Reviews

The Queen of Salsa

Celia Cruz

To put together a mere 12 of the Cuban diva’s greatest recordings must be an invidious task. Nevertheless, Craft Latino...

Reviewed by Mark Sampson in issue: February/March/2026

The Road is Long: Live at Savoy Theatre

Helsinki-Cotonou Ensemble

When you have made four attempts at recording a live album in Cotonou, Benin, and each of them fail, what...

Reviewed by Jim Hickson in issue: April/2017

Origem

Luiz Murá

Luiz Murá is a diverse musician. He sings in Portuguese, Japanese, English and Italian, performs samba, bossa nova or any...

Reviewed by GonÇalo Frota in issue: October/2020

Momentos

Dulce Pontes

Dulce Pontes began her musical career in 1991 when, as a shy teenager, she sang for Portugal in the Eurovision...

Reviewed by Alex Robinson in issue: Aug/Sep/2010

Voy

Nella

Latin American music inevitably has an East-West thrust, born in the Old World, forged in the New. Venezuelan singer Marianella...

Reviewed by Chris Moss in issue: Aug/Sep/2019

Jive & Soul: The Very Best Of

Mahlathini & The Mahotella Queens/The Soul Brothers

It’s highly unusual to combine two different artists on a ‘Best Of’ set like this, but the teaming of two...

Reviewed by Nigel Williamson in issue: Jan/Feb/2011

Dawning

Saffron

We all know the path of fusion is strewn with many pitfalls. What sounds good in theory often lacks coherence...

Reviewed by Peter Culshaw in issue: Apr/May/2013

Sons da Terra Vol 1

VARIOUS ARTISTS

This is a beautiful collection of live performances in the Monasterio de Santa Cristina in the Ribeiro Sacra region of...

Reviewed by Simon Broughton in issue: July/2017

For the Olives

Trendafilka

With For the Olives, New Orleans-based Trendafilka extends the legacy of Eastern European polyphonic singing into the 21st century. An...

Reviewed by Doug Deloach in issue: May/2025

Ubalafon

Gil Felix

Hailing from Salvador de Bahía, Felix takes elements of bossa nova, samba, reggae, Afrobeat and more to mould them smartly...

Reviewed by Nigel Williamson in issue: December/2024