Bio Ritmo
Bionico!
Locutor Records (www.bioritmo.com)

Salsa music is known the world over. Lots of bands play it, lots of people dance to it, lots of albums of it are available. The downside of such popularity is the danger of falling into the formulaic. Virginia-based salsa band Bio Ritmo avoids that trap by varying their tempos and structures (check the sudden switch into funk grooves on "Seguiras Criticando" and "Chuleta"), retaining the spontaneity of Latin jazz, tossing in sounds that are just uncharacteristic enough to be interesting and clearly having a great deal of fun without being cutesy or cloying (apart from the awful, trying-to-be-funny-but-isn't "A La Cha," which is the last track and can easily be avoided). It may well be a tough balancing act, but they make it sound easy, wielding the swing and sensuality essential to classic salsa while not hesitating to go retro, electronic or just all out. Bio Ritmo's brand of salsa is creative, clever and inspired, but most importantly, it moves. - Tom Orr

CD available from cdroots

Looking for More Information? © 2009 RootsWorld. No reproduction of any part of this page or its associated files is permitted without express written permission.