LATIN VOCALS

 The lovely women of Latin America profiled in  WOMEN OF LATIN AMERICA  were chosen for their vocal prowess, their diverse styles, and their ability to appeal across cultures to a wide audience outside of as well as within Latin America.

 Take Maria Gomez, for example: 'La Randa' from Columbia opens this collection with her most accessible, rousing song original.

 Maria's soaring voice captures the Columbian style and feel.

 Jacqueline Fuentes heralds from Chile: she too relies on adept soaring vocalizations to bring life to her song 'Sinuoso Tropico'.

 A bossa nova beat permeates Brazilian singer Adriana Calcanhotto in 'Just Agora': enthusiasts of Brazil traditions and Latin jazz alike have much to enjoy here.

 Monica Salmaso's also from Brazil, but 'Dancepe' is entirely different, presenting one of her most familiar songs and blending in Afro-Brazilian words and light jazz rhythms.

 From Susana Baca to Lila Downs and Lhasa, Mexico to Columbia, WOMEN OF LATIN AMERICA is a recommended, diverse and lovely pick

1. Navegas Por Las Costas
2. Taube Pa Spanska Fragancia
3. Brazos de Sol 

 The first song in BRAZOS DE SOL is by Silvio Rodriguez, a delicate nueva cancion ballad with guitar which aptly introduces Katia Cardenal's delicate vocals.

 Katia Cardenal is a (Nicaraguan-Norway based) folk singer who uses her lovely voice and guitar to sing nueva cancion standards.

 While liner notes are only in Spanish and Norwegian and not English, you don't need English to appreciate her delicate, sparse blend of acoustic guitar and focus on Latin ballad styles.

 BRAZOS DE SOL holds different songwriters - with a number written by Katia herself - to provide a satisfying diversity of tunes.

 TAUBE PA SPANSKE is a tribute to Everet Taube: other music and percussion instruments are brought into give a richer, fuller feel to TAUBE PA SPANSKE's collection.

 Still, it's Cardenal's voice which brings TAUBE PA SPANSKE's Latin ballads to life: wispy, one of them especially enhanced by unexpected harmonies with another vocalist.

 This cd was recorded in Havana, Cuba and mixed in Norway: it offers more diversity in sound (albeit with the same satisfying low-key approach): surprising considering it's all one composer. The addition of other instruments lends it a wider range.

 NAVEGAS POR LAS COSTAS opens with a  jazzy bossa-nova beat.

 This is another tribute album: this time to Norwegian Alf Proysen, who lived from 1914-1970: his songs range from a quiet introductory ballad to the nearly swinging second cut 'Venga Esta Noche'.

 Norwegian songs are smooth and sometimes sassy, lively renditions under Cardenal's treatment.

 Without English liner notes it's impossible to understand the full background of the music, but it's evident the folk/ballad vocals are powerful and these three are recommended picks for fans of the folk ballad in general (and Judy Collins' style in particular!)

 It's easy to see why the title of Mariana Montalvo's PIEL DE ACEILUNA is also one of its best songs: it's the most festive cut on the entire cd. If this tune doesn't wake you up, you have a problem.

 Mariana Montalvo, like the singer/songwriter Victor Jara, was part of the Nueva Cancion movement of the 1960s and 1970s. Like so many of her contemporaries, she left Chile when the Pinochet dictatorship took over, settling in Paris where a smoky ballad style already had an influence on her vocal style.

 Mix the serious social conscience of the Nueva Cancion with the style of Paris made famous by Edith Piaf and others, and you get a type of singing and songwriting totally unsuitable for dancing or raucous behavior - hence my love for the rousing title cut.

 Mariana Montalvo has a medium-range voice, usually soft and almost but not quite delicate: similar to Brazil's Astrud Gilberto, mixed with Argentina's Mercedes Sosa and of course many famous Parisian singers.

 The arrangements on PIEL DE ACEILUNA  are varied, although usually somewhat sparse. I particularly enjoyed the occasional interplay with the other vocalists (one at a time, not in chorus).

 The entire cd was recorded in Paris and the Paris Cafe style meets South America on most cuts.

 Mariana Montalvo is on tour in the USA this fall as part of 'Putumayo Presents Latinas: Women of Latin America'.

 Warm, jazzy vocals by Omara Portuondo imbed FLOR DE AMOR with a powerful bossa nova and easy listening Latin beat.

 These are lovely pieces brought to life by Omara Portoundo's voice: delicate in style, here tinged lightly with a horn interlude; there with soft supper club crooning.

 Omara is Latin vocal and Latin jazz at its best, selecting the finest works from Cuban and Latin songwriters to profile.

 Lovely, recommended music.