Gabriel Alegría Afro-Peruvian Sextet, El Muki Review

by Icrom Bigrad

Gabriel Alegría and his Afro-Peruvian Sextet mark their twentieth anniversary with El Muki. Released on August 15, 2025, via Saponegro Records, the album delves deeply into cultural heritage while expanding outward into the global jazz conversation. Its name comes from a mythical Andean elf, guardian of miners and protector of the underground, a fitting symbol for musicians who see themselves as keepers of human, hand-crafted sound. Over nine tracks, Alegría and his ensemble weave festejo, lando, and other Afro-Peruvian rhythms into a fabric of improvisation that results in a modern world jazz sound based in ancient rhythms and rooted in Afro-Peruvian tradition.

The Sextet itself is a family forged over decades: Gabriel Alegría on trumpet, Laura Andrea Leguía on saxophone, Freddy “Huevito” Lobatón on percussion, Hugo Alcázar on drums, Mario Cuba on bass, Jocho Velásquez on guitar, JF Maza on saxophone, and the special voice of Marco Lucioni on cello. Together, they create textures that range from world jazz to funk.

“Luciérnagas” (“Fireflies”) opens the set with its hypnotic lando groove, Cuba’s bass, and the drumming team of Alcázar and Lobatón establishing a pulse that flickers with world jazz. The melody grows from a simple motif into a world-jazz beat, a natural backdrop for Maza’s soprano saxophone, which darts across the groove. Alegría follows, his trumpet building intensity with each phrase, while Velásquez’s guitar solo offers a romantic, concise statement before the ensemble returns to the head. The piece balances atmosphere and propulsion, making flickering light audible through rhythm and melody.

Where “Luciérnagas” shimmers, “Mala Señal” (“Bad Sign”) erupts with festive energy. A fast festejo in a minor key, it marries funk-influenced guitar strumming with riff-driven horns. Leguía’s solo brims with urgency, pushing against the celebratory pulse. Lobatón’s percussion becomes a dialogue with the ensemble itself, his instruments speaking as clearly as any horn. Alegría’s trumpet enters next, first over bare percussion before wah-wah guitar chords and bass restore the funk edge. Together, the Sextet drives the piece into an exhilarating climax before snapping back to its riff-based theme.

Laura Andrea Leguía’s “Ausencia” (“Absence”) turns inward, showcasing the lyrical voice of Lucioni’s cello. His warm cello introduction sets the tone of introspection before the horns state a flowing theme supported by Afro-Peruvian rhythm. Velásquez’s nylon-string guitar solo is tender and romantic, its harmonic embellishments tinged with jazz, while Alegría’s trumpet returns to the ensemble feel, expanding on the theme’s emotional weight. Lucioni then steps forward again, this time soloing in dialogue with the earlier guitar feel, a compositional symmetry that heightens the poignancy. The reprise of the melody closes the piece with a sense of longing resolved not by answers, but by shared reflection.

The album closes with a bold reimagining of The Police’s “Walking on the Moon.” Rather than approaching it as a crossover novelty, the Sextet filters the tune through Afro-Peruvian rhythm and tribal atmosphere. The bass and guitar remain close to the original framework, grounding the song’s identity. The percussion and drums transform the groove into something ceremonial, grounded in Afro-Peruvian tradition. Rivera’s reverb-soaked saxophone fills expand the sonic space, and Alegría’s muted trumpet lends a distinct voice to the familiar melody.

El Muki is a record about continuity, heritage, and transformation. It celebrates the Sextet’s 20-year journey while remaining grounded in Afro-Peruvian traditions. Gabriel Alegría and his ensemble have created a sound of tradition being allowed to converse with modernity to form an expansion. Like its mythic namesake, the album feels like an ongoing dream of music that is rooted and free.