Prezident Markon’s New Singles Round-Up (LUIZGA, Dario Acosta Teich, Marcos Valle, Esperanza Spalding & Milton Nascimento, The Bongo Hop and more…)

I don’t know what happened to August, gone in the blink of an eye, but in my oft-quoted words of singer Jean Carne, “We’ve got some catchin’ up to do…” Oh, how the affairs of state do sorely weigh on my prezidential shoulders!

LUIZGA: “Abya Ayala”

So… we’ll go back to the beginning of last month – to a new EP from the Brazilian producer and singer-songwriter, LUIZGA or Luiz Gabriel Lopes, entitled Real Cinema. His 2023 collaboration with Edgar Valente as AIÊ resulted in a splendid eponymous album on Ajabu! Records. He recently embarked on a solo tour of the UK to coincide with the EP and, judging by this lovely track, he hasn’t lost his winning touch. 

Los Aptos: “Bonnie & Clyde”

Back even earlier in time, to July, for a Mexican take on the legendary outlaws glamorised by Arthur Penn’s seminal film and Brigitte Bardot’s pop song. The young trio (playing the pursuing detectives in the video, in case you can’t figure out what’s going on) fuse traditional Mexican sounds with pop sensibilities in a way that strikes me as a little bizarre, yet worth flagging up for your entertainment.

Kela + Cineplexx: “Angel”

Here’s some more leftovers from July, this one a preview of an EP that these two young artists are bringing out in the autumn. The Galician-born singer, Kela, Sara Burgo González, is immersed in trap, hip-hop and reggaeton, while the Argentine producer Cineplexx, Sebastián Litmanovich, brings a Latin-tinged electronic sub-text to the mix. Based for the last 10 years in Madrid, he is also a producer and member of the local band, Papaya. Spanish speakers take note: he also has a podcast covering the careers of Latin and other artists from the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s. Alas, I won’t be tuning in – too busy grooving to this quite infectious single.

Priscilla Frade: “Baião de Quatro Toques”

By way of an almost complete contrast, here’s a delightful north-eastern Brazilian baião courtesy of a singer who’s certainly new to me. I’m clearly out of touch, here in the middle of nowhere. What’s more, the video appears to be five months old. I suppose it’s better that it comes to my notice late rather than never. The song is a classic piece that was once performed by Gal Costa, among others. Ms. Frade does it proud.

Claire Luzi: “Le tram qui mène à la mère”

Claire Luzi is a French singer who studied the mandolin in Brazil with Pedro Amorim and Marco César – and found more than she bargained for: she fell in love not only with the melodies of choro, but also her future partner and co-songwriter, Cristiano Nascimento. She sings in French within the parameters of choro, and the single released back in June, “The tram that leads to the sea”, is representative of the charming five-track EP, Ce Corta-Jaca, due out on the 20^th September. Here she is performing it live…

Mariandoro & Marcos Souza: “Jasmin”

It’s not every day that you hear a Brazilian song sung in Dutch. This is a precursor to more such Flemish interpretations. The song was written by Francisco Mário and it’s played by a Brazilian pianist, Marcos Souza, who has spent time in the Netherlands. The Dutch guitarist, Mariandoro, sings it beautifully and convincingly in her own language. I shall listen out for more of the similar.

Dario Acosta Teich: “Kachariy”

Is he plugged in? Is he miming? If so, the facials are very convincing. This is the Argentine guitarist’s first single from a new album that’s coming soon to a platform near you. The blend of indigenous Andean music and the guitarist’s gentle brand of jazz suggests that the album’s title, Tierra Infinita, is an apposite one. It will be his sixth release. I enjoyed 2022’s Folklore and look forward to September’s offering. With it, he hopes to “inspire people to learn more about the endless wealth in South American music.” You can’t say fairer than that on a site like Sounds and Colours.o one.

Laíz & The New Love Experience: “Mena”

All right, I know I featured her back in July, but this is too darn good to pass up. The Germany-based Brazilian rapper features the mighty Jembaa Groove’s Eric Owusu on percussion and vocals once more. The album, Ela Partíu, is another September release. It’s packed with collaborators from Cuba, Colombia, Europe and Africa and draws on such topics relevant to the expatriate as identity, exodus, diaspora and colonisation. For now, please enjoy the clearer sound… as my friendly CD cleaning disc announces.

Juan Sinatra: “Hijo Pródigo”

How could I not select for your edification a single by a Colombian rapper with a name like Juan Sinatra (no relation)? Moreover, it’s produced by his friend, Ily Wonder (no relation). If it sounds a little bit ’90s to you, that’s because it’s his homage to an era that helped to define him as an artist. Well, he’s sure got off to a tee the gold teeth, the manual gestures and the macho posturing. Not sure what cousin Frank would make of it. Hang on, he’s no relation.

