Women singers composing their own great songs can be hard to find especially one who, as the title of her album Todo Transito (Everything in Movement) suggests, divides her time between the tropical coast of Esmeraldas, Ecuador and the somewhat cooler climes of Inverness.

Coca Tenorio’s vibrant, serenading voice moves from celebration to yearning, through melodies Andean, Latin and South American. Grounded in undulating Afro-Latin rhythms, her songs tell stories of life and love with zingy undercurrents. The musicianship is stunning and Coca Tenorio is a real find. Let’s hope we’ll hear much more of her on the Scottish scene in 2010.

☆☆☆☆