Ivan Caceres y su Bongolandia Roots of Acid Salsa - Resena de audio grabacion

Latin Beat Magazine, Nov, 2003 by Rudy Mangual

(Bongolandia Production)

Inspired in Puerto Rico 30 years ago by the salsa sounds of Frankie Dante& La Flamboyan, and La Sonora Poncena, a young Ivan Caceres decided to learn to play the bongo with the dream of one day becoming part of this extraordinary musical movement. Well, not only did he master the bongo, but he also created a one of a kind website (www.bongolandia.com) dedicated specifically to the twin-drum instrument, its history and evolution.

This recording features Caceres leading en ensemble of top-notch players under the name of Bongolandia with aggressive arrangements and powerful percussions, in the same tradition of the early salsa bands of the 1970s in Puerto Rico and New York City. The CD embraces nine tracks of chiefly classic compositions including Campana Mayoral (a Jose Mangual Jr. composition) No Pare El Carnaval, (a favorite with bongoseros), Ralph MacDonald's Medley La Flamboyan (paying tribute to the hit songs and music of Orquesta Flamboyan), Brett Golin's Changui Compay, and Merecumbe (a Johnny Colon composition and choice track of dancers and players). Caceres glows all over the recording on the bongo and the cowbell. Vocals are ably delivered by Luisito Carrion and Ruben Roman.