Music Reviews: Multilingual Latin Jazz on ‘Somos’ from Julia Vari + Negroni’s Trio; Ron Rieder’s ‘Latin Jazz Sessions’

Julia Vari feat. Negroni Trio – Somos

Buoyant, smoky, playful, impassioned – jazz singer Julia Vari spans a range of moods on Somos, her new seven-track collaboration with Negroni’s Trio. The album also traverses a correspondingly broad variety of musical traditions. Comfortable in multiple languages, Vari sings Horace Silver’s “Song for My Father” in Portuguese. The Nat King Cole hit “Nature Boy,” sung in English, is Latinized and decked with filigrees of scat singing and coruscating piano from José Negroni.

“Noche de Ronda” gets a gorgeous candlelight aura while “Siboney” nestles delicately and insistently into the ear (both sung in Spanish). A tricked-out “C’est Si Bon” (in French and English) captivates, and the launcher, “La Bikina,” carries a joyful punch. There’s not a weak track or an unfocused musical thought.

The Vari-Negroni pairing is new. Fresh as can be, it has a distinctive perspective on tradition. The musicianship from José Negroni, Nomar Negroni, and Rafael Valencia shines. José Negroni on piano plays creatively with his instrumental compadres and with Vari; Nomar Negroni’s drums establish and decorate the pocket with suave assurance, and Valencia’s electric bass provides a modern sheen.

Meanwhile Vari is at the top of her vocal game, sensitive, strong, flawlessly artful whatever the language, and with a daring sense of fun that’s key to making this all-too-brief album a winner.

Somos from Julia Vari and Negroni’s Trio is available now.

Ron Rieder – Latin Jazz Sessions

Latin Jazz Sessions is Ron Rieder’s debut recording. But he doesn’t play on it. Instead he hands off his 10 sambas and Afro-Cuban jazz numbers to an excellent band.

The tunes are pretty straightforward, generally brightly rhythmic and driven by classy melodies and right-in-the-groove horn riffs. Ultimately, the album overcomes some generic-sounding moments to emerge a winner.

The recordings are at their best when individual musicians are set free to indulge their chops a bit.

“Mambo Jumbo” gains from smoky bebop piano from Alain Mallet and polyrhythmic percussion from drummer Mark Walker and percussionist Ricardo Monzon. Guitarist Claudio Ragazzi is a tasteful presence even when merely comping, as in “Spring Serenade.” Steel drums from Ron Reid lend a celebratory air to “St. John,” where Mike Tucker on tenor sax and bassist Gerson Lazo-Quiroga sparkle.

An extended rhythm break helps give “Pescado” a somewhat dark aggressiveness. “Gardenias” is the opposite, sweet and jazzy with some nice flute-and-sax unison lines – supple flautist Fernando Brandão top-ending a number of the tunes – and with a fluid bottom end from the session’s other bassist, Oscar Stagnaro.

The slick, sultry and spacious “From Dawn to Dusk” is the penultimate track but one of the best. The intriguing “Capitol Mayhem” changes the pace by closing out the set in 3/4 time, with compelling riffage and a wailing solo from Tucker.

Latin Jazz Sessions from composer Ron Rieder is available now.