A very generous helping of music from the intersection where Jazz - TopicsExpress

A very generous helping of music from the intersection where Jazz and “World Music” meet. Corina Bartra sings in what I take to be Spanish which is the “official” language of Peru although there are zones in which some aboriginal languages have an “official status. Using my trusty MacBook Pro I found it simple enough translate some titles. I was curious about the identity of Fray Martin referred to in one title. He turns out to be Martin de Porres, a lay brother of the Dominican order who was canonized in 1962 and is now considered to be the patron saint of mixed-race people and all those seeking interracial harmony. Amen to that. Ms. Batra has recorded Chabuca Granda songs on previous albums, but this seems to be the first time she has devoted herself to Granda songs exclusively, even offering newer versions of some individual songs found variously on her previous releases ( April 2010, p. 233..). The album notes advise that in Peru, Chabuca Granda ( 1920- 1983) is considered a “national treasure,” a true pioneering musical poetess. A statue of her erected and on display in Lima is seen in the photo on this CDs cover. Is that Corina Bartra, herself, offering the statue a rose in the photo. I frankly don’t know. Nevertheless, this is a disc which will, I believe, be of primary interest to those already familiar with Corina Bartra’s vocal artistry and/or Chabuca Granda’s song oeuvre. Alan Bargebuhr March 22, 2014. --