Animate

 This composition uses Puerto Rican Plena, the traditional "Newspaper of the people," to call out the headline "Wake up because the Rooster is flying on his faith!" as a trio of horns respond in an odd yet affirming descent of chords over a Cuban 6/8  bembe rhythm. The composition has Canario inspired horn lines combined with an early Ellington stride and a chorus of roosters, inspired by Sun Ra’s use of ensemble vocal experimentations. A baritone sax solo takes it to a jazz hoe-down, concluding the piece.

Murcielago

The ten-string mandolin Puerto Rican cuatro pushes this merengue into a guaracha. Lyrically inspired by Puerto Rican Jibaro folk music, which many say is the equivalent to the African-American blues, the song laments over the pains of life. A Willie Colon like trombone solo helps shake out the bad spirits helping the last verse resolve "…before I die I will have danced off the bad from the asphalt!"

Palo De Ron

An Afro-Cuban jazz swing feel on the congas and the drum set, with a New Orleans brass band bass drum are rained upon by the cuatro The brass play haunting clouds of chords that remember Duke Ellington’s "East Saint Luis Toodaloo." The baritone saxophone and the bass lay down a bouncing melody. A repetitious chorus drives the singer’s regrets of his personal shortcomings through sections of 80’s new wave to Free Jazz chaos and finally meditation via throat singing.

Egra

An elastic bass rumbles over far away echoes of hip hop drumming. Inspired by Indian brass bands and electric Miles Davis, the horns gently glide, disappear and reappear until they resolve into a Mambo montuno only to fade away slowly again.

Lares Vegas

This composition starts with a funeral march commemorating the "Grito De Lares", the most know Puerto Rican rebellion against imperialism. A strong spiritual resurrection starts as a Plena-mozambique rhythm set pace.  The song’s chorus suggests that old revolutions were replaced by Las Vegas style casino ideals.

Rumba Pa’ Las Niñas

The tapping of the Mozambique rhythm on the baritone guitar is inspired by Eddie Van Halen’s innovative guitar tapping style. The baritone saxophone comes in as a giant crying out and culminating into a Fela Kuti style horn call. A guaguanco rumba quietly enters only to wake the giant baritone saxophone into its final outcry.

Ya No Vuelve

This composition is a cha-cha-cha that moves into a rock’n’roll chorus. Lyrically it is about people that moved away or have passed away such as legendary salsa singer Hector Lavoe, who died of AIDS.

Cemi Snowmobile

This cumbia song talks about identity and uses Dezi Arnez’s alleged borrowing of Miguelito Valdez’s identity as an example.

Plata Esta Fria

This song title means the money or silver is cold. The song mainly seems to be out of   clave or out of sync as it goes from Cuban songo to Puerto Rican bomba only to resolve in clave in the end trumpet solo section.

Additional Info
Zemog, El Gallo Bueno Pioneers Salsa From a Chicken CoopThe ...
Song Explanations
Abraham Gomez-Delgado’s Artist Statement

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