What’s in your suitcase: Gaby Moreno

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She’s one of the most exciting acts in Latin music, that much we knew. She’s even earned comparisons to the late, great Chavela Vargas. So it makes sense that Ricardo Arjona’s 30-year-old protege Gaby Moreno is in high demand.

I caught up with the Guatemalan chanteuse (who has a serious love for vintage) at a friend’s house in L.A., just as she drops her third album, the aptly titled, Postales, and preps for a trip to the Dominican Republic to perform with Arjona.

One of the many things that I learned about Gaby from rummaging through her carry-on is that she loves all of Woody Allen’s body of work. She loves Allen so much she wrote a song called “Daydream By Design” (from her sophomore album, Illustrated Songs, released last year) which she was hoping would be used in his film, Midnight in Paris. It may not have been used, but if you listen to it with your eyes closed, you can clearly hear Édith Piaf’s influence on this talented singer/songwriter. She loves Paris so much she’s already performed there three times this year.

Oh, and Marion Cotillard (who played Édith Piaf on the big screen and won an Oscar for it) is one of her fave actresses.

See a pattern here?

Gaby can switch effortlessly between Spanish and English, between blues, rancheras, pop, jazz, and R&B, and her newest release is evocative of the 1920s and 30s, like most of her wardrobe and accessories.

If you’re in the L.A. area, come through Largo tonight to watch Gaby play a live set as she celebrates the release of Postales on Arjona’s indie Metarmorfosis label.

When you’re done admiring all the goodies in Gaby’s suitcase, check out what Alex Cuba and Li Saumet of Bomba Estereo like to travel with. Everyone is so different so don’t ask me to pick favorites, although Gaby’s collection of hair accessories is kind of amazing….

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Check out the pics on Fusion (ABC/Univision), where this was originally posted.