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The Vibe: Afro-Cuban Rhythms, Latin Jazz, Mambos & Descargas (free). Mp3 is about 10 minutes long.

A few fans may find Latin roots-pop pioneer Lila Downs' return to old-fashioned, romantic ranchera music to be a retrograde move, but her commanding presence and the astonishing skill and economy with which she embellishes these old-school Mexican ballads with modern rock, electronica and even a tasteful dash of hip-hop will blow your mind, if you give it a close listen. Similarly, she weaves in the rich rhythms of Cuban son and Central American cumbia, reconciling and uniting several strands of Latin American popular music. The repertoire blends striking originals with classics from Jose Alfredo Jimenez, while Downs' dark, husky vocals give more than a mild nod towards the great Mexican diva, Lola Beltran, while Tex-Mex accordionist Flaco Jimenez anchors the album in a solid border vibe. You have to be willing to get into the style (and not everyone is, including plenty of folks who listen to other kinds of Latin American music...) But if you give it a chance, this is a pretty cool album, particularly how it points the way to a canny revitalization and modernization of one of the hemisphere's liveliest and most musically conservative genres. Oh, and Downs' old fans will not be disappointed: she's as authoritative, innovative and charismatic here as on anything she's done.

  Name Artist Time Price  1AstroSun Ra & Walt Dickerson7:51Album OnlyView In iTunes2UtopiaSun Ra & Walt Dickerson8:15Album OnlyView In iTunes3VisionsSun Ra & Walt Dickerson2:55$1.29View In iTunes4Constructive NeutronsSun Ra & Walt Dickerson10:15Album OnlyView In iTunes5Space DanceSun Ra & Walt Dickerson8:20Album OnlyView In iTunes6Light YearsSun Ra & Walt Dickerson15:20Album OnlyView In iTunes7ProphesySun Ra & Walt Dickerson9:05Album OnlyView In iTunes