Susana Baca - Espiritu Vivo '2002

Tracks list

Recorded in New York just after the trauma of 9/11, Espíritu Vivo marries
Susana Baca's wonderfully airy vocals and her usual Peruvian backing band with
the downtown N.Y.C. sounds of John Medeski and guitarist Marc Ribot -- and it
proves to be a wonderful union indeed. Recorded before a small invited audience,
this has the immediacy of a live album, with the benefits of the studio, a
superb balance of instruments. As usual, most of the material comes from the
Afro-Peruvian canon that's Baca's hallmark, but she does draw upon outsiders for
three interesting covers: Mongo Santamaria's "Afro Blue," Caetano Veloso's "13
de Mayo," and most surprisingly of all, "Anchor Song" from Björk. But she
integrates them perfectly into her style, taking them all to a place they'd
never imagined, where her voice can be dreamlike over a simple backing, as on
the gorgeous "Si Me Quitaran Totalamente Todo" and "Les Feuilles Mortes," or
more rhythmically lively, which she finds on "Caracunde" and "Se Me Van los
Pies." Medeski and Ribot work well with the combo, Ribot especially, offering
unusual atmospheric licks throughout, while Medeski's Hammond organ offers a
warm bed a sound for Baca's voice. Given the time and place of recording,
there's an astonishingly transcendental quality to the record, as if Baca is
giving every iota of herself to the music, and the players are following her
lead. Her best album to date, which is quite a claim.

Tracklist:
1.01 - Susana Baca - La Noche y el Día (4:42)
1.02 - Susana Baca - Si me Quitaran... (3:32)
1.03 - Susana Baca - Caracunde (4:09)
1.04 - Susana Baca - El Fusil del Poeta (5:33)
1.05 - Susana Baca - Se me Van los Pies (5:34)
1.06 - Susana Baca - 13 de Mayo (4:20)
1.07 - Susana Baca - Toro Mata (6:40)
1.08 - Susana Baca - Aparición (5:05)
1.09 - Susana Baca - Afro-blue / Zum Zum (5:19)
1.10 - Susana Baca - Les Feuilles Mortes (5:53)
1.11 - Susana Baca - The Anchor Song (5:49)

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