CD REVIEW: El Viaje by Harold López-Nussa
Mack Avenue 2016
Review by Bill Tilford, all rights reserved

This new version of Harold López-Nussa's trio features a new bassist, Alune Wade, originally from Senegal, and makes full use of Mr. Wade on both bass and some atmospheric vocals. 

El Viaje is a rich blend of Cuban, African, Jazz and Funk elements, although at its core, it is a very serious Jazz album, and perhaps his most percussive to date.   When I read the track list before listening, I was originally a little skeptical about the presence of Bacalao Con Pan, but it works far better than expected.    (It should be noted that Harold also recorded La Yuka Funk a few years ago, and in some tracks, such as the closing Improv and D'Una Fabula, the Jazz/Funk elements come to the fore.)   El Viaje (the title track)  and  Africa emphasize the African elements of the music.  

I suspect that we'll be hearing a lot more about this album in the coming months, and I would consider it a must-have.    

Here is the EPK for the recording:



Track list: 

1. Me Voy Pa' Cuba (Aldo López-Gavilán)
2. Africa (Harold López-Nussa)
3. Feria (Harold López-Nussa, Ruy Adrián López-Nussa, Thelonious Monk)
4. Lobo's Cha (Ernán López-Nussa)
5. Bacalao Con Pan (Chucho Valdés)
6. El Viaje (Harold López-Nussa)
7. Mozambique En Mi B (Miguel Nuñez)
8. D'Una Fabula  (Harold López-Nussa)
9. Inspiración En Connecticut (Harold López-Nussa)
10. Oriente (Harold López-Nussa)
11. Improv (Me Voy Pa'Cuba)   (Aldo López-Gavilán)

Personnel in El Viaje