Trio Mundo: Carnaval

Badrena is a very prominent voice throughout, laying down a rich and varied rhythmic groove while adding splashes of color and some authentic folk-inflected vocals. Stryker mixes acoustic and electric guitar timbres freely and gets the lion’s share in terms of original compositions. The opening “Carnaval” is a sprightly bossa enriched further by the flute work of special guest Steve Slagle, who also happens to bring his soprano sax along for both “Spirits” and “Rose,” two numbers that are arguably the most jazz oriented.

Badrena’s own “Raveena” sports some earthy vocals by its composer on top of a rocking samba and some superlative Montgomeryish blowing by Stryker, while “Raga” obviously looks to the East with Slagle on bamboo flute and an overall feeling not unlike some of the things that Herbie Mann was concocting during the ‘60s. So true to its namesake, you could say that various styles of ‘world music’ bring their impact on these eleven tracks and Stryker fans will again be amazed at how this criminally neglected guitarist just seems to keep reinventing himself.

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