Mario Cuba

Gabriel Alegría Afro-Peruvian Sextet: El Muki

by Jack Bowers
August 22, 2025

Heavy rhythms rule the day on El Muki, the seventh recording by composer, arranger and trumpeter Gabriel Alegria's Afro-Peruvian Sextet, one that marks the group's 20th anniversary in 2025 by blending impactful elements of Peruvian, African and American jazz into a wholesome and flavorful banquet designed to whet the appetite of jazz aficionados of all persuasions. El Muki, according to the notes, is “a mythical Andean elf, traditionally believed to protect miners in the Peruvian highlands." He ...