Daylight was fading in Tulum’s main square as the stage lights came up. Locals and visitors alike filtered in to the mellow sounds of the Araya Orta Latin Jazz Quartet, kicking off the first concert of the 2010 Riviera Maya Jazz Festival. The Miami-based quartet is made up of two sets of brothers—Ramses and Carlomagno Araya, and Michael and Nicky Orta—who have been playing together for 20 years.  The group incorporates their native Costa Rican rhythms into jazz standards, creating unique arrangements. Watch a clip of Araya Orta’s performance:

Things began to heat up with the arrival of nine-time Grammy winner Eddie Palmieri. The Puerto Rican performer took to the piano, accompanied by an enthusiastic orchestra. Horns raised the pulse of the crowd. In the middle of the square, a tall, thin young man dressed all in white and an athletic girl in sneakers began to salsa, furiously twirling and dipping to the music. Soon, other couples joined them. Spontaneously, the dancers fell into sync. The man in white began calling instructions and the many couples changed partners in unison, seamlessly whirling one unto the other. The energy that the dancers generated imbued the entire crowd, surging them towards the final performer of the night—India, the Princess of Salsa.

India took the stage in a vampy mini-dress and fishnet stockings.  Her powerful voice boomed out into the night, testifying to her diva status. The crowd, thoroughly lubricated with alcohol and sweat from the humid night air, was loose and vocal, often singing along with the princess. Several songs into the performance, a special guest joined India on stage, evoking a massive roar from the crowd. The guest was Juan Gabriel, Mexican pop icon. Gabriel performed one number with India and then slipped away offstage again. India kept the party going for another hour, until the last strains of music died away at 12:30 a.m., and the revelers faded off into the sultry Yucatan night.

Planning a summer trip to Italy? Putumayo’s Italia will get you prepped and pumped for that trans-Atlantic journey.

Simone Lo Porto’s “Il Girasole” is sweet slow dance (reminiscent of an American country music ballad), while Alessandro Pitoni’s “Colpo di Coda” is a saucy tango with rich instrumentation. “Il Mare Mi Salva” from Rossomalpelo is jazzy and replayable—a good-time song that will stick in your head.

“Il Viaggio” by Gianmaria Testa is quiet but with an underlying sense of urgency and adventure. Alessandro Mannarino’s “Me So ‘Mbriacato” is about a man drunk on love, and the track has an intoxicated, circus-esque vibe. And the album wouldn’t be complete without Marco Calliari’s version of the classic “Tu Vuo’ Fa’ L’Americano,” called “L’Americano” here—feel free to sing along (drink in hand, of course).

 Watch the video for the song “Thunder,” and if you like what you hear, download their album Struggle from the Subway to the Charts at Amazon.com.