Takillacta's
Andean Songs is an interesting display of Andean folk music influenced by the multiculturalism of New York, where the band was formed. Takillacta's basic approach is to take traditional Andean folk sounds and liberally incorporate modern guitars, bass, and piano. At the same time, touches of Japanese folk are thrown in from time to time courtesy of Hideiji Taninaka, the bassist. While this makes for a sound that one would expect to be somewhat dissonant at best, and cacophonous at worst, it turns out to be a rather enjoyable mixture, with a touch of jazz piano holding the weaker points together to make a smooth transition. It's a generally light album, with plenty to like for those looking for a fix of contemporary jazz with strong influences from other regions, or conversely, Andean folk music with strong influences from jazz. For a more pure Andean sound, one might be better off digging up albums by groups such as
Los Indios, but this is still a highly worthwhile endeavor. ~ Adam Greenberg