CD Review: Salsanimal by Marlow Rosado & La Riqueña (Big Label Records July 2014)
Review by Bill Tilford, All rights reserved

Download the SALSANIMAL Intro (Track #1) here
Descarga gratis del primer tema Intro SALSANIMAL aquí

This newest release by Marlow Rosado & La Riqueña, whose last album Retro won the GRAMMY for Best Tropical Latin Album in 2012, is a Salsa Dura album with an interesting blend of Cuban, New York and Puerto Rican Styles. As was the case with Retro, there is an impressive supporting cast of guest artists, and this album branches out a little more stylistically.  There are a few touches of Timba piano phrasing and Cuban Descarga in the opening track, Intro Salsanimal. Asi Son brings in Cuban Sonero and Timba legend Mayito Rivera for a turn at Salsa Dura.  Quiero Que Me Quieras has a very Puerto Rican (but uptempo) vibe. No Me Interesas has a New York Salsa Dura feel with an unusual (and pretty cool) brass section arrangement.  Cataño opens with some street sounds and is an homage to the municipality that is known as "La Antesala de la Capital", San Juan, Puerto Rico.  Como Te Extraño Nena is also a hard-driving Salsa Dura piece.  Yo Se Que Un Día is a soulful, richly orchestrated bolero/guajira.  Puertas Del Jardin, which give a shout-out to Cartagena and Medellin, incorporates some Cumbia passages in one of the more laid-back songs in the album. Todo Se Lo Llevo is one of two Salsa Romantica tracks in the album. 88 Mil Teclas brings in Larry Harlow and Richie Ray for a piano duel.  It would be a lot of fun to see this live. The album cools down at the end with the tasty Todo A Tus Pies. The one English-language song in the albumn is Ok, Here Is The Truth, which features Pop / R & B star Jon Secada in a very heartfelt Salsa Romantica number (the lyrics are heavier than you typically hear in this style, but I won't include any spoilers here). 

Salsanimal is aimed squarely at dancers - the songs are all dance-floor length, and outside of 88 Mil Teclas, the focus is on section work and vocals rather than instrumental solos.  BUT, the arrangements and section work are excellent and at times innovative - Marlow's extensive musical resume is put to very good use here, and this won't bore musicians either.  Highly recommended for Salsa fans.  

Tracks:

Intro Salsanimal
Quiero Que Me Quieras (vocal: Javier Merino)
No Me Interesas (Vocal: Jose Arroyo)
Asi Son (Featuring Mayito Rivera)
Cataño (Featuring herman Olivera)
Yo Se Que Un Dia (Vocal: Jose Arroyo)
Como Te Extraño Nena (Featuring Alex Matos)
Puertas Del Jardin (Featuring El Checo Acosta)
Todo Se Lo Llevo (Featuring Domingo Quiñones)
OK Here Is The Truth (Featuring John Secada)
88mil Teclas (Ffeaturing Larry Harlow & Richie Ray)
(Bonus Track) Todo A Tus Pies (Featuring De La Torre)

Personnel in Salsanimal

leave a comment

continue reading Pa' Ponerte en Talla

Pupy y los Que Son Son canceled in Seattle (Jazz Alley) & San Francisco (Stern Grove Festival) - sad news indeed that Pupy will not be playing at Dimitriou's Jazz Alley in Seattle, Washington, Tuesday and Wednesday July 15 & 16. His July 20 concert at the iconic and free Stern Grove Festival in San Francisco is also canceled. Que pasó Pupy?

Adalberto and Paulito FG Call Out Troubled Promoter - we've already reported Adalberto Álvarez's dissatisfaction with Miami based promoter Alexis Somoza Erice (a Cuban national working under the names Zarabanda Producciones and/or 2-22 Productions) here = http://www.timba.com/blog_posts/all-west-coast-shows-for-Alberto-canceled = and now adding insult to injury is the latest blast from Paulito FG on his FB page, 

"En el mes de mayo fuimos contactados por el Sr Alexis Somoza reportándose como representante de la Empresa 2-22 Productions, el cual alegó incluso estar llevando a cabo en ese momento una gira artística al maestro Adalberto Álvarez y solicitó nuestra disponibilidad para hacer lo mismo con nuestra agrupación a finales del mes de junio...  

...Llamo la atención de hechos como estos a todos lo que de una forma u otra se dedican con todo respeto a esta labor de llevar el arte y la cultura de nuestro país y si valoran y consideran con honestidad la valía de nuestros artistas por todo el mundo a fin de que no sean engañados ni manipulados por tales elementos que amparados en supuestas empresas artísticas y proclamándose representantes y promotores musicales, no son más que desfachatados buscavidas, estafadores , timadores y oportunistas de ciertas y determinadas circunstancias que enmascaran su verdaderas intenciones de aprovecharse de la demanda y el prestigio ganado con el sacrificio, talento, empeño y dedicación de los buenos artistas."

