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Issac Delgado — Prohibido

Camina la Habana

Issac Delgado was back after a short hiatus with the disc Prohibido rejoining with Alain Pérez on bass. With the best coro section since El médico, and that fuzzy-warm Issac sound, Delgado’s first release in three years was a much awaited bowl of hot chicken soup. As always, Issac’s production value is on par with the top salsa studio releases anywhere in the world —and the best in Cuba— always guaranteeing him a spot in the top ten.

His cover of Los Van Van’s La titimanía is brilliant, setting a great laid-back vibe, maybe the album’s best tune, this is how you do covers. Add Y tú qué quieres que yo haga, Dime cual es, Que puedo yo, Lo malo que tiene la Habana, Si te gusta mi compás and you have a good solid half-album, and can ignore the other half. The brilliant moments of Issac’s smooth groove and the meticulous production far outweigh the album’s mediocre compositions and the occasional lack of inspiration.

Issac has stepped backed after a three-year hiatus right onto the podium. See Saturdays in Havana for more…