Nunca Tarde – a round-up of recent new albums (Zé Ibarra, Orbital Ensemble, Edna Vazquez, Las Chorizeras, Calle Mambo and more)

No doubt June will prove to be a record-breaker, heat-wise, but the month has also seen some fine new albums surfacing. I’ve already covered the double helping of Marcos Valle reissues, so I won’t repeat myself here (That makes a change, someone mutters. Who said that? Stand up at the back!). Here, in my ‘umble, are the best of the rest…

Zé Ibarra: AFIM (Mr. Bongo)

Last time out it was Julia Mestre. This month, it’s one of her two male colleagues in Bala Desejo. AFIM is Ibarra’s second solo album and it’s very good – in a Bala Desejo kind of way. And what better way, I sometimes think while humming along to one of their infectious melodies. The eight tracks are either self-penned or compositions by friends and contemporaries, including band-mate Dora Morelenbaum. The result is an album that runs the gamut from more stripped-back intimate numbers to those that are more obviously arranged. So yes, there are strings attached – but nicely done, nothing saccharine. AFIM explores, in the artist’s words, “a certain darkness, a more cinematic musicality, a desire for new soundscapes.” It’s terrific.

Azymuth: Marca Passo (Far Out Recordings)

As an Englishman exiled to France – and despite a faux vegetarian lifestyle – I do miss my fish and chips from time to time. On visits to my native land, I can give in to temptation. I think of Azymuth as a kind of musical version of a nice plate of fish and chips. Generally, you know what you’re getting and you can feel satisfied on completion. Some chippies are better than others, of course, but the dish rarely lets you down. The band’s latest serving isn’t top-drawer, perhaps, but it’s far from the bottom. Considering, too, that it’s quite a changed version of the band we know and love, it’s pretty damn good. Alex Malheiros might sit down in concert these days, but his bass playing still drives things along nicely; Kiko Continentino does a very good job of emulating José Roberto Bertrami’s trademark keyboard sound; and newcomer Renato Massa fits fairly snugly into “Mamão” Conti’s tight drum seat. I shall be going back to this establishment for a second helping sometime. But perhaps wee bit more salt next time please.

Agustin Pereyra Lucena: Puertos de Alternativa (Far Out Recordings)

Still with Far Out Recordings, here’s someone you could classify as a wannabe Brazilian. Certainly, listening to the two Baden Powell compositions (“Pequeño Vals” and “O Cego Aderaldo”) on this (vinyl) resurrection of the Argentine guitarist’s 1988 album, it would be easy to imagine Lucena as a long-term pupil of the Brazilian master of the acoustic guitar. Which in a sense he was of course. It’s comforting to know that Lucena forged a reputation in Brazil and was able to form friendships with the likes of Powell, Toquinho, de Moraes and Maria Bethania. The title translates as “Alternative Harbours” and alludes to the time he spent in Norway as a safe haven from South American dictators and his eventual return to his native city by the River Plate. The album was recorded with a host of fine local musicians and it’s a very worthy addition to the body of work with which reissues of recent years have familiarised us.

Orbital Ensemble: Orbital (We Are Busy Bodies)

I’m sorry, I just can’t seem to shake off the influence of Brazil this month. Mr. Orbital is one Felipe Sena, a Brazilian/Canadian multi-instrumentalist based in Toronto. In fact, Azymuth are an influence on the Ensemble’s brand of jazz and psychedelia  fusion, as are equally bands like King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard. Sena is particularly handy on the electric guitar and while listening (several times just recently) to Orbital I found myself wishing occasionally that he would go easy on the psychedelic string-benders. The 10-minute “Transe” for example gets a little wearisome and reminds me that my air-guitar days are well and truly over. But please don’t let that spoil your enjoyment of an album that is in the main airy, melodic, atmospheric and, certainly at times, outer-spacey. Here’s a live version of one of my favourite numbers.

Edna Vazquez: Te Esperaba (Heinz Records)

I’m sure the poor woman must be heartily sick of being labelled as “Pink Martini’s Edna Vazquez”, but it does help us to orientate the Mexican-American musician and singer-songwriter. Her debut album serves up some wonderful authentic and affecting portions of Mexican folk music. Recorded partly in Mexico and partly in Oregon, the singer describes Te Esperaba candidly as “a tribute to my familial ancestors, culminating in this rigid, love-and-hate, pain in the ass album that took more than five years to complete.” Here’s her beautiful cover of Raul Partida’s “El Árbol”, which will allow you to gauge whether it was worth the time and dedication and whether PopMatters’ judgement that “Vazquez seems right out of a nightclub scene from a film noir” is on-the-nail or off-the-mark. It certainly got me thinking of a scene from Out Of The Past, with Robert Mitchum, Jane Greer and a wily Kirk Douglas.

Mestra Rosália e Cia Cabelo de Maria: A Luz que me Alumeia (Por do Som)

Here’s something quite complementary from Brazil. Mestra Rosália is a new name for me, but it seems that she was discovered by the singer and musician, Renata Mattar, towards the end of the 1990s while working in the tobacco fields. Since then, Mattar has taken her to countless performances around Brazil and has now produced this album of work songs, alongside her partner in Cia Cabelo de Maria, Gustavo Finkler. Again, the adjectives “authentic” and “affecting” spring to mind when listening to these simple songs discreetly embellished by the acoustic backing of the band.

