Nestor's Best of 2000
I've been posting my opinions on the internet for about 5 years now. During these past 5 years, it's been my prerogative to conjure up, what to my taste are, the ten best salsa recordings for the year. For each year I've belly-ached, basically about the same shit, the music has gotten considerably worst. This leads me to believe, as a colleague pointed out, that "maybe we are not doing a good job in educating our readers." The selection of at least ten worthy productions has become progressively difficult each year, and as long as the current heads of labels continue to see profits in the consumption of terrible music by the general public, worthy productions will be few and far between. Then again, if the people like it, can it really be terrible music? That's the eternal paradoxical question that will never be answered. Then again there's Son By Four...
Here are Y2K's Best of Ness.
10) Los Jovenes Del Barrio, Es Diferente (Shanacie) ****
Lead by Johnny Almendra and the soulful vocalist Jillian, Los Jovenes Del Barrio perform their signature hybrid sound that is influenced by salsa, rhythm & blues, and timba, on a charanga platform. Los Jovenes Del Barrio, in line with their incredible previous recordings, have under their belt a smooth and dancer friendly recording. And that's the difference.
9) Gloria Estefan, Alma Caribeña (Epic/Sony Music) ****
I've never liked Gloria Estefan's music. This includes her ballads and her pseudo tropical stint called Mi Tierra. The reason being is that I find her voice, although quite pretty, too thin for my taste. "Songstress" and "diva" are titles that are too big for her. However, I like to give credit where credit is due, and Alma Caribeña has earned lots of it. The majority of the songs talk about the ever recurring theme of betrayal and love. But they are handled in a classy Tropicanesque 1950's way, with well done cha-cha-chas, guajiras, son montunos, and boleros. There's one track in particular that has a superb post 1976 Willie Colón salsa sound, it even includes Yomo Toro as an invited guest. Gloria's voice is still very thin for my taste, and for the most aggressive tracks in this record. However the music and the poetry in Alma Caribeña, is so good that I can easily tune her out.
8) Tito Puente/Eddie Palmieri, Masterpiece/Obra Maestra (RMM) ****
The unexpected and unfortunate passing of Tito Puente, immediately catapulted this once in a lifetime collaboration with The Sun Of Latin Music, a.k.a. Eddie Palmieri, into the epic journals of Latin music history. Because it didn't effectively fuse the two talents, some arguably state that this CD sounds more like a Palmieri record with Puente as an invited guest. However, to me it's still a great recording to have. Eventhough Oscar D' Leon as an invited vocalist, and his version of "Cielito Lindo" was not needed, I am one in the minority, who feel that the essence of both Palmieri and Puente was accurately captured. By the way, Pete "El Conde" Rodriguez, who recently passed on December 01 2000, is also featured in these masterpiece.
7) Domingo Quiñones, Poeta Y Guerrero (RMM) ****
Whether or not you agree with Domingo's topics and story lines, you will find that he skillfully makes them very easy to take. With the assistance of Angel Fernandez, whose body of work prior to this production was not my cup of tea, Domingo Quiñones has in his hands an overwhelmingly good production! The arranging is aggressive and very creative. They perfectly convey and complement the messages Domingo delivers. Poeta y Guerrero is more than a memorable recording; it's also thoughtfully moving. A musical joy to listen.
6) Paquito Guzman, Directo Al Corazon (Vision Music) ****
This CD is everything the legendary Paquito Guzman is known for. He is the one and only artist capable of singing salsa romantica with the right amount of passion and bravado without surrendering his manhood. Much like Mexican singers of rancheras, Paquito Guzman exudes a distinct manly intensity that's real and believable, unlike any given pretty boy that sounds like a cat in heat when singing. To top this CD off, the tumbao provided by Sammy Garcia on congas makes this salsa CD is very aggressive, super dancer friendly, and a must for this years best of list.
5) Conjunto 344, De Aqui No Me Saca Nadie (M.O.I. Inc) ****
The year 2000 was the year that would find me making my first trip to Puerto Rico. Wow what a great country! It was also the year that would find me finding the best radio station for salseros world wide, La Z 93 & 95 fm. It was due to them that I heard this awesome three trombone conjunto headed by Ramon Rodriguez. 344 takes the music back to the basics. Basics that are rooted in the not so pretty daily events and the lifestyle of Latinos all over. Basics that are best expressed by a jibaro styled vocalist and coro with a conga, bongo, guiro, maraca, and tres. Adorned with trombones, bass and piano. To quote Ramon Rodriguez "a mi entender este producto tiene todos los condimentos necesarios para ser un preferido del pueblo y por consiguiente terminar siendo un clasico." A classic indeed it is.
