The Santa Fe/Albuquerque-based quartet Love Unfold the Sun and the Boston-based band Club d’Elf share a number of characteristics. They both blend Middle Eastern/African and Western elements, and incorporate an exotic instrument. Texture plays an important role in the musical development of their material. Flow is prized over destination. Yet, even with these similarities, the two groups make music that is quite different.
Continue readingAuthor Archives: Mel Minter
Bébé La La and Martha Reich: Award-Winning Singer/Songwriter Songbirds at the Outpost This Weekend
Bébé La La: Maryse Lapierre and Alicia Ultan. Photo by Adriana Lopez Jameson. 
Martha Reich
New Mexico is hip deep in talented singer/songwriters, and the two acts headed to the Outpost this weekend most definitely make the cut. Bébé La La, which comprises Alicia Ultan (vocals, guitar, viola) and Maryse Lapierre (vocals, accordion, harmonium), identifies as Albuquerque’s folk Americana Français duo, and they’ll be adding a rock and roll coefficient this weekend, appearing as the Bébé La La Band, with Arnaldo Acosta on drums and Mike Fox on bass. Multi-instrumentalist Martha Reich (the “ch” is pronounced sh), a New England native who settled in Santa Fe 20 years ago, is riding on the wave of her latest album, Brave Bird. It has collected the Gold Medal for Female Vocalist in the Global Music Awards, LA Critics Award for Best Folk Artist, and a Clouzine International Music Award for Best Indie Album, as well as three New Mexico Music Award nominations. She’ll be appearing with her longtime colleague, cellist Michael Kott.
Continue readingNew Albums from Bill Frisell/Thomas Morgan and Yuriy Galkin
Bill Frisell and Thomas Morgan. Photo by John Rogers. 
Yuriy Galkin
Here are a couple of quick hits on recent releases deserving your attention.
Continue readingLara Manzanares Says a Sad Good-Bye in Her New Single
At the 2018 New Mexico Music Awards, singer/songwriter Lara Manzanares won Best Album for Land Baby and Best Packaging for its CD package design. The Tierra Amarilla native/Corrales resident, who returned to New Mexico a couple of years ago from California, is not resting on her laurels, though. She has a new single, “Dear John,” available on the usual digital outlets on April 10, and she’s working on a clutch of new material. Manzanares is also making connections across the state that will expand her musical experience. Earlier this year, she signed on with Carlos Medina to play guitar and sing backup with his “psychedelic mariachi” band on a March tour through the Southwest. She’ll be featured at Kristina Jacobsen’s Songwriter Showcase at 7:00 p.m. at Winning Coffee on April 9. Looking ahead, she’ll be appearing at the Nuevo Americana Fest, produced by singer/songwriter Chris Arellano, in Costilla on July 6 and at Festival Eclectica in Angel Fire on August 10.
Continue readingCatherine Russell Swings into Joy
For me, Catherine Russell is the Hank Jones of vocalists. Like the late pianist, she carries the entire history of jazz and blues in every phrase she delivers—from New Orleans to Muscle Shoals, from the Brill Building to Harlem. It’s the canvas for her vocal paints and brushes. Like Jones, her every line moves with an understated elegance and a heart-lifting swing to tell a story—the whole story. Her latest album, Alone Together, gives us a singer at the top of her game, backed by a terrific band perfectly matched to her intentions.
Continue reading