Haydée Milanés and Anoushka Shankar are crowned as the best of 2019 in México

December 29, 2019

The website La Razón has put before its readers a list of the best albums distributed in Mexico in 2019. This is a recapitulation of consultations with record executives, composers, performers, jazz musicians, DJs and, above all, music lovers. In the listing, besides Haydeé Milanés, Roberto Fonseca, Elito Revé and Alexander Abreu appear.

Carlos Olivares, in making the selection, reviewed his columns (Las claves, El convite), interviews with musicians and articles published in La Razón. The critic does not attempt to be absolute or conclusive: the goal that drives this compendium is to be inclusive in the emphasis—according to the quality and musical significance—of the cultural footprints established by each recording. The volume of sales is not taken into account here, nor the 'imposition of ephemeral fashion' from TV and commercial radio.

1. Amor. Deluxe Edition. Haydée Milanés in Duets
Genre: Song Record Label: Casete
Haydée Milanés embodies the Cuban songbook with loving conjunctions: bolero, son, guaguancó, trova and filin with ties to jazz and scales of Brazilian popular music. Haydée recites and takes refuge in the pauses of God; everything is sublimated in the coordinate of her tender, delicate and pious oratory. A recording in which the Havana-born pianist, composer and arranger summons fourteen friends from Spain (Joaquín Sabina, Silvia Pérez Cruz), Brazil (Chico Buarque), Cuba (Francisco Céspedes, Omara Portuondo, Carlos Varela, Ibeyi), Mexico (Julieta Venegas, Rosalía León, Edgar Oceransky, Lila Downs), Dominican Republic (Pavel Núñez) and Argentina (Fito Páez, Pedro Aznar) to vocalize duets of songs by her father. An album bordered by the miracle of perfection.

2. Reflections. Anoushka Shankar
Genre: Folk jazz Record Label: Grammophon
A selection of emblematic pieces by the greatest sitar performer, Anoushka Shankar. Guests: Vanessa Redgrave, Alev Lenz, Noa Lembersky, Ravi Shankar and Norah Jones. Sound in the spaces of folk-jazz with classical indices in a discreet homage to her father, Ravi Shankar, and the special collaboration of her sister, pianist Norah Jones.

3. Suite La Mexicana. César Secundino and The National Jazz Orchestra of Mexico
Genre: Folk jazz Record Label: Independent
The best harp player in the world, Mexican César Secundino, in a recording that combines jazz with modes of traditional Mexican music: sones (huasteco, istmeño, jarocho, chiapaneco), polka-huapango norteño, "La Llorona" and poems in native languages. Astonished virtuosity of a remarkable soloist and a Big band of refined craft.

4. Hidden Treasures. Alex Mercado
Genre: Jazz Record Label: Fonca
Harmonic imagination, subtle melodic weaving and extraordinary technique: interpretations of unpublished pieces by fourteen great local composers, who have recorded key episodes in the chronicle of jazz in Mexico. Three generations in a range of styles that go from neoclassical modes, bop, traditional roots, ballad, danza, habanera, huapango airs and subtle classical winks.

5. Taste of the Sea. Las Hermanas García
Genre: Bolero Record Label: Discos Corasón
Las Hermanas García, accompanied by Mariano García (requinto, musical direction, arrangements), César Adrián Reyna (electric bass) and Reiner Limonta (percussion). Production by Eduardo Llerenas and Mary Farquharson: a commitment to the tradition of bolero from Mexico, the Caribbean and South America. Craft and congruence of a vocal duo in total maturity.

6. Africa speaks. Santana & Buika
Genre: Rock fusion Record Label: Concord Records
Buika backed by a group led by Santana: drums (Cindy Blackman, Santana's wife), keyboards, rhythm guitar, bass, timbales, tumbadoras, percussion, organ, trombone and vocals. Eleven themes in delineations of unique fusion of rock, Latin music, African music, flamenco and gradations of jazz. Buika in prodigious vocalizations.

7. Lines in the sand. Antonio Sánchez & Migration
Genre: Jazz Record Label: KEPACH Music
Traces of the footprints left by migrants in their journey to the United States: sirens, footsteps, voices of pursuits. Piano, drums (Sánchez), voice, bass, tenor sax, viola, cello. Improvisations that generate contemplative emotions in a progressive state of unease. Miraculous voice of Thana Alexa. Dazzling jazz proposal by Sánchez.