Read Paulito's full post here = https://www.facebook.com/paulito.fg

Bamboleo's USA tour for this June with Mr. Somoza was also canceled after shows were booked and advertised (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pg16f1GHO4). 

Miami prepares for upcoming Salsa Dura Album SALSANIMAL - After his Grammy winning homage to the salsa legends of the 1970's (RETRO - read Bill Tilford's review here), Marlow Rosado y la Riqueña will release their third album entitled SALSANIMAL on July 29. 

La Riqueña counts with Cuban musicians Guillermo Cobiellas (trombone) and Ivan Odio (trumpet). 

The original compositions feature Marlow's hard-hitting, salsa dura style -- including one dedicated to his home town and late father called "Cataño" -- with guest appearances from Premio Lo Nuestro Winner and Dominican singer Alex Matos, singer Domingo Quiñones, "el poeta de la rumba" Mayito Rivera, of Los Van Van fame, singer Hermán Olivera, singer El Checo Acosta from Colombia, pianists Larry Harlow & Richie Ray, Jon Secada and new rising star vocalist De La Torre.

Here are a few videos covering the "making of" SALSANIMAL.

leave a comment

continue reading Pa' Ponerte en Talla

Here's Tom Ehrlich's photo gallery for Pacific Mambo Orchestra's standing-room-only March 22 celebration and their first San Francisco appearance after their Grammy(R) win for Best Tropical Album. Thanks again to the Greater Bay Area Latin Music community for all their support!

FYI the new bassist for the Pacific mambo -- Julio de la Cruz -- is a Cuban musician who played with Síntesis and toured with the Puerto Rican singer / songwriter José Feliciano. 

Click on any image to see the full gallery -- Pinche una de las fotos para ver la galería

Co-leaders of PMO Christian Tumalan and Steffen Kuehn

View from the stage - Pacific Mambo Orchestra - Café Cócomo - San Francisco

And on the East Coast we are delighted to hear that Adalberto Álvarez is coming to the US this May and also Pupy y los que Son Son will be coming July. The first shows we know of are Adalberto at S.O.B.s Friday May 16 and Pupy at the Howard Theater in Washington D.C Friday July 25. Check out the info and links below....

Adalberto Álvarez y su Son
Friday, May 16, 2014
Showtime @ 12:00 PM -- Doors open @ 11:00 PM
click here for tickets -- para taquillas presione aquí

Adalberto Alvárez  y su Son - Friday May 16 2014 - SOBs New York City
Adalberto Alvárez es pianista, compositor, arreglista y director de orquesta. "El Caballero del Son" es el título que se ha ganado por las antológicas innovaciones y aportes realizados a ese género tradicional y contemporáneo, resulta ser en la actualidad, el sonero cubano más versionado en el ámbito latino de los últimos 30 años.

Pupy y Los Que Son Son
feat. César "Pupy" Pedroso of Los Van Van
Friday, July 25, 2014
Showtime @ 9:00 PM -- Doors open @ 8:00 PM
Tickets $20 in advance, $25 day of show
click here for tickets -- para taquillas presione aquí

Pupy y los que Son Son - Howard Theater - Washington D.C. - July 25, 2014
Su nombre completo es César de las Mercedes Pedroso Fernández, pero todo el mundo lo llama “Pupy”. Es compositor, arreglista, pianista y director de su grupo timbero "Los Que Son Son". 

leave a comment

continue reading Pa' Ponerte en Talla

PAQUITO D'RIVERA & ROBERTA GAMBARINI w/ Roy Hargrove's Quartet

11x GRAMMY®-winning Cuban saxophonist & premier Italian jazz vocalist

Paquito D’Rivera defies categorization. The winner of 11 GRAMMY® Awards, he is celebrated both for his artistry in Latin jazz and his achievements as a classical composer. Born in Havana, Cuba, he performed at age 10 with the National Theater Orchestra, studied at the Havana Conservatory of Music and, at 17, became a featured soloist with the Cuban National Symphony. As a founding member of the Orquesta Cubana de Musica Moderna, he directed that group for two years, while at the same time playing both the clarinet and saxophone with the Cuban National Symphony Orchestra. He eventually went on to premier several works by notable Cuban composers with the same orchestra. Additionally, he was a founding member and co-director of the innovative musical ensemble Irakere. With its explosive mixture of jazz, rock, classical and traditional Cuban music never before heard, Irakere toured extensively throughout America and Europe, won several GRAMMY nominations (1979, 1980) and a GRAMMY (1979). Visit Paquito's website here.

ROY HARGROVE'S QUARTET:
Justin Robinson - Alto Sax & flute 
Sullivan Fortner - Piano 
Ameen Saleem - Bass 
Quincy Phillips - Drums

leave a comment

continue reading Pa' Ponerte en Talla