Texan-Peruvian vocalist Ermelinda Cuellar explores rich musical intersections in her new project, Under a Lavender Sky, arranged by Horace Alexander Young. Backed by a talented Houston-based ensemble. Cuellar offers a ten-song album that blends Afro-Peruvian authenticity with Latin jazz, yielding a world music sound of interest.
In “Poinciana,” Cuellar channels stylistic echoes of Afro-Peruvian icon Susana Baca. Her warm, resonant tone shapes each phrase carefully, employing subtle dynamic contrasts, expressive vibrato, and thoughtful use of wordless melodies to deepen emotional impact. The ensemble complements her voice with rhythmic textures featuring a guitar’s syncopated strumming, intricate drum accents, and bass figures rich in African, Indigenous, and Spanish rhythmic traditions infused with jazz harmonies. Cuellar’s expressive scat improvisation highlights her vocal versatility and rhythmic acumen of world music with jazz influences.
Clare Fischer’s “Morning” receives an imaginative ensemble treatment. Cuellar’s expressive vocals vividly animate Fischer’s engaging melody, while Young’s arrangement cleverly integrates Fischer’s hallmark chordal voice-leading style within a larger band context. Notably, the montuno rhythm weaves effortlessly between structured sections and spontaneous improvisational moments, creating a dynamic balance.
“Muñeca Rota” prominently showcases the accordion, played by Deborah Ungar, lending a traditional Peruvian authenticity to the arrangement. The delightful color between accordion and piano during the tutti sections is a standout moment, as are their solos. Cuellar’s vocals adeptly employ traditional Peruvian nuances with distinct accents, tasteful vibrato, and warm tonal shading to delivering the song’s melody with authenticity and depth.
“Tu Mi Delirio” juxtaposes the song’s relaxed, sustained melodic lines against rhythmically vibrant ensemble passages, creating a compelling romantic tension. Cuellar’s emotionally charged vocals intertwine the ensemble’s activity with long sustained vocal lines. Greg Petito delivers an outstanding guitar solo. The arrangement’s climax embraces a Latin jazz big-band aesthetic, enriching the classic with renewed intensity.
“Song for My Father” is revitalized through an energetic contemporary Latin jazz lens. The ensemble dynamically punctuates Cuellar’s melody with punchy horn responses, harmonic pads, and rhythmic figures, enhanced by Petito’s colorful guitar textures. A spirited samba section propels solos forward, with Petito’s rhythmic guitar improvisation buoyed by drums and percussion. Cuellar’s vibrant scat singing further energizes the track, displaying in-the-pocket rhythmic phrasing and tonal colors.
In “Sol de Medianoche,” the Spanish interpretation of “Midnight Sun,” Cuellar demonstrates remarkable vocal adaptability. Singing in Spanish subtly reshapes her phrasing, enriching the melody with new expressive nuances.
Under a Lavender Sky is Cuellar and her ensemble skillfully uniting jazz approaches with deep-rooted Afro-Peruvian traditions of rhythm and harmony. This jazz influenced world music confidently underscores Cuellar’s distinctive artistic identity that is the focus of the album’s world music landscapes. That’s the short of it!
