JOSE CONDE Y OLA FRESCA

(R)Evolución

Mr. Bongo Records MRBCD054

- By DB

The wordplay in the title of Jose Condé's latest recording ­ hinging between "revolution" and "evolution" ­ is a general summation of his own life. Born in Chicago and raised in South Florida to Cuban parents, and now based in New York, he's found a way to work a score of influences into this gorgeous recording. And while the idea is evolving song forms already well spoken in both the Latin and English dictionaries­ namely, salsa and mambo,­ Condé does not do much to break any molds. But he does make tender and soulful music, indeed. The sepia-rich video for the lead-off single, "Ride La Ola," is a perfect case in point. It features everything you want in a song to spin over and again: a warm and present bass line, ingeniously interspersed congas, and a hook behind the man's sweet vocals. Sweet Condé's voice is throughout the entirety of these fourteen tracks. Granted, it is produced in a very pop format, with the synthesizers sometimes predictable and a heavy reliance on basic verse-chorus returns. Still, this is what solid pop songwriting is about, and the fact that it holds its own on a radio station as well as a club is only to its credit. In that manner, it is not only a solid Latin album, but it is appealing to numerous audiences ­ and well deserved. The band is tight; Condé is a formidable showman. "Summertime" is the sort of anthem-ballad that will, like its name suggests, conjure memories before they happen. The piano and saxophone remind one of the remarkable jazz crooners years ahead of their time some time ago. Perhaps that is the strength of (R)Evolución,­ it exhibits such an antiquated feel that you're not sure when it happened. And that's what makes certain music timeless.