luis Miguel followed up his immensely successful ballads collection, Romance, with the aptly titled Grammy-winner Segundo Romance (meaning second romance). The album, of course, is a first-rate collection of timeless Latin American standards. Miguel, one of Latin America's reigning superstars, has a wonderful, passionate voice, and the songs were exquisitely produced by the artist himself. The album opens with a romantic accordion leading into the first song, "El Dia Que Me Quieras," setting the tone for the rest of the set. Other highlights include his lush version of "La Media Vuelta," one of the album's biggest hits, complete with horns, strings, and Spanish guitars.

Astor Piazzolla belongs to Buenos Aires and to the whole world as well. His music has that secret, that intangible charm and that dose of magic it takes to fascinate musicians and non-musicians alike, whatever their own styles and wherever they come from. His sharply-accented melodies and his lively, persistent rhythms with their ferocious attacks capture you and sweep you along. Then suddenly all that sonic aggression calms down in a slow section and his lyricism, his inexorable melodies, hit you inside. It's the tango, and it goes straight to the soul.