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CD Recommendation
Olé México GNP

Alondra de la Parra – Conductor
Pitingo, Concha Buika, Lila Downs - Voice
available on Spotify, Tidal, Apple Music, Youtube Music

Mexican conductor Alondra de la Parra’s latest project brought together three of the most decorated Spanish and Mexican singers for a grand celebration of Mexican songs. All singers were stellar but Spanish singer Pitingo stole the show in all the tracks he contributed. Clearly having a blast, his raspy tenor voice was both capable of great verve and tender lyricism as exemplified in the standout track Granada.

Middle-aged Concha Buika and Lila Downs might no longer have the lush and seductive voices of younger female singers, but they made it up by having plenty of authority, maturity, and energy. In Amor Eterna, I thoroughly enjoyed Concha Buika’s pining for eternal love, her throaty voice conveying perfect amount of anguish and regret that is often missing from younger singers’ rendition of this piece.

I could not figure out what orchestra Alondra directed in this CD, but they sounded an equal and had the same energy as the singers. The recording quality was exceptional as well and this CD is an aural feast you don’t want to miss out.

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