Ilario Ferrari Trio: “Morning Samba”

Talking of famous names… here’s something light and frothy to go with your morning cappuccino. It’s a single taken from the south Italian singer and jazz pianist’s fourth studio album, Above The Clouds, due in October via the specialist East London jazz label, Elsden Music. That’s not his vocal on this track, as you might have surmised, but no doubt that of drummer Katie Patterson. Charlie Pyne on double bass makes up the trio. Ferrari also performs in a duo with the splendid expatriate Cuban violinist, Omar Puente.

Marcos Valle: “Bora Meu Bem”

It’s about time we had something Far Out. Who better than one of their most prestigious artists, the ever-youthful, ever-tuneful Marcos Valle? It’s a single taken from another September-scheduled release, Túnel Acústico, and it’s rather special as the lyrics are provided by Joyce Moreno, the backing is supplied by Alex Malheiros and his new Azymuth cohorts, and the production and arrangements are courtesy of Daniel Maunick. Cool as a cappuccino with ice cubes.

Dora Morelenbaum: “Caco”

It’s a short train ride south from the home of Far Out Recordings to that of Mr. Bongo. Brighton welcomes careful singers. Daughter of a famous Brazilian musical couple, Dora Morelenbaum is one of the signature voices of Bala Desejo. Based on this lead single, her forthcoming solo album, Pique, could be one to put in the same bracket as the splendid debut outing of the award-winning band from Rio.

Santiza: “Montecristo”

Described, aptly, as “a dreamy exploration of love and desire, laid over a downtempo club beat”, “Montecristo” appears to have little to do with Alexandre Dumas’ count, imprisoned falsely for 14 years in the Château d’If. It’s the work of a young Venezuelan singer and producer who is based in Tijuana, having studied art and sound design in the Netherlands and Ireland. Rather nice…

Carlos Metta (Chingos de Changos): “Gospel”

Here’s one of those rare indelible videos fashioned from old footage that fits the music so perfectly you think that they must have been conceived in tandem. Carlos Metta is a Mexican musician, composer, producer and sound artist. One of his new musical projects is Chingos de Changos, which focuses on recordings that he captured during the trips he has made. This single from what promises to be a very intriguing album is a mix of Balkan music, cumbia, tribal songs and Middle Eastern music. The music and the video are both extraordinary.

Noa Sainz: ” Cortisol (Did it to myself)”

Another Mexican artist now, but a very different kettle of genre. Named by YouTube as “one of the artists to follow”, the young singer-songwriter and producer’s earlier single “FYT” has garnered around 5 millions streams on Spotify to date. This single represents a studio collaboration with producer Jordan Reyes and it’s a notch above some of the similar fare on YouTube and other platforms.

The Bongo Hop ft. Nidia Góngora: “La Pata Coja”

I love the French label’s strap line, “One nation underdog groove”. One of the grooviest groups on their roster is The Bongo Hop. Their leader Etienne Sevet spent several years living in the Colombian city of Cali, and he wrote this song apparently while recovering from a cruciate-ligament accident in Dominica. He passed the song to the Colombian singer Nidia Gongóra, who has collaborated with the group in the past, and the result is a very nice slice of Pacific coast music with an undercurrent of horny Afrobeat.

Milton Nascimento and Esperanza Spalding: “Saudade Dos Aviões Da Panair (Conversando No Bar)”

Now here’s an unusual and unexpected collaboration – between the great Milton Nascimento and the jazz bassist and vocalist, Esperanza Spalding. The single was taken from the album Milton + esperanza, which came out on the estimable Concord label last month. It combines Nascimento classics like this one with songs that the Grammy-winning American musician wrote with the Brazilian maestro in mind. Recorded with Spalding’s regular band and a number of invited Brazilian musicians, the album’s guiding spirit was Wayne Shorter, who collaborated so memorably with Nascimento on Native Dancer, way back in the dim, distant ’70s.

Bernardo Ramos: “É Doce Morrer No Mar”

And while on a jazz note and the subject of Brazilian music legends, why not finish with this very understated but affecting version of a Dorival Caymmi number? It’s interpreted by Rio-based jazz guitarist Bernardo Ramos in the company of a sympathetic and inventive rhythm section made up of bassist Bruno Aguilar and percussionist Reinaldo Boaventura. It’s taken from the album, Poemas para Trio. Mmm, nice…

And there, as they say, we have it. I’ve just about caught up with the catching-up-to-do , so I shall arise now and focus on new albums…

(Cover photograph by Lucas Nogueira)

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