Born in Peru, jazz vocalist and percussionist Corina Bartra currently calls New York home. Her sixth album, "Son Zumbon," continues her association with excellent musicians like percussionist Perico Diaz with whom she has produced excellent products in the past. Bartra is to also be commended for her ability to present modern music with traditional and organic sensibilities. Whether it's the instruments themselves or certain melodies, rhythms and lyrics, I sense that she sincerely appreciates and deeply respects her Afro-Peruvian music roots that originated when African slaves brought song and dance to the Spanish colony of Peru in the 16th century. As Peruvian slaves assimilated the culture and language of their new country, Afro-Peruvian music became a unique blend of Spanish, Andean and African traditions. While its roots are hundreds of years old, Corina Bartra's own music is very current with an immediatley appealing urban sound. Bartra and her friends are weaving a unique contemporary thread of the Afro-Peruvian musical resurgence that has been occurring in the past 30-40 years. Bartra is equally comfortable with up-tempo offerings as she is with the slower and more melancholy songs of sorrow and lament. The band also provides new and creative arrangements of classic covers like "Green Dolphin Street." Throughout this CD, her accompanists drive the cross-cultural music with such propulsion that one wants to jump right up, dance and celebrate right along with them. Because tunes like No Valentin, Latino Blues, Una Larga Noche, and Osiris are very liberating, this album is another very successful mission accomplished for Corina Bartra. (Joe Ross, Roseburg, OR.)