Ruiz, Otmaro & Catina Deluna
Sunnyside, 2025, CD
Instrument: Female Vocals
Issue: 31.4
Jazz Ruler Type: Latin
Performance: 4
Sound: 3
Score: 77
O’s Notes: Brazilian vocalist Catina DeLuna and Venezuelan pianist Otmaro Ruiz are the headliners (also husband and wife) on Lado B Brazilian Project 2. This is a worthy follow-up to the first edition launched 19 years ago. They get support from Larry Koonse (g), Edwin Livingston (b), and Edu Ribeiro (d). They dust off some obscure titles (the B-Sides) written by Brazilian masters and give them new life with heartfelt passion that spills beyond their relationship. We enjoyed the samba infused collection especially “Requebre Que Eu Dou Um Doce” featuring guests Bruno Mangueira (g) and Bob Sheppard (cl), “Aluviao”, and “Choro Das Aguas” with guest vocalist Fabio Cadore and Sheppard on sax.
Publicist: Mouthpiece Music
