Iliana Cabrera | World Music Central

Arthur de Faria & Pedro Longes - Canciones con Drama cover artwork. A photo of the artists sitting around a table.

Album reviews

Curtain Call: Canciones Con Drama Steps Into The Studio

Iliana Cabrera September 19, 2025 No Comments Arthur de Faria'Pedro Longes world music

Arthur de Faria & Pedro Longes – Canciones con Drama (YB Music, 2025) Arthur de Faria and Pedro Longes have issued their debut album, Canciones…

Agustín Pereyra Lucena – Puertos de Alternativa cover artwork. A photo of the left hand over a guitar neck.

Album reviews

Harboring Genius: Agustín Pereyra Lucena’s Rare Gem Resurfaces

Iliana Cabrera September 14, 2025 No Comments Agustín Pereyra Lucena world music

Agustín Pereyra Lucena – Puertos de Alternativa (Far Out Recordings, 2025) Far Out Recordings expands its archival series with the first-ever vinyl reissue of Puertos…

Joaquin Núñez & Habana Safari - Ruta De La Clave cover artwork. a photo of Joaquin next to a road.

Album reviews

Clave Encounters: Joaquín Núñez Charts Cuba’s Rhythmic Lineage

Iliana Cabrera September 8, 2025 No Comments Joaquín Núñez world fusion world music

Joaquin Núñez & Habana Safari – Ruta De La Clave (Lulaworld Records LWR051A, 2025) Irresistible Cuban rhythms meet contemporary jazz on Ruta De La Clave…

An art‑nouveau–inspired portrait of a pale-skinned woman with blond hair entwined in foliage. She tilts her head upward, eyes closed, amid autumnal leaves and floral motifs. A warm, earthy maroon background frames her, while the album title and band name appear in ivory‑colored type, “Cafuné” above her head and Tra Le Corde Dei Racconti in the lower corner.

Album reviews

Cafuné Spins Italian Folklore Into Folk-Rock Fantasy

Iliana Cabrera September 6, 2025 No Comments Cafuné folk-rock Italian music world music

Cafuné – Tra Le Corde Dei Racconti (M.P. & Records, 2025) Named after the Portuguese word cafuné, a gesture of affection involving fingers combing through…

The album cover for Subtropical by Cocoa Thrill features mirrored black-and-white cactus silhouettes arranged symmetrically against a teal background. The title appears in yellow lowercase serif font at the center, with the artist’s name in smaller yellow type at the bottom.

Album reviews

From Salento to Santiago: A Transcontinental Musical Bridge

Iliana Cabrera August 18, 2025 No Comments Cocoa Thrill Italian music Jazz world fusion world music

Cocoa Thrill – Subtropical (Linfa, 2025) Cocoa Thrill, an instrumental quintet based in Apulia, Italy, explores global rhythms through a distinctly Southern lens on their…

The cover of Cantes transatlánticos by Luca Vaillancourt y Los Pescadores features a simple fish in orange, blue, and red, suspended below a large black fishing hook against a cream background. The title on the upper left and artist name on the right.

Album reviews

Luca Vaillancourt Connects Atlantic Shores with Cantes transatlánticos

Iliana Cabrera August 8, 2025 No Comments Luca Vaillancourt Luxembourg Luzemberger music Spanish music world fusion world music

Luca Vaillancourt y Los Pescadores – Cantes transatlánticos (Luca Vaillancourt de Dios, 2025) Luca Vaillancourt y Los Pescadores (Luca Vaillancourt and the Fishermen) make their…

The album cover for Macumbadaboa by Grupo Bongar + Maga Bo features a folk-art-inspired illustration. Stylized black figures with red markings dance, play percussion instruments, and DJ amid a festive, earthy background framed by green vines and rooted trees. Traditional dresses, drums, and folkloric elements like a rooster, a cat, and a masked spirit. The album title appears in bold red letters across the center.

Album reviews

Grupo Bongar + Maga Bo: Afro-Brazilian Grooves from the Northeast

Iliana Cabrera August 4, 2025 No Comments Afoxé Afro-Brazilian Brazilian music coco Dub Grupo Bongar Maculelê Maga Bo world music

Grupo Bongar + Maga Bo – Macumbadaboa (Kafundó Records KAX014, 2019) Macumbadaboa gathers the Afro-Brazilian percussion ensemble Grupo Bongar, from Pernambuco, with producer and DJ…

The album cover for Nubes Selva by Grecia Albán features a collage that combines Andean and Amazonian motifs. At the center, the artist stands partially obscured by lush tropical leaves, dressed in woven patterns. Surrounding her are embroidered clouds, a jaguar, religious iconography, and folkloric imagery, all framed by tapestry-like borders. The title and artist's name appear vertically along the sides in colorful lettering.

Album reviews

Grecia Albán Weaves South American Folklore Into the Future

Iliana Cabrera July 24, 2025 No Comments Ecuador Ecuadorian music Grecia Albán world fusion world music

Grecia Albán – Nubes Selva (Folkalist Records, 2025) Charmind Ecuadorian singer and songwriter Grecia Albán makes her label debut with Nubes Selva (“Cloud Jungle”), an…

João Selva - Onda cover artwork. 5 vertical blue wave lines over a white background.

Album reviews

Riding the Wave: João Selva Returns with Onda

Iliana Cabrera July 16, 2025 No Comments João Selva world music

João Selva – Onda (Underdog Records, 2025) Brazilian singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist João Selva continues his exploration of Afro-diasporic rhythms with Onda, his fourth solo…

Papo Vázquez - Songs del Yucayeke coer artwork. An image of a Taino village.

Album reviews

Trombonist Papo Vázquez Explores Puerto Rican Roots on ‘Songs del Yucayeke’

Iliana Cabrera July 11, 2025 No Comments Latin jazz Papo Vázquez Puerto Rican music world music

Papo Vázquez – Songs del Yucayeke (Pícaro Records, 2024) Papo Vázquez returns with his 11th album, Songs del Yucayeke, backed once again by his longtime…