Daymé Arocena’s swift ascent in the international jazz scene as a gifted vocalist and composer is inextricably tied to her spiritual, genre-bending approach. Staying true to form on her latest excursion, Sonocardiogram, the Havana songstress delves deeper into previously charted terrain. Only this time she’s at the helm of the production, showcasing sinuously textured arrangements
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Arocena exposes nuanced sonic hues and intricate sensibilities surrounding the raw emotions of love, loss of love, unbridled joy and spirituality. Referencing the echocardiogram as a barometer of sorts for what makes our blood flow, Arocena’s latest outing brims with vital life force.
Accompanied by her quartet — pianist/keyboardist Jorge Luis Lagarza, bassist Rafael Aldama, and alternating drummers Marcos Morales Valdés and José Carlos Sanchez — Arocena conjures a cool, ethereally sophisticated vibe that’s dark around the edges. She opens with a meditative, spoken-word prelude that’s essentially a prayer to herself. It segues into a three-part suite in praise of Yoruba deities, followed by a street rumba interlude that transitions into the brooding, R&B-flavored “Porque Tú No Estás.” Here Arocena weaves a sexy, billowing lament ending in a breathtaking, full-throated belt. “Para El Amor: Cantar!” starts off as a rumba then morphs into samba-jazz, underscored by a pliable bass line and shuffling, rhythmic traps. Lagarza’s melodic keys intertwine with Arocena’s vibrant, cascading vocals before the pianist soars on a crisp, elegant solo.
With dramatic tempo shifts and instrumental flourishes on electric keyboard, “Menuet Para un Corazón” is the highlight of the set, as a circular, reverberating bass line propels Arocena’s dreamlike contralto into the stratosphere. Arocena pays tribute to Cuban singer La Lupe on “Plegaria a La Lupe” and nods to past and present on “Homenaje,” a bolero-cha giving off Brazilian chill vibes and avant-garde dissonance. Sonocardiogram epitomizes the beguiling hybridity that is part and parcel of Arocena’s essence. — Lissette Corsa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ag0GMNJ4pC0
Featured photo by Pablo Dewin Reyes Maulin.