There’s no telling what kind of music American guitarist Bill Frisell will come up with next. He’s been The Man for quite awhile now, fusing elements of prog, jazz, world, classical and ambient. He’s collaborated with avant-garde saxophonist John Zorn for 11 albums, been a leader on 29 albums of his own, worked in the band Naked City for 10 albums and in a brilliant trio with drummer Paul Motian and bop saxophonist Joe Lovano for 17 albums.
Vinicius Cantuaria moved to Brooklyn in the mid-‘90s. For over 25 years he’s used the traditional bossa nova and samba sounds of his native Brazil as base for his more contemporary inventions.
Lagrimas Mexicanas pairs Cantauria’s dreamy vocals (in Portuguese, Spanish and English), acoustic guitar and percussion with Frizell’s electric and acoustic guitar, loops and arrangements. The experimental soundscapes created by both men are hauntingly memorable, complete with a stunning, percolating percussive pop that engages the body as well as the mind.
Striking in its originality, the Latin rhythms and the jazz improv coalesce to create a heady mix of romantic moods and laid-back (but not lazy) vistas perfectly timed out at 40-plus minutes.
In A Word: Calm
