Roberto Perera › Dreams & Desires

Personnel: Roberto Perera (electro-acoustic Paraguayan harp); Juan Areco (acoustic guitar, banjo, charango); Robert Thomas, Jr. (flute, hand drums, bongos); Victor Santos (accordion); Ed Calle (saxophone); Toni Concepcion (trumpet); Tom Garling (trombone); John Olah (tuba); Jorge Martinez (piano, keyboards); Abel Pabon (acoustic & electric pianos, keyboards); Rafael Valencia, Brett Simons (bass); Archie Pena (drums, percussion); Rafael Solano (Candombe drums, congas, bombo, surdo, percussion); Luis Enrique (bongos, congas, percussion).

Producers include: Luis Enrique, Camilo Valencia, Rafael Valencia, Jorge Martinez, Roberto Perera.

Recorded at Criteria Studios, Miami, Florida; Kristen Studios, Coral Gables, Florida in June, 1992. Includes liner notes by Jorge Melendez.

Personnel: Roberto Perera (harp); Juan Areco (guitar, acoustic guitar, banjo); Robert Thomas, Jr. (flute, drums, bongos, surdo); Robert Thomas (flute, drums, bongos); Victor Santos (accordion); Ed Calle (saxophone); Tony Concepcion (trumpet); Tom Garling (trombone); John Olah (tuba); Abel Pabon (electric piano, keyboards); Jorge Martinez (keyboards); Archie Pena (drums, percussion); Rafael Solano (congas, surdo, percussion); Luis Enrique (congas, percussion).

Recording information: Criteria Recording Studios, Miami, FL (06/01/1992-06/14/1992); Kristen Studios, Coral Gables, FL (06/01/1992-06/14/1992).

Unknown Contributor Role: Robert Thomas, Jr.

Arrangers: Camilo Valencia; Rafael Valencia; Camilo Y Calencia; Jorge Martinez.

A strong purveyor of the world meets pop sound is the hard to categorize Roberto Perera, whose instrument of choice is the unusual yet captivating electro-acoustic Paraguayan harp. Continuing the rhythmic and romantic themes of his breakthrough Passions, Illusions & Fantasies, while at the same time creating new stylistic challenges, is the eclectic Dreams & Desires, a collection which gives the Uruguayan native more than enough opportunity to show a balance of sweet tenderness and percussive madness. Perera's charm lies in the effortless way he makes the sound of his strings so familiar. He uses them as if part of a guitar for melody, but for color he plays them as a percussion instrument. Latin and Brazilian bases lie beneath most melodies, but "On My Way to New Orleans," which features a layer by layer approach to Dixieland, gracefully departs from the expected route. ~ Jonathan Widran

Genre:

• Latin

Music Categories:

• Jazz General

Product Series:

• Fantasy Warehouse Clearance Sale