When you take a combination of sounds from around the globe and throw them in a blender it takes quite an adroit musician to make it really work. Luz (pronounced “loose”) Mob has mixed a plethora of Latin (cumbia, bachata, nuevo tango) and Caribbean rhythms (dub, reggae, ska) with a bit of the now sound of hip-hop, a healthy dose of jazz and successfully packed them into his new release ‘Luz Interpretations.’

I can’t say that I have ever experienced such a varied collection of influences and variation of styles with such pleasing results. To take it to even a higher level Luz Fleming has chosen a diverse range of songs to loosely interpret, hence the title ‘Luz Interpretations,’ seamlessly moving from 90s hip-hop to 60s Disney. Accented by Luz’s solid horn playing, the songs are all uniquely their own while paying quiet homage to the original.

The incredibly upbeat “Dip & Fall Back” with it’s wonderful bass riff and joyful brass had me hooked right away. On Prince Far I’s “Blackman Land”, the bottom rocks again maintaining the reggae groove balanced by the smoky baritone sax. The Latin tinged “La Subienda” and “Tabaco Y Ron” reminded me of the wonderful summer parties as a teenager when my friend’s father blared his Cuban records throughout the neighborhood, only they didn’t have Luz’s strong electro dub. He takes “Trust In Me” from Disney’s “Jungle Book” and turns it into an enchanting dub-laced tango. I’m not sure even I could deny Kaa if he were to entice me with such sultry tones.

Luz worked for 3 years putting the record together and the labor of his love definitely pays very nice dividends for his listeners. The time and patience taken are shown throughout the lush arrangements. All of tracks have a balance that keeps the record strong from beginning to end with the unique wonderful blend of styles.