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 Thursday, June 20, 2013
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ENRIQUE E. TORRES
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  he album “Una Sangre/ One Blood,” (Narada Records) finds producer/ singer/ songwriter Lila Downs even deeper and more comfortable in her bi-national soul than in her previous four CDs (or five, if you count the re-release of "Sandunga" with the additional tracks).
In this work, revealing her duel cultural identity by the light of the moon, much like a leopard in a starless night jungle, her vocals pounce on your soul, invading and capturing your innermost feelings.
There is a certain maturity to her latest album that reveals an accomplished artist, one who has traveled the globe and still comes back to her roots. There are no less than five songs of traditional Mexican and southwest folk that has been given the Lila Downs treatment, putting an edge to their heritage. Simultaneously, she gives her original songs a time-honored feeling, as if they have dragged through hearts and souls south of the border for decades.
This musical dexterity comes from as much inspiration as it does from the great skill and talent of Lila and her crew, which include Paul Cohen on clarinet and sax; Guilherme Monteiro on guitar (along with Lila); Ernesto “El Canella” Anaya, also on guitar and violin; Satoshi Takeishi on percussions; Yunior Terry Cabera on bass; Marvin Sewell on bouzouki, guitar and banjo; and Celso Duarte also on violin and vihuela. Although the flags of this tight band make them like a U.N. delegation, the end product is much more cohesive and productive.
However, if you are new to Lila, you may feel the disc lacks continuity, but this is who Lila is. She is a multitalented artist whose voice is like a contortionist, bending, dipping and weaving between genres in her inimitable style. To say she is unique is an understatement. Whether she sings in husky tones, soft whispers, lingering, escalating, suddenly diving operatic high notes or any style thereof, she is fantastic.
Listening to her gives me chills today, just like the first time I heard her back in 1999. The haunting melodies stay with you long after the disc stops playing. I've been listening to this disc for about a year now and never seem to get tired of it. I only put it away, off my multi-disc rotation to give others a chance but I always come back to her. She can sing a variety of styles, many are featured here and they are all really good.
 She could do a jazz album alone, as is evident on her English version of "One Blood," where she sounds like a sultry, throaty, Latina Sade. She has been also compared to Chavela Vargas, but really there is no comparison, there is Lila and then there is Lila. It is her style, her persona, and her music that creates the magic.
Some of the more traditional songs that have received the Lila treatment are the mystical "Cielo Rojo;" the popular songs "La Cucaracha," and “La Bamba;" and "Paloma Negra." These folk songs come to new life, like antiques recently brought out of storage, polished and boldly displayed at the Guggenheim or the Met.
Although I like very much the traditional songs featured on this disc, I am also drawn to "Dignificada" which has a slight reggae back beat [this track was inspired by Digna Ochoa, the Mexican human rights lawyer who was murdered]; "Malinche" which explores the Mexican godmother cursed by some, but that belongs to all of us who have Mexican heritage [Malinche is what the Aztecs called the Spanish conqueror Hernán Cortés]; the bluesy, rootsy "Mother Jones," sung in English; the call to musical arms Paul Cohen sax introduction on the Arabic sounding "Brown Paper People," with it's hip-hop inflected vocals adding further worldly textures; and both Spanish and English versions of "One Blood/ Una Sangre," solidify the bi-lingual/bi-national nature of this disc.
Lila is like a fine glass of wine, or an añejo Tequila that resonates with the various nuances and influences of the earth and climate, creating an experience to be savored and to reflect upon. But at 36, this mystic siren is just warming up. She is not a person who fits into the flavor of the day, pop-variety, or disposable icons that flood the music market. This is a true artist who reflects what many people only feel and yearn to express.
“Una Sangre/ One Blood” is another in a successive line of great Lila Downs albums to be experienced. As others have stated, check her out live as well. I've seen her three times and her shows are incredible. You need this CD in your collection; your soul will never be the same.
ENRIQUE E. TORRES
Lila Downs official website is at www.liladowns.com
Lila Downs will be performing as part of the 2007 globalFEST at Webster Hall, Sunday, January 21, 2007 (125 E. 11th St. Tix: $40.00,
Doors Open: 6PM,
Show: 7PM)
Tickets for Webster Hall events are available at the box office at the
Mercury Lounge: 217 East Houston Street (between Ludlow and Essex),
NYC. Box office hours at the Mercury Lounge are Monday through
Saturday, 12 noon to 7 p.m. Box office: 212-260-4700. Tickets also available from TicketWeb.com at 1-866-468-7619 |
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June 2012 |
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