Muy Caliente - Reseña

Latin Beat Magazine, April, 2000 by Rudy Mangual

(Afro Cuban Play-Along CD and Book)

Featuring: Rebeca Mauleon, Oscar Stagnaro and Orestes Vilató

Sher Music Co.

Petaluma, California, 1999

50 pages/1 CD

This play-along CD and book is mainly intended to demonstrate the delicate balance which exists in Afro-Caribbean music between stability and variation, allowing for any instrumentalist or vocalist to join in and feel free to improvise. The tunes included in Muy Caliente represent a handful of popular styles that any Latin player should have under his/her belt. The charts have been written with the musician in mind, open to many possibilities and room to add personal melodies, chorus or even a mona (horn lines within a mambo section of a tune). All of the tracks include their rhythmic style, clave direction and key.

Tunes which alternate styles will indicate these changes within the charts. A mini glossary of terms is included in the book for reference, like montuno, clave, cascara, and so on. The CD has been recorded to allow stereo separation so that the bass or piano tracks can be eliminated.

This instructional package is comprised of over 70 minutes of hot Latin grooves. For about the price of a regular CD you can purchase Muy Caliente and practice with the masters.