Luiz Bueno/Badal Roy
Musica
MCD (www.mcd.com.br)

When you see Badal Roy's name connected to an album or a gig, chances are it will be a stellar project. The Bangladesh-born tabla player was a member of Miles Davis' and Ornette Coleman's bands and has collaborated with dozens of the best jazz and world music musicians including Nana Vasconcelos, Babatunde Olatunji, Glen Velez and Ustad Sultan Khan. The delightful Musica finds Roy teamed up with Brazilian guitarist Luiz Bueno on an album of original Bueno instrumental compositions. The compositions are translucent works that combine Brazilian and Indian musical vocabularies. The recording band also includes world music fusionists Steve Gorn on flute and Stomu Takeishi on electric bass. Outstanding cuts abound. "Ana Flamengo," has a laid back choro flavor and delicate percussion supplied by Roy. "Bad Forro," is an extremely rhythmic dance-like piece on which Takeishi's bass plays an outstanding role. "Rasga" is an Indian influenced, jazz-like improvisation, and Badal Roy highlights his talents on the percussive "Minefield 4." The unfortunate news about this musical gem is that it is released on a Brazilian label and it will probably receive scant notice in music publications and zero airplay on US radio. This is a pity because the music is an outstanding example of muscular and melodic world fusion. - Aaron Howard

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