Mariana Montalvo

Piel de Aceituna

(World Village)

Chilean singer Montalvo has the kind of voice that quickly embraces the listener in a tight hug, leaving little chance for escape.  The purity, warmth, and sincerity of her delivery leads to a quick surrender.  She skillfully distills the varied fruits of her native South America’s music traditions into a program that boasts a range of stylistic nuances.

            Montalvo is an exponent of a tradition of folkloric balladry in latin America known as “Nueva Cancion” (New Song) that has a long been associated with Chile through the work Victora Jara, and the Argentine legend Mercedes Sosa.  Simple themes (often rooted in folk traditions), poetry, and socially conscious topics are embellished by heartfelt vocals and acoustic instrumentation.

            On some tracks, Montalvo and her ensemble reflect the Andean heritage of their mountainous land through the brisk guitar strumming and organic percussion.  On “Encuentro” (The Meeting), there’s the subtle flavor of the tropics and a dash of Brazilian sensibility.  “Sud Americano” (South American) incorporates a reggae rhythm while “Ave de Paso” (Passing Bird) has the gentle lilt of the Afro-Peruvian style.  She shows her stylistic breadth on a charming remake of Belgian composer Jacques Brel’s “The Lovers’ Song” (La Cancion de los Amantes).

            Montalvo, a political exile who’s lived in France for many years, is drawn to an attractive blend of Continental romanticism personified by Brel’s compositions and elements of classis tango that have been influential in Western Europe from the 1920s to today.  The album title means “olive skinned,” and it’s a term that’s equally appropriate for the radiant, supple teture of her riveting performances.

-Mark Holston