DDLO
Sueños de Luna y Mar
(DDLO)

The swaying percussion, a ringing bell-like key line and slipping electric guitar of “El Mundo Fosforescente” starts DDLO (Descargas de La Onda) new EP Sueños de Luna y Mar. It’s a sexy, talk-sung tune representing this collective of Latin musicians, coordinated by jazz musician, composer, and multi-instrumentalist I.J. Smith, who plays guitars, tres, percussion, and congas here.

Smith is helped by Pablo Conte on percussion, Eric Marshall on bass, Tony DaQuipa playing congas and drums, Adrian Gormeley playing sax, bass, clarinet, and lastly, Bill Swan on trumpet.

Smith wails at the end as the musicians rise to meet him rockin’ a pretty solid opener.

An acoutsic gutar and conga move “El Día que Llegó el Payaso,” along. There are backing vocals here as well and Bill Swan’s trumpet making itself known especially. It’s another great tune.

“El Pulpo y la Luna” builds from a swirly scary main guitar line into a ‘blurping’ keyboard line and laid back beat. Then we get crunchy clarinet playing from Gormleley and slide from Smith. It’s a very hearty witch’s brew, funk, Latin rock fusion, instrumental, maybe the best song here. Gormleley leads us out in wonderful improv style.

A pretty picked acoustic, with classical guitar leading over the top is at the heart of the last tune, “Nostalgia Majestuoso.” Again the percussion is subtle, while flying high picthed single notes over the top of the instrumental.

Sueños de Luna y Mar is some great stuff by a bunch of musicians who are top notch.