NAGUAL

Nagual II CD review posted on the "Latin Jazz Corner" website located at : http://www.chipboaz.com/blog/

Nagual II
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Nagual brings a diverse stylistic mash-up into Nagual II, drawing upon the individual strengths of each band member to deliver a combination of Latin styles, jazz, and rock. A winding bluesy melody grounds “Sneaky Pete” in a swing groove, giving guitarist Victor Contreras and saxophonist Scott Anderson an opportunity to display some strong straight-ahead chops. “Samba De Kleven” opens with an interesting mix of traditional Berimbau from Ross “Gavião” Mele and pandiero from Troye Williams before moving onto Santana-esqe solos from bassist Paul Relvas and a distorted Contreras. The group wraps some moving chord changes around a cumbia foundation on “Big Lou y La Ford,” letting Anderson as well as percussionist Harold Muñiz and drummer Ron Ochoa improvise over this far too often overlooked rhythmic structure. A frenetic Latin Rock influenced cha cha cha sends “Keep It Comin’” driving into edgy solos from Anderson, Contreras, and keyboardist Scott Collard. A breezy bossa nova groove underscores a light and catchy melody on “Just Say It Once More,” followed by unobtrusive improvisations from Anderson, bassist Kerry Kashiwagi, and Contreras. There’s a fairly exploratory spirit on Nagual II as the band jumps between different styles and improvisatory approaches.

The genre jumping can be a bit disconcerting at times, but Nagual holds the album together conceptually through several unifying elements. The musicians each contribute strong and defined performances that resonate with unique personality. The songwriting maintains a consistent logic that relies upon accessible melodies and pleasant harmonies, making the work catchy and memorable. Large pieces of the album stray from the jazz category into instrumental Latin Rock, but this serves as a major piece of the band’s personality. While the musicians maintain a solid and even commitment to Latin rhythms, their backgrounds dictate one foot in jazz and one foot in rock; the group proudly holds this dual heritage that gives the music an authentic sound. The recording resonates with a homemade feel that adds warmth and personality. There’s a lot to like on Nagual II, especially for those listeners that like their jazz with a heavy dose of edgy rock attitude.