Omar Sosa
Promise

Guys, what I'm presenting to you, for various reasons, is an unmissable album: Omar Sosa "Promise" (otà)..

Omar Sosa, a young Cuban jazz musician (42 years old) pianist and vibraphonist, has the class of an already established leader.. This is a "live" recording held in Hamburg... It begins with a voice that evokes legendary tales (Eleggua in C) counterpointed by a softly jazz piano... And our Paolo - I'll tell you who he is later - who immediately shows a crystalline class...

A sound blend full of strong ingredients; lively, colorful percussion and the African vibes... "Griot" singing on fabric infused with tradition and innovation... Cool and experimentation... acoustic with traces of electronics or at least extended effects.... A journey to Africa, return trip, with a stop in Sardinia... Music of islanders streaked and enriched by the clear trumpet of another true islander: Paolo Fresu (now you understand whom I meant) with the flugelhorn and muted trumpet, in splendid form.... Listen to the fourth track "A Moment" to see what I mean: a sound ecstasy will envelop you.... But what a spectacle, what a delight!! Sea, salt, and more sea, contamination, atmosphere of Berchidda and Havana, and a neurotic and effective "scat" singing in the next track: "AFRECANOS WEST".. A phantasmagoric ride among sound corners from everywhere.... Black music? White music? Caribbean inlays and rhythmic heat of cool rumblings, mixed music with an extensive chromatic palette without discarding any color and squeezing the tubes to the last traces... Here we are faced with inexpressible musical elegance...

Sound art and no folklore just for the sake of it... And all the restrained Cuba emerges imperiously in "Weekend Soft" sixth track... which seems to be in the area of jazzed-up Secundo, spiced and infused with Tabasco.... Samba atmospheres illuminated by powerful sun and strongly fragrant cigars... It closes with "Lyade" a syncopated and ethereal ballad... full of impalpable and aerial sounds..... between the aromas of "titopuente-like" salsa and the audience ending in chorus with the group.. "Sjèsjèsjèmoro....Sjèsjèsjèmoro ...Sjèsjèsjèmoro".... ad libitum. Paolo hosted, to give back and not just because of the affinity, Omar Sosa at his Sardinian festival of the last edition... And lucky are those who heard them live!! Among retraceable DNA in work songs, blues and rumba, chachacha, launeddas, and tenors a cappella, an album that to define overflowingly beautiful, is an understatement...

Seven tracks that will leave an indelible mark on you... leaving you with musical stigmata noticeable by everyone who approaches you... So? Ikkefatè costì!! Activate credit card and earlobes... and go!! Happy listening!

Smiles from unknown distances! Yours, Rainer!