Search - Tania Libertad :: Costa Negra

After more than 30 albums, Afro-Peruvian singer Tania Libertad makes her U.S. debut with Costa Negra. Whereas fellow Afro-Peruvian Susana Baca remained in Peru researching Afro-Peruvian music and history, Libertad chose to move to Mexico several years ago. The change in surroundings gives her music a broader Latin flavor than Baca's, as she makes interesting connections between Peruvian, Mexican, Cuban, and Panamanian folk music, all tied through the musics' common African roots. Well supported by percussion (featuring an array of drums from Latin America and Africa) and great choral arrangements, Libertad's vibratoless mezzo-soprano voice is an impressive, commanding presence whenever she sings, rising to diva proportions on the album's romantic ballads. Libertad even holds her own in a duet with Cesaria Evora on the bolero "Historia De Un Amor," where the two voices intertwine with drum accompaniment for stunningly romantic results. An excellent introduction to this talented singer, Costa Negra should raise Libertad's profile in the States. --Tad Hendrickson