NOCHE ABIERTA

Cai combines the authenticity and sense of place of flamenco music with prog instrumentation and an easy jazzy flow, to produce a subtly beautiful work. Don't expect it to jump out at you and grab you - instead just let it possess you over time, and diffuse over you.

The opener "Sone Contigo" sets the tone with its distinctly Latin keyboards, sometimes cascading sometimes rollicking. The lead guitar and vocals both add to the romantic air of this lovely piece. "Despertar" has a similar mood but the mellotron is more prominent and the lead guitar is oh so flamenco. "Alegrias de Cai" has especially nimble percussion in the mix, while the title track actually contains acoustic flamenco guitars. "Extrana Seduccion" alternates an atmospheric melody with more vivacious guitars. The middle section is more improvised, but here as throughout the disk, Cai balances the ragged forays with a gentle structure.

The closest thing to an outright ballad is "La Fabula", and it is also one of the less interesting cuts on the CD. It seems that Cai's strengths are best served by an integration of more energetic sections into the vocal tracks. The longest piece is the closer "la Boca Del Diablo". It is an intriguing instrumental featuring more synthesizers along with the mellotron, and allows the band to stretch out a lot more than in its shorter siblings. Parts remind me of Camel gone Spanish, or even Caravan, especially in the peculiar synth sounds, but this is dreamier, more ambient than both.

"Noche Abierto" is Cai's classic, which can be enjoyed by most symphonic, folk, jazz and Latin music fans, although fans of harder edged music may not take to it so well. Highly recommended.