Paulo FG - Una Vez Mas..Por Amor. The overall musicianship of this album is one of its greatest strengths. On piano, for example, Rolando Luna is quite simply masterful. He has some fantastic montunos in "Por Amor", "Enredadera de amor" and "La ultima bala" (where you can hear him really well). His energetic playing in " Son de un amigo" and his piano solo halfway through help to elevate what some might view as a run of the mill traditional son to a higher level. I particularly like the duet between piano and voice on "El di­a que me quieres ", but on all the slower pieces the piano work adds a sensitive, rather pensive quality.

Percussively, we have yet another example of the superior quality of the musicians in this fine band. The playing of Mauricio Herrera Tamayo (on drumset and timbales) and Jorge Castillo Hernández (on Congas) provide a rhythmic platform for the rest of the music and propel many of the songs towards the heights we have come to expect of Paulo`s Elite.

Another thing I particularly like is what the bass and keyboard players contribute to the songs, regardless of style. Listen to "Una Vez Más" (la ultima bala), and you will hear some of the funkiest, coolest bass riffs in timba. Talk about tumbao! In "El vivo y el bobo", the other timba song where the syncopated tumbao really caught my attention, the rolling, sometimes sliding sound of the bass and keyboard seems to drive the song forward, impelling the listener to dance. Even on the slower songs the bass line is pretty funky. One of the positive qualities of "El di­a que me quieres", Paulo`s rendition of the tango by Carlos Gardel and Alfredo LaPera, is the relaxed jazziness of the bass.

One interesting facet of Una Vez Más . . . Por Amor is the horn section and the way it was recorded. Not only does it feature the fine trumpet playing of Alexander Abreu along with Carlos L. Pérez on trombone, but due to the overdubbing process you get to hear them twice, playing both horn parts. In "Por amor", "Macumba" and "Yo contento", you can hear the way this affects the phrasing and intonation of the horns, creating an even more highly polished effect than usual - and polished is usual for this band. The well-known Juan M. Ceruto, co-arranger of most of the songs, can be heard on tenor sax, and guest artist Roberto Garci­a adds a tasteful flugelhorn to two of the compositions.

All in all, Una Vez Más . . . Por Amor provides an experience that is pleasing to different palates. With his latest effort, Paulo continues to provide interesting, danceable music at a high level of musicianship.

1. Por Amor (6:08)

2. Una Vez Más (5:16)

3. Dejarí­a Todo (5:56)

4. Macumba (4:16)

5. Hablando De Amor (4:11)

6. Por La Acera (5:43)

7. Enredadera De Amor (5:20)

8. El Dia Que Un Amigo (5:49)

9. El Vivo Y El Bobo (6:02)

10. Yo Contento (6:20)