Orchid Classics release Corazón, the second album of highly-decorated American cellist John-Henry Crawford. Crawford again joins forces with pianist Victor Santiago Asunción, and on three tracks with guitarist JIJI, to perform a survey of Latin American music that includes works by Leo Brouwer, Heitor Villa-Lobos, Carlos Guastavino, Manuel Ponce, Egberto Gismonti, and Astor Piazzolla...

Spanning over 140 years of Latin American music culture, Corazón takes the listener on a musical tour through Argentina, Brazil, Cuba and Mexico, spanning composers born between 1882-1947.

While not overly important to know that this collection revolves around Latin American composer's work (mainly because you'd be hard pressed to fathom where in the world the composer originated from on a first listen) it's good that Orchard Classics give a voice to this region of the world and to composers that might otherwise be overlooked.

There's an interesting mix of styles and approaches on these 14 pieces (1 hr, 02 min, 30 sec) showing the diversity on display from the region. If you're a collector of classical world music then you should certainly add this to your collection.

Track listing:

Leo Brouwer (b.1939)
01. Canción de cuna

Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959)
02. O canto do cisne negro, W122

Carlos Guastavino (1912-2000)
03. Pampamapa

Manuel Ponce (1882-1948)
04. Por ti mi corazón

Egberto Gismonti (b.1947)
05. Água e Vinho

Manuel Ponce
06. Estrellita
Arranged by JIJI / Jascha Heifetz

Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992)
07. Le Grand Tango

Heitor Villa-Lobos
08. Pequeña Suite: Melodia
09. Ondulando

Manuel Ponce
Sonata in G minor for violoncello and piano
10. Allegro selvaggio
11. Allegro
12. Arietta
13. Allegro burlesco Astor Piazzolla
14. Oblivion

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Darren Rea