You may not know it, not only does everybody has a little soul like Carmel proclaimed in the late 80s but you also have a Latin soul which needs to be nurtured. And what could be a more luxurious meal for your Latin soul than Grupo X’s new album?
I first heard of Grupo-X via the Snowboy compiled sampler The True Jazz Dance Session back in 2000, which featured Grupo-X’s Brand New Love with Lisa Millett on vocals. And I was so in love with this song that I didn’t hesitate to get a copy of Grupo X’s debut album X-Posure. While at first I was a little bit disappointed that Lisa only sung on one song I soon discovered the beauty of the band’s own blend of Latin rhythms, jazz and soul. Finally, after a six years hiatus founder Jonny Enright is back with a new album and the good news is that Lisa is featured on six tracks and the new album features overall more songs with vocals on it this time around. The band members Jonny Enright (trombone, organ), Finn Peters (saxes, flute), Jimmy LeMessurier (drums, vocals, keys), Pete Eckford (congas, bongos, percussions), John Crawford (piano, wurlitzer), Simon Edwards (bass, organ), Carlos A. Peña (vocals, guiro, maracas) are supported this time by Trevor Mires (trombone), Olly Drew (guitars), Julie-Ann Gillett Smith (violin) and Janina Kopinska (viola).
With eleven original compositions Food For Your Latin Soul is a cornucopia of inspiring Latin jazz songs.
Like on Brand New Love Lisa excels beyond the pumping house grooves she may be more familiar for. Whether she adds her magic to the soulful opener Get Through To You, the infectious percussive driven This Must Be The Place or sings with nonchalance on You Qualify, it’s good to hear her in an organic music setting that suits her voice much more than computer generated house beats.
It’s really hard to decide which is the best tune of Food For Your Latin Soul to satisfy your appetite. Actually they are all great. And unlike some uninspired fast food (read disposable music) these tunes will keep you satisfied, happy and dancing for a long time. Take the catchy Que Suene La Banda with Carlos A. Peña on vocals or the fast Latin house hybrid (with the emphasize on Latin of course) X-Posure with its great piano intro and tight brass section, which surely will cause some damage on discerning dancefloors. With the right remixes this may easily be a cross-over hit. Even the funky instrumental Spare Ribs can be enjoyed without reservation by a vegetarian like me.
Don’t go for any less than the real thing to nourish your Latin Soul. And Grupo X’s new album Food For Your Latin Soul is the real thing and you won’t find a better soulful Latin jazz album this year.

Tracklisting of Food For Your Latin Soul: 1. Get Through To You/ 2. This Must Be The Place/ 3. Que Suene La Banda/ 4. Sunshine/ 5. Spare Ribs/ 6. X-Perience/ 7. You Qualify/ 8. J’s Joint/ 9. Let’s Get Connected/ 10. For A lIfe/ 11. Quijada, Cajon Y Cencerro | released 2006 Loft Recordings

For more infos visit grupo-x.com.

[If you want to discuss Grupo X’s music, you can leave your comment below and also use the forum]