8. Al chile. Lila Downs
Genre: Folk fusion Record Label: Sony Music
Eleven themes backed instrumentally by different rural bands. Resonances of cumbia, Afro-Caribbean traces, traditional modulations of Oaxacan music and folk-jazz colors. Notable are "Dear Someone" with Norah Jones and, likewise, the arrangements of "Los caminos de la vida" and "Clandestino". Playful melodic-rhythmic atmosphere.

9. Roots. Abraham Barrera & Eva María Santana
Genre: Bolero/Traditional Mexican Record Label: Urtext
Piano and mezzo-soprano voice in a summary of 10 emblematic compositions from the Mexican songbook. From "La Llorona" to "Bésame mucho" (Velázquez); from "Paloma negra" (Méndez) to "Piensa en mí" (Lara); from "La malagueña" (Ramírez) to "Despacito" (José Alfredo)… Overflowing nostalgia in clusters of an exciting piano. Voice of elegant recitation.

10. Paramus. Chano Domínguez & Hadar Noiberg
Genre: Mediterranean folk Record Label: Sunnyside
The virtuoso Israeli flutist Hadar Noiberg and Spanish pianist Chano Domínguez in a recording of Mediterranean, Spanish and Israeli folk music, with traces of flamenco. Very authentic work, in which everything is transmitted through flute and piano. Dynamic instrumental dialogue in shortcuts between jazz, concert music and folk.

11. Tribute to Tropical Music. La Sonora Santanera and Friends
Genre: Afro-Caribbean Record Label: Sony Music
Sequel and continuation of the albums Greatest hits of the sonoras (Latin Grammy Award 2014), La Sonora Santanera in its 60th anniversary (Latin Grammy Award 2016) and La fiesta continúa (nominated for Latin Grammy 2017). A showcase of the versatility of a legendary group in the Mexican musical landscape; the most transcendent Afro-Caribbean music institution in the country.

12. War in my mind. Beth Hart
Genre: Blues, R&B, Soul… Record Label: Mascot Group
The great singer, pianist and composer Beth Hart in an explosive recording conforming to electric blues, soul, R&B, rock fusion and jazz. Enveloping and provocative sonority, visceral and scorching in a display of imaginative harmonies of contralto descended from Chris Cornell, Janis Joplin, Aretha Franklin and Etta James.

13. Norma. Mon Laferte
Genre: Fusion Record Label: Universal Music
Recorded in a single take at the legendary Capitol studios in Los Angeles, United States. Instrumental backing of bass, piano, organ, percussion, trumpets, saxophones, flute, trombone and drums. A journey through swing, bolero, soul-pop, latin-pop, latin jazz and Afro-Cuban timbres, doo-wop, salsa and tribute to Dámaso Pérez Prado.

14. Pepa's Handkerchief. Javier Colina & Pepe Rivero
Genre: Danza/Contradanza Record Label: Jazz Latino Inc
An album of complicity between bassist Javier Colina and pianist Pepe Rivero. A journey through contradanza, Cuban danza, danzón, bolero, descarga and American songbook. Twelve pieces in which Cuban nuances intertwine with subtle flamenco notes and jazz accentuations. Suggestive instrumental duet.

15. Modern Orchestra. Rosino Serrano
Genre: Jazz Record Label: Fonca
Twelve themes (Nery, Toussaint, Serrano) orchestrated in the harmonic exploration of jazz with nationalist configurations. Latin American suite for chromatic harmonica and Jazz orchestra. Ballad, huapango, bolero and Brazilian tones. Rosino Serrano in admirable creativity: good taste in arrangements and refined melodic conception. A showcase of the multiple forces of Mexican jazz.

16. Yesun. Roberto Fonseca
Afro-Cuban jazz Record Label: Mack Avenue/Montuno

17. Paraiso Road Gang. Ruben Blades
Genre: Rock fusion Record Label: RB Records

18. Aura. Bajo Fondo
Genre: Psychedelic folk Record Label: Sony Music

19. I Die in Havana. Elito Revé and his Charangón
Genre: Changüí timba Record Label: Bis Music

20. My Greatest Light. Eddie Palmieri
Genre: Afro-Caribbean Record Label: Uprising Music

21. At Folsom Prison. Los Tigres del Norte
Genre: Traditional Mexican Record Label: Universal Music

22. Singer of the People. Alexander Abreu and Havana D'Primera
Genre: Timba Record Label: Páfata Records

23. Fire Power. Judas Priest
Genre: Heavy metal Record Label: Sony Music

24. Rubberband. Miles Davis
Genre: Jazz Record Label: Warner Records/Rhino

25. Begin Again. Norah Jones
Genre: Jazz Record Label: Blue Note