|
|
 |
Jewels of the Afro-Latin world
|
| Click Here to go back. |
La Voz Nueva De Colorado, Jewels of the Afro-Latin world >>
One of the very best albums to come across our desk of late, bar none, is a recent release from our friends at Putumayo titled Afro-Latin Party. The name is very apropos as you can hardly listen to this music with out trying to dance, irregardless of whether your are sitting at your desk typing or driving your car in heavy traffic. In the latter case, expect some funny looks from the motorists around you.
The disk starts off with Betece, a song by a group known as Africando. The band was formed in 1992 by Cuban-trained Malian musician Boncana Malga, Senegalese producer Ibrahim Sylla and a trio of West African vocalists. Though their roster changes frequently, they never fail to mix the best of African and Cuban themes into very pleasing blend. This track features vocals by Amadou Balake while track five, also from Africando, stars Medoune Diallo singing Mandali. They also perform track seven featuring vocalist Nicolas Menheim on Demal. These three tracks more than confirm the African connection to Afro-Cuban musical forms.
Similarly, Ritmo con Ache, by Nuyorican Jose Mangual Jr. draws upon the Afro-Caribbean religion of santeria, ache being the Yoruban word for "life force or spirit." In the late '60s Mangual teamed up with Willie Colon and Hector Lavoe to produce some of the most influentional salsa albums of all time. The track leaves no doubt you are listening to a master of the genre.
Track three, Cuentame Que Te Paso, comes from a Portland, Oregon based mambo group, a testament to the universal appeal of the infectious rhythm. Pepe and the Bottle Blondes are led by a former singer from Pink Martini, another polyrythmic band from the northwest.
Babalu comes from a Cuban group who never seemed to notice the revolution in 1959. Mixing old school Cubano players with a vocalist from South London, Ska Cubano delivers another tribute to santeria.
But the biggest surprise of the CD is Cubismo, a Croatian salsa band. The band prides themselves on being able to keep up with anyone from New York or Havana and the track Morenita bears them out.
The least surprising track on the disc comes from Chico Alvarez, best known for his New World Gallery radio show on WBAI in New York. On Afro-Latin Party he covers Cogele el Gusto, a song popularized by Celia Cruz in the early '60s. It was also one of the earliest songs to use the word salsa to describe Afro-Cuban dance music.
La Huelga Me Paro is a salsified classic from Martinique, first recorded by Rasta banjo player Kali, performed here by island-born, Parisian-reared Ronald Rubinel and Salsa Kolor.
West coast based Congolese performer, Ricardo Lemvo, who performs in four romance languages and two African dialects, delivers the final track on this delightful CD with his band Makina Loca. Samba Luku Samba is a high energy exercize which will leave you wanting muy, muy mas.
And we guarantee if you have any affection for the dance music of the islands, this disc will take a permanent place among your most treasured recordings. Look for it wherever Putumayo discs are sold, Museo de Las Americas, for example.
-Don Bain 06/29/05
|
| Click Here to go back. |
|
 |
|
|
|
