by Michelle White

Ahi´Na'má' Records - 2005

In mid-2005 Orlando "Maraca" Valle released his 3rd solo CD simply titled Soy Yo . I was lucky to see many of the songs on this CD performed in concert at the EuroDisney Festival Latino in June 2004, so I had an idea of what was coming. As with his previous work, Soy Yo is another flawless production that contains elements of descarga, son, salsa, jazz, rap, flamenco and even a reggaeton remix of the title song Soy Yo .

The CD takes off in high gear with Candido Fabré's Llévame con tu babalao an original arrangement by Maraca. This is a fast-paced song that hits home with the dancers. They follow with Paloma Blanca , which is a song about peace, something the world could use a lot more of these days. The song is a flamenco fusion with José Manuel Tejeda playing the guitar. Even with the flamenco influence, it is a salsa dance song.

Soy Yo is the title track and features Elmer Ferrer on the electric guitar. He's really been showing up on a lot of the 2005 timba releases. This song is a guaranteed hit, and even includes rap. A cualquier le toca takes off at breakneck speed and features a Maraca solo right at the beginning followed by a piano solo by Irving Ferreyro and a conga solo by Rafael Valiente.

With Maria Rosa the CD changes gear again, this time with a salsa/cumbia fusion. Estrella de amor gives the dancers a chance to catch their breath. It is a bolero with a sort of chachacha montuno in which Maraca show us his softer side with a delicate solo. Yo si sé brings us back to salsa, with a style that reminds me more of Puerto Rico. Sígueme si puedes is a descarga that has another great Maraca solo at the beginning, and really I think there aren't many people who could follow him in that solo. You can clearly see why he won the Best Timba Flautist award.

Si te va la vida moves back towards a regualr salsa, but has a nuance something else that I can't quite put my finger on since I am not a musician. Quién se la llevará is another Candido Fabré composition arranged by Maraca. And now we arrive at what is probably my favorite song on the CD. Yes, I am a timba fanatic, but at the EuroDisney concert I just fell in love with Tú verás tú va' a ver , a compelling son montuno that I find irresistable.

To summarize, this album is a must have for DJs. Maraca's arrangements have a wide appeal, and with the exception of the bolero, the entire album is meant for dancing. As always with Maraca's work, thoughout the CD the band members unobtrusively demonstrate their mastery of their instruments. You won't find a single mistake on this CD. And in fact that's one of the amazing things about seeing Maraca y Otra Visión live: they sound just as perfect live as on their albums. Síguele si puedes!