Iliana Cabrera | World Music Central

The album cover for Menta Selvatica by Mila Trani features a central figure, presumably the artist, draped in a textured, eclectic outfit with woven elements, soft fabrics, and intricate patterns. Her expression is serene yet expressive, with wild, tousled hair adorned with delicate details like thin wires and small flowers. The background is white.

Album reviews

Wild Mint, Wild Sound: Mila Trani’s Genre-Blending Hybridization

Mila Trani – Menta Selvatica (Segell Microscopi, 2025) Inspired by the mythological and medicinal properties of wild mint, Menta Selvatica (wild mint) is an exploration…

The album cover for Coisas de Viver by Roberta Campos features a mirrored composition. The artist, with voluminous curly hair, is dressed in a dark, textured outfit against a deep black background. Her face, framed by her curls, appears twice—once in reality and once as a reflection, creating a symmetrical effect. She reaches outward with her hand, fingers slightly curled, adorned with red nail polish.

Album reviews

Living and Learning: Roberta Campos Embraces Artistic Freedom

Iliana Cabrera March 14, 2025 No Comments Roberta Campos world music

Roberta Campos – Coisas de Viver (self-release, 2025) Fifteen years into her career, Braziian singer-songwriter Roberta Campos embraces full creative independence with Coisas de Viver…

Mafalda Minnozzi - Riofonic cover artwork. Mafalda playing a guitar, sitting with a Rio landscape behind her.

Album reviews

Mafalda Minnozzi’s Riofonic: A Global Jazz Fusion Rooted in Brazil

Iliana Cabrera March 6, 2025 No Comments Mafalda Minnozzi world fusion world music

Mafalda Minnozzi – Riofonic (Musica Populare Italiana MPI 2321, 2025) Riofonic is Mafalda Minnozzi’s fourth jazz album for the U.S. market, a heartfelt tribute to…

Danilo Pérez and the Bohuslän Big Band - Lumen cover artwork. A colorful illustration of flowers and leaves.

Album reviews

Danilo Pérez and Bohuslän Big Band Unite Jazz Cultures with Lumen

Iliana Cabrera February 15, 2025 No Comments Alberto Pinton Christer Olofsson Danilo Pérez Göran Kroon Gustaf Wiklund Ingrid Utne Jan Eliasson Joakim Rolandsson Lennart Grahn Linus Lindblom Lisbeth Diers Martin Bjurek Svanström Mikael Karlsson Niclas Rydh Olli Rantala Samuel Olsson Staffan Svensson world fusion world music

Danilo Pérez and the Bohuslän Big Band – Lumen (Prophone Records, 2024) Lumen by Danilo Pérez and the Bohuslän Big Band is a striking new…

The Almighty Groove - Frère d'Afrique cover artwork. A green meadow and clouds in the distance.

Album reviews

Frère d’Afrique: A Rhythmic Bridge Between Africa and Colombia

Iliana Cabrera February 7, 2025 No Comments Colombian music guitar percussion Senegalese music world fusion world music

The Almighty Groove – Frère d’Afrique (Real World X/Real World Records, 2024) The Almighty Groove’s debut EP, Frère d’Afrique, released via Real World X, presents…

The album cover for Doug MacDonald's "Santa Monica Session" features an abstract, colorful design. The background is dominated by vibrant hues of orange, pink, teal, and yellow, blending together in a dreamlike, sky-inspired composition. Palm trees stretch vertically, adding a California vibe to the artwork. The bold, white sans-serif text displaying the artist's name and album title stands out clearly against the vivid backdrop.

Album reviews

Doug MacDonald keeps It Fresh on Santa Monica Session

Iliana Cabrera February 6, 2025 No Comments Doug MacDonald Latin jazz world fusion

Doug MacDonald – Santa Monica Session (Dmac Music, 2024) Doug MacDonald, a seasoned guitarist deeply rooted in the West Coast jazz tradition, unveils a fresh…

This colorful album cover for Raúl Monsalve y Los Forajidos - Sol features a bold, central title "SOL" surrounded by a striking collage of colorful imagery. Each quadrant shows vivid, surrealist illustrations: a skeletal figure, a bird, intricate flowers, a key, and mystical aquatic elements. The psychedelic palette includes yellows, blues, oranges, and purples.

Album reviews

Raúl Monsalve y Los Forajidos Illuminate with Sol

Iliana Cabrera February 4, 2025 No Comments Afro-Venezuelan Raúl Monsalve y Los Forajidos Venezuelan music world fusion world music

Raúl Monsalve y Los Forajidos – Sol (Olindo Records, 2025) Raúl Monsalve y Los Forajidos return with Sol (sun), a stunning genre-blurring second album that…

The album cover for "Tenderete en el Azul" presents a collage-like aesthetic that blends rustic charm with surreal undertones. Dominating the center of the design is the title text, rendered in bold, layered fonts with the phrase "En el Azul" prominently displayed in large, textured letters. The words have a faded, hand-painted quality, giving them a vintage feel. In the background, the artwork features a patchwork of images arranged in a grid-like pattern. These images depict a variety of scenes and elements: portraits of individuals, natural textures, architectural fragments, and symbolic illustrations like a crescent moon and a wine glass.

Album reviews

Tenderete: A Decade-Long Reunion Blossoms Into “En El Azul”

Iliana Cabrera January 30, 2025 No Comments Alba Bioque Cuban music Flamenco Plácido Muñoz Tenderete world fusion world music

Tenderete – En el Azul (Bio Sound studio, 2024) Tenderete, the multidisciplinary project led by singer Alba Bioque and percussionist Plácido Muñoz, returns after a…

La Pambelé - Nací Mestizo cover artwork. a psychedelic design fetauring the three band leaders in vintage 1970s clothing.

Album reviews

La Pambelé Revives 1970s Salsa with a Modern Twist in Nací Mestizo

Iliana Cabrera January 22, 2025 No Comments Colombian music La Pambelé salsa world music

La Pambelé – Nací Mestizo (2024) Bogotá’s mighty salsa orchestra, La Pambelé, returns with its second studio album, Nací Mestizo (I was born mestizo, of…

Mulatu Astatke - Tension cover artwork. A colorful illustration of Mulatu's face.

Album reviews

Ethio-Jazz Pioneer Mulatu Astatke Collaborates with Hoodna Orchestra on New Album Tension

Iliana Cabrera January 10, 2025 No Comments Ethiojazz Mulatu Astatke world fusion world music

Mulatu Astatke – Tension (Batov Records, 2024) Ethio-jazz legend Mulatu Astatke partnered with Tel Aviv’s Hoodna Orchestra on Tension, a fantastic seven-track album that mixes…