Caetano Veloso & Maria Bethânia

Caetano & Bethânia Ao Vivo

(Sony Music)

This recording of 42 songs across 33 tracks, lasting nearly two hours, is the result of a tour through Brazil’s main capitals that reunited the two siblings on stage for the first time since a 1978 tour. This was a show designed to please the crowds, conceived for arenas and stadiums. The pair’s contrasting energies but remarkably similar voices mean that they can slip in and out of each other’s songs through a setlist of tensile strength. There’s an overview of both of their careers with a selection from the early days of tropicâlia to a brand-new unreleased song, ‘Um Baiana’, which appeared in the penultimate performance of the tour, played to the Salvadorian rhythm of samba-reggae, where Veloso sings of his experience of singing with BaianaSystem and their inspirational stance of non-violence. If you go to any show in Brazil, the crowd will often drown out the main act with their singing; shows are a time for celebration not respectful listening, and this album is no exception, as we can hear the crowd joining in the familiar refrain of ‘tempo, tempo, tempo’ in ‘Oracão ao Tempo’. There’s room for self-reference: ‘Gente’ celebrates the greatness of human existence, exemplified by those mentioned in the lyrics – which includes Bethânia herself. The medley of sambas starting with ‘13 de Maio’ is a homage to their birthplace, the Recôncavo Baiano region, and is rounded off with ‘A Donzela se Casou’, a charming samba by Veloso’s son, Moreno. I imagine this tour will never be repeated, making this something of a coda for their joint careers and the perfect souvenir. ANDY CUMMING

Frente Cumbiero

Inconcreto & Asociados

(Salgaelsol & Discos Biche)

Frente Cumbiero are a radical outfit dedicated to preserving the traditional cumbia and porro rhythms of their native Colombia by fusing them with dub, jazz and electronica, folding in sounds from Peru, Mexico and Argentina and chopping the result into fast, polyrhythmic bites. Helmed by Mario Galeano, their latest is a wild joyride. Gaita flutes mix with hypnotic synths. Saxes, clarinet and tuba blend with funky club-floor beats. Maravilloso. JANE CORNWELL

Natalia Lafourcade

Cancionera

(Sony Music Mexico)

Cancionera features no fewer than 18 invitees and accompanists, but from the beautiful, opening track, ‘Apertura Cancionera’, we know we are in for an impassioned, thoughtful, theatrical tête-à-tête. ‘Cocos en la Playa’ is mambo-esque and swayingly danceable, but the overriding accent across Cancionera is on slow, pulsing, melancholy numbers in the spirit of Mexican bolero, but fused with Veracruz son jarocho and other folk traditions, to make sorrow sensual and strangely uplifting. CHRIS MOSS

Bejuco

MACHETE

(Discos Pacífico)

This dynamic outfit from Tumaco in Colombia’s Pacific region follow-up their 2021 debut, Batea, which introduced their self-styled ‘bambuco beat’ – a seamless combination of Afrobeat with the region’s traditions. Marimbas vie with drums, bass, guitar and synths, along with thrilling, fiery vocals. Listening to the irresistible opener, ‘Me Mueve el Tambó’, tells you all you need to know about the album’s intensity. This exhilarating offering is sure to swell the group’s fanbase. Mark Sampson

Azymuth

Marca Passo

(Far Out Recordings)

Marking 50 years since their 1975 debut, the 25th album from the Brazilian jazz-funk trio is the first since the passing of founding drummer Ivan ‘Mamão’ Conti in 2023. Whether it’s the blissed-out groove of ‘Belenzinho’, the vocoder-drenched stylings of ‘O Mergulhador’, or the multiple textures coalescing beautifully in ‘Arabutã’, Marca Passo perfectly showcases Azymuth’s singular sound. Dedicated to Conti, the irrepressibly sunny ‘Samba Pro Mamão’ lingers long in the memory. PETER QUINN

A Conversation with Diego Gómez

The Colombian musician and producer, also known as Cerrero, discusses Bejuco and a wave of exciting sounds coming from Colombia’s Pacific Coast

Can you tell us about Bejuco? How did you get involved?

