Following her equally ambitious 2021 small group album Ontology, singer
Roxana Amed continues to push the boundaries of her Latin post-bop jazz sound on 2022's heartfelt and beautifully arranged
Unánime. Spanish for "unanimous,"
Unánime is a celebration of Latin American composers, both classic and contemporary, and also showcases the Buenos Aires-born, Miami-based
Amed's own vibrant songwriting skills. While not a big band or large group recording, there is a lush quality to much of
Unánime with
Amed's dusky, blue-toned vocals framed in warm acoustic piano and Latin percussion, woody double bass, saxophone, and a mix of acoustic and electric guitar. The album once again finds her working with her longtime collaborator, pianist
Martin Bejerano, as well as other close associates, including guitarist
Tim Jago, bassist
Edward Perez, and drummer Ludwig Alfonso.
Amed also features a handful of special guests throughout the record, such as acclaimed pianist
Chucho Valdés, who joins her on two songs by legendary Cuban composer Ignacio Cervantes, including a sprightly take on "Los Tres Golpes" and a languorously mournful reading of the ballad "Adiós a Cuba." Also joining
Amed are flamenco guitarist
Niño Josele for an organically tropical vocalese arrangement of
Miles Davis' "Flamenco Sketches," and flügelhornist/vocalist
Linda Briceño, who duets and solos on an intimately romantic rendition of Venezuelan composer Cesar Prato's "Nostalgia Andina." Particularly compelling are the more stripped-down performances, as on
Amed and bassist
Perez's composition "A Veces No, Simpre" and her duet with guitarist
Chico Pinheiro on
Egberto Gismonti's artful Brazilian chamber ballad "Agua y Vino." More than bridging geographic boundaries on
Unánime,
Amed highlights the shared musical traditions of these composers and their songs, and never fails to pull you deep inside their romantic harmonic architecture. ~ Matt Collar