La noche más larga

On *La Noche Mas Larga*, the Spanish vocalist Concha Buika continues to mix genres in effective ways. Buika’s main influence is flamenco, a style that takes no prisoners. But the powerful singer—who was born in Palma de Mallorca to parents from Equatorial Guinea—successfully brings flamenco intensity to more easygoing pop and Latin jazz settings. *Noche* opens with “Sueno con Ella,” where Buika is accompanied by lively piano from music director Ivan Melon Lewis and chugging percussion. A version of Ernesto Lecuona’s “Siboney,” which has sleek backup vocals and a streamlined horn arrangement, nicely showcases Buika’s vocal skills. Handclaps and scat singing animate the Jacques Brel classic “No Me Quitte Pas.” On “Santa Lucia” by the Argentinean-rooted singer/songwriter Roque Narvaja, Buika lets loose over a cool groove created by Alain Perez’s electric bass and Dafnis Prieto’s intricate drumming. “No Lo Se” features guest guitarist Pat Metheny, who solos in a sensitive manner on the slow-tempo cut. The New York–based Cuban percussionist and singer Pedrito Martinez enlivens “Los Solos.”