Published on Feb 14, 2002
Quick – name someone associated with Cuban music.
Couldn’t come up with someone? Don’t feel bad – had it not been
for Ry Cooder and
Buena Vista Social Club, quite possibly the only
recognizable name in this genre would have been Desi Arnaz and his
“Ricky Ricardo” character.
But the fact is that Cuban music is alive and well – and just
waiting for people like you and me to discover it. With that in
mind, shake hands with J.P. Torres and his Cuban All-Stars. Their
disc
Cuba Swings is a wonderful collection of a meshing of two
worlds, and is surprisingly listenable, even if you don’t know the
first thing about Cuban music.
Trombonist/bandleader Juan P. Torres takes his group (including
two “introductory” singers, Lazaro Reyes and Maria Elena Lazo –
something tells me they won’t be unknown for long after this disc)
through ten songs that capture the feel of Cuba in a sultry kind of
way. Almost slinky in nature, the group creates a beat that is
danceable no matter who you are – and, interestingly enough, they
form the core of their rhythm mostly around American music.
Listen to the group’s takes on such classics as “Satin Doll,”
“Autumn Leaves,” “In The Mood” and “Take The A-Train,” and marvel
at how they’re able to keep the basic structure of each song while
giving them an island flavor, both in the groove and in the vocals.
Yes, there are differences in these songs – but these changes are
anything but sacrilegious. If anything, they allow people on both
sides of our political divide to find a common ground in the music
itself – and while I’m certain Torres didn’t mean to make a
statement like that, it is a powerful message.
Admittedly, the disc’s overall sound is a bit muffled; recorded
in Cuba, it sounds a little low-tech at times and is missing a
definitive treble level. Still, that kind of adds to the mystique
of the music, and gives it an added edge. Hell, play this disc for
your grandparents, and they’ll probably swear it was recorded when
they were young – which could well be a compliment to Torres on his
production work.
Besides the vocals of Reyes and Lazo, special attention should
be called to the work of guitarist Pancho Amat, who often sounds
like he’s playing a 12-string guitar just because of the richness
he’s able to coax from his instrument. Likewise, the muted trumpet
work of Julio Padrón is just what the cover of “In The Mood”
needs to go along with Amat’s guitar lines.
Cuba Swings is a unique disc in that it has enough on it to
win over fans in both America and Cuba – not to mention the rest of
the world. All one has to do is open their minds for the better
part of a half hour to the possibilities that Cuban music has to
offer, and to open their ears to what Torres and his bandmates pour
into their instruments. Trust me – it’s time and money well spent.
Search this disc out, and discover a new world of musical
pleasure.
2002 Christopher Thelen and “The Daily Vault”. All rights
reserved. Review or any portion may not be reproduced without
written permission. Cover art is the intellectual property of
Pimienta / Universal Records, and is used for informational
purposes only.