Caetano Veloso and Maria Bethânia: Caetano & Bethânia Ao Vivo (Sony Music)

It’s a long way from the tobacco fields to concert arenas such as the 60,000-capacity Mineirão Stadium where this live album was recorded, and yet it’s not such a stretch of the imagination to hear in these songs the kind of humble origins exemplified by Mestra Rosália. Of course, they get the big production one would expect for a 50-year sibling musical-reunion backed by a 14-piece band – and don’t the audience just love it! The album was recorded at the end of a record-breaking national stadium-tour, with over half a million tickets sold across the country, so there’s no holding back: the pair of tropicália giants go at it for over two hours and a total of (count ‘em) 33 tracks covering their glittering careers. The assembled multitude appears to know most of them.

Las Chorizeras: Las Chorizeras (Las Chorizeras)

Let’s nip back to Mexico – or Los Angeles in actual fact. This all-female outfit has been labelled as mariachi-alternativo and I guess that’s as good a way as any of describing the sisterhood’s output. They first found acclaim when “Dispuesto A Amar”, their Spanish-language version of Journey’s “Open Arms”, was featured in the Netflix series The Lincoln Lawyer. Their repertoire is a blend of founder singer-songwriter Nancy Sanchez’s own compositions and songs from the American and Mexican songbooks. Underneath a cheery exterior of traditional instruments and matching outfits lurk a few songs tied to a message, such as that of female empowerment in their version of Renee Goust’s “La Muchacha Alegre”. They do what they do with genuine style and panache. Try some “Timba Mambo”, for example, and see if you can keep still.

Calle Mambo: Retumba la Tierra (Calle Mambo)

It seems like I’ve been featuring singles by the Chilean quintet for an age, so I don’t propose to add much about the new album, other than to stress that it’s generally every bit as good as the singles have promised. The 11 tracks brim with gusto, energy and infectious indigenous poly-rhythms. Try some “Timba Mambo”, for example, and see if you can keep still. They’re a class act.

DjeuhDjoah & Lieutenant Nicholson: Danses Divines (Hot Casa Records)

These charming diverse dances arrived here out of left field. Despite a base in France, the Paris-based duo have never come to my attention before. Nevertheless, this is their fourth album and it’s quirky and a lot of fun. Anyone who can write a pop song about inflation or a song entitled “Jackson Pollock” for that matter is all right with me. Their routes would seem to be in the Antilles – this video was recorded in Guadeloupe, for example, and the album was recorded in the Bermuda Triangle studio (does anyone know where that really is?) – and there is a lovely sunny Caribbean feel to many of these divine dances that makes you want to dip in the water and smoke fish on an open fire. The Pygmy flute by the way that helps to colour this particular song comes courtesy of Patrick Bebey, son of the legendary Cameroonian musician, Francis. A surprising delight.

Gabriel da Rosa: Cacofonia (Stones Throw)

Despite my best efforts, there’s nothing else for it but to head back to Brazil. To São Paulo, in fact, via Los Angeles, where this singer-songwriter (and poster boy for Prezident Markon’s new singles round-up for May) has been domiciled for about a decade. The album came about following his return to Brazil in 2023 after eight years away. It’s his second album for the LA label and it’s replete with elegant songs and fine musicianship. Among his influences, da Rosa numbers David Byrne and, interestingly, Kevin Ayers – along with Brazilian heroes like Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso. He has vowed never to spend so long away from his home and family and Brazilian culture in general. Here he is with his band playing a song about Brazil’s threatened national songbird, the sabiá, in a secret location probably not so very near most of you.

João Luiz: Os Guardiões da Magia: Leo Brouwer por João Luiz (Rocinante)

Yes, this remarkable acoustic guitarist is Brazilian, but his repertoire is not what you would normally find in this column. The catalyst for this album was Rocinante artistic director Sylvio Fraga’s discovery during a recording session that there were unpublished works written for Luiz by the Cuban composer, Leo Brouwer. The situation was remedied and the virtuoso results are here for all to enjoy. This particular piece along with the four-part “Sonata Cubana no.7” were specifically dedicated to Luiz, while the three-part “O arco e a lira” that completes the album is a piece for two guitars and cellos. Holy scintillating guitar strings, Batman!

Various Artists: YB Music 25 (YB Music)

I’ll close with this richly diverse compilation of the Brazilian label’s first 25 years. I don’t think it’s available in any physical format, but you should be able to find it as a playlist on Spotify. YB Music, no doubt beloved of my marginal colleague Andy Cumming, is one of Brazil’s most influential and enduring independent labels and the selection certainly reflects this, with artists ranging from Jorge Ben’s former backing band, Trio Mocotó, to contemporary darlings like Metá Metá and Thiago Franꞔa. Some of the selections are quite “out there”, while others are contemporary cousins of MPB. Since finding something suitable to typify this splendid compilation is next to impossible, and since I haven’t yet managed to squeeze in some jazz, I’ve opted for this very striking track that features the beguiling voice of Tatiana Parra.

There endeth the lesson for June/July. I’ll aim to be back with more in early August (if I haven’t expired from the heat).

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