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Back in 2004, the phenomenal Afro-Cuban pianist Omar Sosa rocked the music world by winning a Grammy award in the “Latin Jazz” category for his fascinating masterpiece “Mulatos”.

Omar Sosa | Mulatos – [Otá Records, 2004]

Omar Sosa - Mulatos

This is Omar Sosa’s breakthrough cd. I have heard Sosa in several less satisfying formats[solo, duo’s, etc] and in his dabbling in hip hop and I am thrilled to write that he has reached his pinnacle in this expanded setting. First of all Sosa’s music warrants additional colors and shades that a larger supporting cast gives it. Secondly the hip hop segments in previous cd’s like Sentir and Prietos were badly out of place and just succeeded in having me “skip” them on otherwise decent cd’s.

Apparently Sosa received similar advice because the rap crap is nowhere to be found on Mulato’s. What is left is interesting, catchy world jazz music. Sosa’s playing is “Monk like” and percussive but it is his compositions and arrangements that are the stars. The supporting musicians while completely able are more of an ensemble preaching Sosa’s wonderful compositional “message“.

To describe the content of the cd is as complex as some of the music. Think Latin, African, Caribbean with a little dixieland. A real gumbo like Sosa himself. —M. Murphy

..:: Source: Amazon.com ::