AnneCarlini.com Home
 
  Giveaways!
  Insider Gossip
  Monthly Hot Picks
  Book Reviews
  CD Reviews
  Concert Reviews
  DVD Reviews
  Game Reviews
  Movie Reviews
  Check Out The NEW Anne Carlini Productions!
  [NEW!] Sasha Lane & Brandon Perea [‘Twisters’]
  [NEW!] Sir Ian McKellen [‘The Critic’]
  Belouis Some (2024)
  Jay Aston’s Gene Loves Jezebel (2024)
  Fabienne Shine (Shakin’ Street)
  Crystal Gayle
  Ellen Foley
  Mark Ruffalo (‘Poor Things’)
  Paul Giamatti (‘The Holdovers’)
  The Home of WAXEN WARES Candles!
  Michigan Siding Company for ALL Your Outdoor Needs
  MTU Hypnosis for ALL your Day-To-Day Needs!
  COMMENTS FROM EXCLUSIVE MAGAZINE READERS!


©2024 annecarlini.com
Ghost Canyon

Title - 'Everybody Wants To Rule The World'
Artist - La Lucha

For those not in the know, La Lucha is a Tampa Bay-based trio that consists of three friends from three different parts of the world; Colombia, Mexico & United States.

Their music ventures boldly into a wide variety of musical styles, offering an appealing and fun mix of genres under the jazz umbrella.

Indeed, the combination of their musical versatility and varied musical influences makes for compelling virtuosic performances.

John, Alejandro, and Mark – raised in Mexico, Colombia, and Florida, respectively – met up in a practice room at the University of South Florida, in Tampa, in 2006.

The three were soon best friends, and the musical experiences from their younger years, collectively from punk to heavy metal, salsa to classical, were all grist for the mill as they delved into learning and creating jazz.

Their energies and cultural backgrounds melded, and La Lucha became known for a sound with lots of Latin rhythms, combining jazz and American Songbook standards with their self-described ‘twisted arrangements’ of 80s and 90s pop tunes, and originals by each of the guys.

Here on their brand new album, Everybody Wants To Rule The World, La Lucha (which means 'the fight, or struggle') are joined by, amongst others, all-star musicians Houston Person, Ken Peplowski and Chuck Redd.

1. 'Por La Tarde' (ft. Ken Peplowski & Diego Figueiredo)
2. 'Space Oddity'
3. 'Lullaby of The Leaves/Lullaby of Birdland' (ft. Chuck Redd)
4. 'Blues For Houston Person' (ft. Houston Person & Chuck Redd)
5. '1+2' (ft. Melissa Aldana)
6. 'The Sundering'
7. 'Otra Vez' (ft. Melissa Aldana & Ken Peplowski)
8. 'Don't Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulder)' (ft. Ken Peplowski)
9. 'Everybody Wants To Rule The World' (ft. Melissa Aldana)
10. 'Lilis'
11. 'Dance Dance Dance'
12. 'She's Like The Wind'
13. 'Samba Pra Diego' (ft. Ken Peplowski, Chuck Redd, & Diego Figueiredo)

The band, who view their collective name as a positive reminder to overcome whatever one needs to, including the obstacles found in living with a commitment to an artistic life, kick off this vibrant album with the gradual build to a spirited and lively 'Por La Tarde (featuring jazz clarinetist and tenor saxophonist Ken Peplowski and Grammy nominated Brazilian jazz guitarist Diego Figueiredo) and back that up with both the low-key 'Space Oddity' and then the perky 'Lullaby of The Leaves/Lullaby of Birdland' (featuring jazz drummer and vibraphonist Chuck Redd).

Chuck, along with the titular jazz tenor saxophonist, Houston Person, is back once more on the upbeat vibrancy of 'Blues For Houston Person' and then we get one of my own personal favorites, the late night, smoky underground jazz club vibe of both '1+2' (featuring Chilean tenor saxophonist, Melissa Aldana), and then 'The Sundering.'

The Brazilian samba vibe of 'Otra Vez' (featuring Aldana and Peplowski) is up next and is elegantly followed by the yearningly laid back orchestrations of 'Don't Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulder)' (featuring Peplowski), another low key rendition, this time of the title track 'Everybody Wants To Rule The World' (featuring Aldana), and then the mid-tempo free flow of 'Lilis.'

This quite magnificent album the rounds out with the foot-tappin' elegance of 'Dance Dance Dance,' the most passionately resonant, soulful rendition of 'She's Like The Wind' that I've ever heard, and then comes to a close with the playful 'Samba Pra Diego' (featuring the trio of Peplowski, Redd, and Figueiredo).

Official Digital Purchase Link

La Lucha @ Facebook

La Lucha @ Twitter





...Archives