Calma

Calma finds the excellent Cuban pianist Omar Sosa in a reflective mood. Sosa has played in a number of styles with a number of different groups, including Koral y Esmeralda and Koan Fussion, but here he is alone with a grand piano. (On some tracks he also deftly uses other instruments, all of which he plays live along with the acoustic piano.) The album opens with “Sunrise,” a spare, prayerful piano statement with barely audible electronics faintly hovering in the background. “Walking Together,” which finds Sosa playing acoustic and electric piano simultaneously, has an ambient quality that fans of George Winston might enjoy. A Middle Eastern/North African vibe imbues the mellow “Oasis,” where electric piano and other quiet touches add color to the music. On “Aguas,” the sound of splashing water, children’s voices, and percussion accompany piano that displays a sense of grandeur, while “Dance of Reflection” hints at Sosa’s engagement with classical music. Calma closes with “Sunset,” which quietly brings to mind Native American music.