Ex-New Orleanian Charlie Dennard has toured the world constantly as a keyboardist since 2002 and later on as the musical director for Cirque du Soleil.

It’s not surprising that someone with this background would combine the cultures of one of the world’s great music cities (New Orleans) with the most musical country on the planet (Brazil).

For this project he’s assembled a cast of stellar players, including the best-known New Orleans Brazilheads: Scott Myers, Ray Moore, Rick Trolsen and Steve Masakowski for starters. Add Doug Belote, Tommy Sciple, Gerald French and a half-dozen other aces and you get one outstanding mix.

Fresh sounds abound: the forró classic “Asa Branca” played with modal harmony; the delicious confluence of Dennard’s Hammond organ with Brazilian beats; Matt Perrine’s crazed sousaphone in the role of rooster lording over the intense, sophisticated horn arrangement of “Quando O Galo Cantar.” The album reaches a climax with “Ganga Zumbi,” a polyglot mix of ten different timbres that bring this thrilling ride of a disc to a close.