Mélange
TRRcollective, 2022
8/10
The Cuban native and New York resident Kalí Rodriguez-Pena knows his way around a trumpet, and here with an all star cast of players and a few esteemed guests he glides through bebop, post-bop, and plenty of world music ideas.
“Yes Or No” starts the listen with lively horns and no shortage of rhythm, as the fluid keys make quite an impact, and “A Student Is Not A Disciple” follows with a warm elegance, where Victor Pable Garcia’s playful percussion give the cautious climate a bit of playfulness.
Halfway through, “Drume Mobila” welcomes Gina D’ Soto’s gorgeous pipes to the soulful climate, while “Like Someone In Love” recruits frisky bass lines from Bam Bam Rodriguez for the bright textures and cultured melodies.
Closer to the end, “Thinking Of The Universe” rumbles lowly, where proficient piano and dynamic brass help make this the album’s best, and “Se Acabo” exits the listen with a worldly jazz spirit entering the precise layers and unparalleled attention to detail.
A listen where each track radiates in its own light, there’s plenty of Rodriguez-Pena’s Cuban roots alongside salsa and rumba, to name a few, and it helps make for an organic experience that’s as enlightening as it is exciting.
Travels well with: Alex ‘Apolo’ Ayala- Bámbula; Leonor Falcon- Imaga Mondo Vol. II