4) Johnny Rivera, Estoy Aqui (RMM) ****
I'll be the first one to admit that this CD has nothing out of the ordinary. It has nothing that hasn't been done already. Perhaps that's why I like it so much! Back are the trombones, along with Ricardo Vizuette who contributes with four songs. Heading this production is Ramon Sanchez. And eventhough he's been one of the biggest Sergio George Sound imitators, Ramon manages to return to his original style of producing and arranging. That style being fairly simple melodies and inventive horn arrangements. Once again Sammy Garcia does a fantastic job in congas. His tipico style of playing adds an edge to this CD worthy of praise. Ramon Rodriguez also plays an important here with his old style nasal coro. Dancer friendly and listener oriented, Johnny Rivera has in his hands a great CD.
3) Pedro De Jesus, Amar Es Algo Mas (MP) ****
Pedro De Jesus is the best thing that has happened to MP records since Luisito Carrion in 1992. Titled Amar Es Algo Mas, MP has in their hands the most aggressive salsa record in 8 years filled with uplifting moñas, breaks, and coro changes. The fat bass sound is back, and out is the snare-drum, guitar bass. The mambos swing and are very energetic. The breaks and changes are fast and furious. The coros are awesomely catchy, and in fact, the songs are so great that they seem much longer than what they really are! Trust me, that's a good thing. You really hate it when they end! If Pedro De Jesus is the benchmark of the new MP, I can hardly wait to hear what else they got brewing.
2) Orlando "Maraca" Valle, Descarga Total (Ahi Nama Music) **** ½
Descarga Total keeps all the elements that made his 1998 release, titled Sonando, so good, and adds just a little bit of the right spice to an already tasty dish. The first track, is indicative of what I am describing. Here the level of aggressiveness is unlike anything I've heard in this entire year. For the most part, I have not been impressed by much of the Cuban soneros. In comparison to guys like Ismael, Chamaco, Lavoe, Sanchez, Allen, and Santa Rosa; with the exception of son 14's Tiburón, Cuban soneros seem to lack a certain finesse in their delivery which makes them a little bit less of attention grabbers. Not the case here! Wilfredo Campa & Yumurí represent what a sonero is: a skilled vocalist with a great ability to apply an impressive vocabulary within a musical measure that, when is cohesively put together, says something musically at the end. Maraca's Descarga Total is everything other alleged forms of Cuban music are not. Tropical Latin music at its best.
1) Bobby Valentin, La Gran Reunion (Bronco) *****
This CD has everything! Musicality, great singers, guest artists, and swing! Bobby Valentin has brought together a great ensemble of talent for this production. Featured here are some of the most underrated soneros to ever perform in the sphere of salsa. His ex-vocalists Johnny Vazquez, Frankie Hernandez, and Luigi Texidor, along with his newest acquisition Hector Ivan, are a real delight to listen to. Luigi Texidor with his trademarked TV show mentions, keeps you smiling with his crazy soneos. Frankie Hernandez, easily identified by the clarity of his soneos, treats us with an arranged version of Poema, track featured in Bobby's Bobby Valentin Va A La Carcel. As an added and odd bonus, Bobby Valentin recruits Nestor Sanchez from New York as a featured vocalist for this Puerto Rico based production. What makes this pairing so odd is the fact that these two talents, for the 30 plus years they've been around, have never worked together. Better late than never. Johnny Vazquez is perhaps the weakest link is this recording, but nothing you can't tolerate. Johnny Pacheco, who is also featured here as an invited guest, takes a flute solo on a song made popular by him in the seventies with his group. Sale a Buscar can be deemed as a sentimental tribute to Pacheco by his old Fania All Star comrade. Filled with lots of notes, shared by two trumpets, an alto sax, a baritone sax, and one trombone, Bobby Valentin provides all salseros with the rawest brand of salsa swing.
Honorable Mentions to:
Willie AmadeoHappy New Year!
Nestor A. Louis
RATING SYSTEM:
***** EXCELLENT (Must Have!)
**** GREAT (Very Impressive!)
*** GOOD (Safe Investment)
** AVERAGE (Not a Priority)
* POOR (Don't Waste Your Money)
©Nestor A. Louis ALL REVIEWS ARE SOLELY THE OPINIONS OF THE AUTHOR.
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