Colette Michaan - Incarnate / Encarna (2014)

Flutist Colette Michaan puts together a scintillating collection of sounds Afro Cuban with a flexible and rotating team of Pablo Vergara/p-ke, Reut ReGeV/tb, Mireya Ramos/vio, Gregoire Maret/harm, Jorge Bringas/b, Roman Diaz/perc, Luisito Quintero/perc, Yusnier Sanchez Bustamante/perc and Harvey Wirht/dr. As you can tell by the personnel, there’s a lot of rustling percussion percolating underneath the exotic sounds, and the simmer under the flute and violin on pieces like “Incarnate-Encarta” and the cheerful “Identidad” to create a mix of earthy sounds and upbeat direction. There is an ebb and flow like waves as piano and percussion ride like the tide on “Wisdom” while Bringas’ bass lick on creates a slinky feel to Abbey Lincoln’s “Throw It All Away.” A few of the songs have vocal choruses, and Roman Diaz mixes percussion and his own voice to the traditional sounds of “Intention.” The take of “Innocence” as an alluring sensuality with Michaan and Ramos glowing like a sunrise over the brimming undercurrent. A real feast of Latin fare~by George W. Harris