En Todo Momento (At Every Moment)

In Sol y Canto's third venture, they achieve new heights in their goal of taking the listener on a guided tour of the Americas, but with a markedly new and sensitive sound. Perhaps a sparser and more acoustically transparent tonal color demands another look at this outfit, headed by musical husband/wife team Brian and Rosi Amador. Their first project with the Redwing label after two out on Rounder, En Todo Momento takes a clear turn toward the more intimate "performing in your living room" approach to production. In that interest, included is some of guitarist Brian Amador's enchanting solo compositions, like "She Dances Like the Falling Leaves." Brian also steps forward into the limelight as a vocalist on many tracks, including the evocative and nocturnal "Tonada de Luna Llenba." Classics like "Azucar de Cana" and "Reclamo Mistico" are done honor by the intuitive and expert interpretation of vocalist Rosi Amador. Though generally less dance-oriented than past projects, there are certainly windows to the group's deep and churning groove. With a full-on bomba like "Coqui Serenito" and the brooding montuno of "Semanario del Promer Beso," this record does not want for heat. En Todo Momento offers the chance to fall in love with one of the finer proponents of the Latin American folk tradition all over again, and in a whole new way. ~ Evan C. Gutierrez