Lo último en música - Tt: Latin Beat Music Update - Reseña

Latin Beat Magazine, June, 2001 by Nelson Rodríguez

Summer is a good time to enhance our music collection and impress friends and family at beaches, parks, and parties. Charanga fans will love Lo Mejor de Orquesta Broadway (Edenway Records) that features the classics Isla Del Encanto, Sin Clave y Bongó, Barrio Del Pilar, Guarimpumpe, and Arrepientete. To many, this was the premiere charanga band of the '70s that continued recording into the '80s.

Another charanga CD to look for is the latest by the new generation of Típica Novel with Professor Joe Torres, Jimmy Delgado, and musical director Mauricio Smith, Jr. During their recent trip to Los Angeles, the band electrified the Conga Room audience with the New York style of music that has made them one of the city's favorites. Their new CD is out this summer with arrangements by Isidro Infante and Lucho Cueto.

Tito Nieves' new label debut, En Otra Onda, is a combination of his traditional salsa style, the R&B hip-hop Shut Up, the bolero/chá Como Antes, and the pop tune Matame de Amor, all produced by Sergio George. Rubén Blades and Sergio Vargas also join Nieves on this production.

Speaking of Rubén Blades, his upcoming project (due out in June) will contain influences from Latin America, Cuba, India, Scotland, and even a version of Ireland's all-time classic Danny Boy. Many of the arrangements are by Costa Rican pianist Walter Flores, who is also a member of the Latin Jazz Sextet. Some of the tracks to listen to include Teresa Batista, Consideración, Primer Circulo, and Rubén's own La Nación Mas Rica, La Nación Mas Pobre.

Johnny Polanco is working on a new CD with a late summer release date of swinging old school salsa that features the vocal talents of two of the industry's most underrated talented vocalists, Ray De La Paz and Hermán Oliveras. Johnny also spoke about a possible future project for Ray De La Paz.

Fans of the sonero Melcochita will have to own his latest, Mi Mundo y sus Exitos (R&R Records) with new songs and classics done in his particular style, including Volaré, Havanaguila, Mambo #5, and La Vie en Rose.

Jazz bassist Ron Carter's When Skies Are Grey has a unique way of looking at Latin jazz standards through refreshing versions, making this CD one of his best.

Pianist Freddie Ravel is also back with his special flair on a self-titled CD on GRP.

Expect Conjunto Imagen's new release, Contra La Fuerza, to include the new vocal talents of Sammy Rosa and Julio Salgado, who join Jesús Manuel Sarrano and a return to their típico style with the use of more violin and flute.

Pianist Omar Sosa's Prietos has an interesting addition of Moroccan qarqabas on the track Eleguá, and an international makeup of a band that features musicians from Venezuela, Morocco, Cuba, Perú and the United States.

After hearing the three releases by the acclaimed Los Hombres Calientes (from New Orleans), there is no doubt that these guys are for real. I truly enjoyed their brand of Latin jazz and understand what all the hoopla is about. Their third CD, Volume 3: New Congo Square (Basin Street), has some work by Irakere and Issac Delgado. Horacio "El Negro" Hernández replaces Jason Marsalis on this CD.

One of the hottest CDs at club level is Eddie Arroyo's House of Latins with the smash hit Asi, Asi, Asi, featuring Willie Lapache. Clubs are also rocking the house versions of popular merengues by La Banda Gorda, Kinito Mendez, Raulín Rosendo, Boy E. and Tonee Tee.

From Cuba comes the debut of ex-Chappottin y sus Estrellas vocalist Eduardo Sandoval and his El Son de un Marino, and the second release by the hot Carlos Manuel y su Clan. His first release, Por La Vena Del Gusto, with the hits Tremenda Parejita and Agua Fria, caused a serious commotion in the streets of Cuba. The new recording Malo Cantidad has touched the pulse of the Cuban youth and is the current rage with its mix of timba, rap, soca, salsa, calypso and more.

Our classic picks of the month are all from the '60s and have not been available on vinyl for close to 40 years. Now you can have them on CD, starting out with Tito Rodríguez and La Playa Sextet's A Little Bit of Everything (1961), a compilation on Mardi Gras Records. Next, Ray Barretto's tribute to the music of James Bond on West Side Latino is titled Señor 007 (1965). Another must-have is La Playa Sextet's Vaya Means Go! (1964), also on West Side, with vocals by Santos Colón and Willie Torres. My last pick is Charlie Palmieri's instrumental El Fantástico, on the Seeco label.

John Santos' next project is slated to include the talents of Roberto Carcasses, José Fajardo, Carlos del Puerto and Yosvanny Terry.

If you like romantic music, check out Duetos by Armando Manzanero, where he does duets of his best compositions with stars such as Olga Tañon, Lucero, Ricardo Montaner, Cafe Quijano, Alejandro Sanz, Miguel Bose and others.

Film director Fernando Trueba (Calle 54), on his own label LOLA, has released Jerry González y los Piratas Del Caribe, featuring the talented El Cigala (Ramón Jiménez Salazar-Diego). The pre-hype on this CD is huge, prompted by the recent craze for jazz and flamenco fusion.