El Ultimo Trago

For those of you who love a sultry, deep, playful voice with infectious rhythms, Buika is a wonderful discovery. Her CD Mi Nina Lola, released a few years ago, is a blessing. This CD she released, with Chuco Valdes on piano, is beautiful. Her voice plays off his piano, and vice-versa in a way that is hynotizing. See her in person if you get the chance. We saw her in Miami recently to a captivated, sold-out audience. FIVE stars!

Buika comes from Palma de Mallorca. She was raised there the only person of African descent in a neighborhood of gypsies, who taught her the traditional "cante" flamenco. She likes to mix styles -flamenco and coplas with jazz, rumba, soul. Her smoky voiced vocals ring with emotion and she moves around the rhythm like a good jazz singer does. In this album she is backed by a killer group led by Cuban piano virtuoso Chucho Valdes. (Valdes first came to US attention when Dizzy Gillespie came back from a jazz tour to Cuba and raved about the Cuban jazz ensemble, Irakere, which was fronted by Valdes, trumpeter Arturo Sandoval and saxophonist-clarinetist Paquito D'Rivera. This is an excellent album and easily accessible. It's great music to listen to on a long drive.

This is the most recent album of Concha Buika. Her voice is amazing and very distinctive. A flamenco voice with a jazzy trail, the combination is great. On top of that Chucho Valdez with his talent!!!