Xiomara Torres – La Voz del Mar (Patois Records, 2022)
She hails from the Colombian Pacific coast, her name is Xiomara Torres and, with the endorsement of the Californian label Patois Records, here she is presenting her first recording. The album, “La Voz del Mar” (the voice of the sea), has nine tracks, arranged by American vibraphonist Dan Neville and four of them lean towards the salsa orbit, reminding us of the great vibraphonist Louie Ramirez.
There are some very bright spots on the album, such as “Tio”. Here, Xiomara feels comfortable; it is the high point of the album, presenting the sounds of the marimba. On top of the marimba sound, there is a great horn section. The song is imbued with a magical dynamism, ranging from the Colombian currulao to the rumba and with nods to the Puerto Rican bomba rhythm. It is the key track of the album and with an amazing vocal approach at the end.
In the vallenato song “Tarde lo conocí”, however, she walks on familiar ground and for some moments, the porro sound from Colombia shows up. It is clear that Xiomara can handle various musical styles. In “Filomena”, she brings back the marimbas from the Pacific and at one point, that horn section delivers a great punch on top of the marimba sound. Indeed, it is a wonderful match.
Xiomara can get into the salsa world with authority. In “Me quedo contigo,” she exhibits her skills, even though the track leans musically towards the commercial and generic side of the equation.
Another salsa track such as “Como una hoguera”, a song performed previously by Colombian band Orquesta Guayacán, shows a contiguous chorus and a sublime piano solo. The groove invites everyone to dance. It is one of those bright spots of the album where Xiomara proves that being charismatic is nothing strange to her.
In another song, the results are disparate. Xiomara embraces “Let it be”, the classic song by the Beatles, with a salsa flavor. However, it is evident that there is nothing surprising on this arrangement. Performing those standards have the power to make you look bad.
She also approaches another popular song, a bolero called “La Puerta” without any sense of novelty, but Xiomara always does not let the track go unnoticed by her balanced interpretation.
In “Justicia”, Xiomara leaves joy aside and presents herself with a track that invites reflection. The social injustice and violence that Colombia has experienced for many years are condensed into this song.
“La Voz del Mar” is a very promising work. One always expects a dose of freshness and authenticity, but debut albums usually take a safe route. Her performance and singing are praiseworthy.
There are some well-known renowned musicians as guests: John Benitez, Edmar Castañeda, John Santos, Wayne Wallace, and Destiny Muhammad. The performer comes from a family with some important musical references that have paved her way, among them her uncle Diego Obregón, a marimba performer who recently passed away. There is no doubt that Xiomara Torres is an artist to follow very closely.
Author: Rafael Mieses