I heard about Bejuco when we began signing artists for Discos Pacífico, the Llorona Records imprint we launched in 2020 to produce and promote the vibrant music scene of Colombia’s Pacific region. At that point, we were looking for a band willing to experiment, to push boundaries and create something new. [Bejuco bandleader] Juan Carlos ‘Cankita’ Minidinero’s name kept coming up. He already had a strong reputation as a young, open-minded marimbero [marimba player] and songwriter. The moment we saw Bejuco perform, they grabbed our attention — the energy was raw, the vocals were powerful. Yet, their identity wasn’t fully defined: they played salsa, marimba de chonta pieces, hip-hop tracks, and even some wild pop experiments. I still remember our first conversation. We told them, “You’re incredible – we can see your potential to create something truly unique. But to do that, we have to start from scratch. Would you be open to write and produce a record together with us?” Cankita immediately answered: “For sure, that is what we have been waiting for, let’s get to work.”

Machete is the second album from Bejuco, and the second you’ve co-produced. How has the group evolved since Batea?

Batea was an experiment. We sat down and listened to a lot of Afrobeat – the classics by Fela Kuti, Ebo Taylor and Pat Thomas – and then some more experimental projects like Mark Ernestus’ Ndagga Rhythm Force. From there, we created a sort of “dos and don’ts” map, thinking about the possibilities and the direction we wanted to take. We knew that the vocal tradition of Colombia’s Pacific coast is so profound and unique that we didn’t want to alter it – we wanted to go deeper. We wanted to explore the ways the masters used to sing, crafting lyrics that carried the same political spirit found in Afrobeat, but rooted in our own context: respect for community, freedom through fishing, and the idea of sharing nature’s treasures with everyone.

We also knew that some of the traditional percussion patterns — especially on instruments like the cununo and bombo drums – would have to be translated to a band format with drum kit and bass, without losing the groove of the 6/8 bambuco viejo and juga [local rhythms]. There isn’t a strong horn tradition in Tumaco – crucial in Afrobeat – so we decided to treat the vocals like horns in some of the arrangements. The chureo, a very distinctive and almost forgotten chanting style made up of two- or three-note melodic loops that overlap polyrhythmically as more singers join, gave us something that felt both fresh and ancient. It became a key ingredient in shaping the hypnotic atmosphere we wanted for this Colombian-Pacific version of Afrobeat.

When we began working on Machete, I remember Cankita asking me where we should take the new record. My answer was simple: “I think we created an incredible recipe with Batea. Now the band has made it their own – you’ve been playing it, exploring where that formula can go. Let’s just take it to the next level.” And I think that’s exactly what Machete is. There was the confidence to mix the record more freely and to experiment with some careful dubbing on the console, which gave the album a sound that truly reflects our work together and the trust we had in each other.

Can you tell us about some of the other artists you’re working with?

We are very proud to have some of the biggest names in Colombian roots music on our labels, such as Los Gaiteros de San Jacinto, Canalón de Timbiquí and Changó. But we always keep a forward-thinking vision of exploration and connection: honouring the roots while celebrating the future. Verito Asprilla is the youngest artist on our roster – she’s only 21 – and she represents the sound you hear on the dancefloors of the Pacific region, in the picos of Tumaco’s neighbourhoods: a fresh, raw and powerful style that has been developing for some time. Genres like salsa choke and ritmo exótico are increasingly blending with Afrobeats, amapiano, dembow and dancehall, creating a killer combination that carries the soul of the region in a unique way.

Finally, could you say a few words about Calima, the 2025 album you worked on featuring London’s Balimaya Project and Pacific Coast musicians?

The idea of Calima was simple: each band [Balimaya Project and Discos Pacífico All Stars] would bring raw material to the creation process in Tumaco, and the songs would grow from there. It was an incredible experience – everyone was genuinely excited, and the creative process felt completely natural. It was inspiring to learn from Yahael and the Balimaya musicians, and to witness how the dots connected, how the Colombian musicians traced parts of their own music back to Burkina Faso, to Mandé and Baga traditions. Interview by Russ Slater Johnson