It's not about the destination, it's about the journey – or at least it is in the case of Cuban pianist and composer Harold López-Nussa's debut release on Mack Records. El Viaje (which means ‘The Journey’) was recorded in Havana, and takes the city and its rich musical tradition as both its starting and its finishing point (it opens with ‘Me Voy Pa’ Cuba’ and ends with ‘Improv (Me Voy Pa’ Cuba)’). But between López-Nussa and his collaborators take detours that may remind you of, say, Paris (‘Lobo's Cha’) or New York (‘Feria’): ‘Africa’, ‘Inspiración En Connecticut’ are among the other track titles. Most numbers are performed by López-Nussa's trio (which features the leader's younger brother, Ruy Adrián, on drums), augmented with guests here and there, including Mayquel González on trumpet and flugelhorn and López-Nussa's father, Ruy Francisco, on drums: the López-Nussas are clearly a highly musical family. López-Nussa's fingers do most of the talking – his playing is fiercely muscular and danceably lyrical at the same time – but the arrangements, including great use of backing vocals, add lovely light and shade.