Latin beat music update

Latin Beat Magazine, Oct, 2004 by Nelson Rodríguez

We are down to the last few months of the year and many artists are rushing to release their CDs in an effort to make the year's Top l0 lists in magazines and radio. Here at Latin Beat Music Update we want to help you in choosing the best of the new as well as the reissues coming our in the months to come.

Envidia has a new recording by Lázaro y Los Ambias del Solar, whose CD Suenan Los Cueros takes the rumba to new heights. Vocalist Lazaro Moré (who has recorded with Sonora Carruseles, Havana Casino and Son Candela) offers his disc Sonero Cubano, including versions of Trucutú, El Primer Millón and Señor Sereno. Latin jazz percussionist (from the Chano Pozo clan) Joaquin Pozo, along with his group Latin Millennium delivers an awesome debut titled Descarga Cubana.

If you ever wondered what Alberto Barros y Los Titanes sound like in a "live" format, buy the CD En Vivo, which includes the classics Por Reternerte, Basto una Mirada, Sobredosis, Zodiaco, Fue Candela and En Trance.

One of the month's pleasant surprises was the recording Live in Amsterdam of Geraldo Rosales' Tribute to Fania All-Stars, with the two Fania All-Star medleys and covers of their best hits. A very impressive recording that club DJs will love to mix with the original hits.

A new talent on the map worth knowing about is José Conde y Ola Fresca, whose CD Ay! Que Rico! features son, funky songo, changüí, mambo and many other interesting ventures of the Afro-Caribbean kind. The picks here are Bolitas de Arroz Con Pollo, Puerco Robao, Goza Mi Changüí and Bye Bye Zenaida. This New York-based group is one of many bands that have fused Cuban roots with funky urban sounds.

Lovers of the classics will enjoy the reissues of Ocho's Número Tres, Tito Rodríguez's Latin Songs of Love, Vicentico Valdés' For Listening & Dancing, and Bobby Capó's Antología 2. One disc many people do not recognize is pianist René Grand's El Gran René Grand y Su Combo New York, which features one of the more popular bands of the '50s and '60s local scene, with vocalist Frankie Rodríguez.

Percussionist Johnny Conga, who has been living in Seattle, Washington, for the past few years, not only has a new band, Tumba Caliente, but also just began his own radio show, "Al Lado Latino--On the Latin Side With J.C.," on KBCS 91.3 FM, Saturdays from 6-8 p.m. (PST). Johnny is celebrating 40 years as a performer and recently recorded with the Kent Green Ensemble, Michael Shrieve and Bobby Ramirez.

Cambalache, led by vocalist Francisco "Pancho" Chávez-Bonitaz, just released its debut, Clasiqueando, including the Palmieri classic Vámonos Pa'l Monte, as well as special guest Melcochita on Y Se Llama Perú, and my favorite track, Rumbera Mayor.

David Sánchez's Coral unites Miguel Zenón, Adam Cruz, Ben Street, Edsel Gómez, John Benítez and Pernell Saturnino with the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra for outstanding music, proving that Sánchez has reached a new peak in his career.

Percussionist Luis Muñoz is another bright artist on the music scene who should start getting the props he deserves with Vida, his third recording.

Marc Anthony's salsa version of the ballad Valió La Pena (from the CD of the same name) has shot to the top of the commercial charts. Featuring the bit ¿Ahora Quien? and the hair-raising version of Lamento Borincano, this CD is doing well. Both Sergio George and Diego Galé were involved in this production.

Jimmy Bosch's El Avión de la Salsa is out, making it one of the hottest club discs of this fall.

Gilberto Santa Rosa's new CD Auténtico has shot to the top of the charts with the single Sombra Loca.

A nice merengue/folkloric tropical release comes from the popular group Fernando Echavarría de La Familia André. The CD Sobran Razones includes the talents of legendary Dominican musicians Fermin Cruz, Juan de la Cruz, Dioni Fernandez, Leo Pimentel, Henry García, Okil Medrano, José and Tony Lucia, and Joe Nicolás.

Johnny Ray's Crossing Over includes great English lyric salsa tunes such as Hot, Hot, Hot and Besame. Sammy González does a superb job on the vocals, and Nelson Hernández is featured as musical director. Who can forget Always and Forever and You're My Everything?

Grupo Niche's Imaginación contains a wide variety of idioms, ranging from their trademark ballad-style salsa to cumbia (Mi Machete), guajira (California), and son montuno (Vamos a Ver). Culebra has proven to be a huge hit. Osvaldo Román handles all the vocals, something of a rarity for Niche.

NG2 is a duo produced by Victor Manuelle that bit it big last year with the bit Quilemonos la Ropa. Their CD Comienzos has a host of possible radio hits, such as Regresa and De Prisa.

The Big 3 Palladium Orchestra (led by Tiro Rodríguez Jr., Tito Puente Jr. and Mario Grillo Jr.) features outstanding vocals by Herman Olivera, Sammy González and Luisito Ayala on the tracks Complicación. Mama Güela, Avísale a Mi Contrario, Chévere and El Cayuco.

Discos Fuentes is issuing karaoke DVDs of Héctor Lavoe and Ismael Rivera classics.