Akokan is Yoruba for the 'heart' that seems inseparable from everything Fonseca does

Akokan is Yoruba for the “heart” that seems inseparable from everything Fonseca does. Recorded in Cuba with his regulars, Javier Zalba (reeds), Omar González (bass), Joel Hierrezuelo (percussion) and Ramsés Rodriguez (drums), his new album irresistibly marries his jazz and Latin roots. The pianist’s joy in playing is palpable and his technique formidable, with an infallible sense of time and a constant flow of melodic inspiration. The repertoire, mostly by Fonseca, also emphasises his talent for melody. It’s not just his solos - those on La Flor Que No Cuidé and Siete Potencias are typically engaging - but also his compositions; his originals such as Lo Que Me Hace Vivir and Como En Las Películas are melodies, not basic phrases juggled through the changes. It’s a gift that serves him and his colleagues, including several guest singers, well. www.robertofonseca.com