Nuit Parisienne à la Havanefeels less like an album and more like an overheard conversation at 2 a.m.—intimate, unguarded, and quietly profound. Pianist Roberto Fonseca and cellist Vincent Segal strip everything down to essence, trusting touch, space, and shared history to do the heavy lifting. There’s no virtuoso flexing here, just deep listening and instinctive response. I first became aware of Fonseca when I saw his trio in Chicago more than 13 years ago. What struck me about his performance was his passion and versatility. Nuit Parisienne à la Havane demonstrates those fine qualities not only when referencing Fonseca but also when referencing Vincent Segal. 

Nuit Parisienne à la Havane feels less like an album and more like an overheard conversation at 2 a.m.—intimate, unguarded, and quietly profound. Pianist Roberto Fonseca and cellist Vincent Segal strip everything down to essence, trusting touch, space, and shared history to do the heavy lifting. There’s no virtuoso flexing here, just deep listening and instinctive response. I first became aware of Fonseca when I saw his trio in Chicago more than 13 years ago. What struck me about his performance was his passion and versatility. Nuit Parisienne à la Havane demonstrates those fine qualities not only when referencing Fonseca but also when referencing Vincent Segal. 

The opener, “Rumbo a Tí,” immediately establishes the mood: Fonseca’s piano dancing with Cuban grace while Segal’s cello answers in warm, conversational phrases. “Nuit Parisienne” is the album’s emotional axis—romantic without nostalgia, impressionistic without drifting—Paris filtered through Havana rhythm and night air. “Soul Kiss” may be the most direct statement of connection, its melody unfolding like a whispered secret between old friends.

Across the set, genres dissolve. Cuban forms, French chanson, classical restraint, and jazz sensibility coexist naturally, never announced, never forced. Tracks like “Un Homme Qui Dort” and “Violoncelle Pointe Noire” thrive on restraint, proving how much emotional weight can be carried by silence and timing alone.

Recorded with a spontaneous, live-in-the-room feel, Nuit Parisienne à la Havane rewards patience and close listening. This is music that asks you to slow down, close the door, and lean in—an elegant, spiritual dialogue from two masters speaking softly, and saying everything.

Nuit Parisienne à la Havane drops January 30, 2026, on Artwork Records.