Flamenco: Son del Sur

In most compilations, you get the good, the bad, and the ugly. The songs in this one fall pretty much in the good category. Although the collection is lightweight and pop in its approach to the music most of the time (do we really need another version of Bill Withers's "Just the Two of Us"?), much of Son del Sur still shines. The Latin-flamenco feel of Navajita Platéa is lilting, with a sweet single violin weaving around lead singer Pelé's equally lilting voice. Among the better-known performers on the record are Amina (we get a pure flamenco roots piece from 1970) and Carmen Linares, who is accompanied by two great guitarists, Pepe Habichuela and Juan Carmona, in another of the traditional-style songs on the album. There are some choice recordings from the '60s and '70s in this vein as well. On the adventurous side is singer Remidios Amaya, with a band that blends tradition with contemporary innovation without a trace of trendiness. In all, 10 notable tracks out of 15, making for a good compilation. --Louis Gibson