Bailar

by Sheila E.

Overview

Before joining Prince's band during the 1980s as Sheila E, Sheila Escovedo spent almost a decade as a session and touring percussionist. She played with everyone, from her father Pete Escovedo's Afro-Latin jazz band to George Duke, Herbie Hancock, Billy Cobham, Flora Purim, Con Funk Shun, the Blackbyrds, and the Crusaders. During and after her tenure with Prince, Escovedo released a clutch of fine solo albums including 2017's Iconic: Message 4 America. Despite the fact she's been playing salsa most of her life, Bailar is her debut album in the genre. It was recorded in Miami and at several California studios. The program includes six originals, killer covers, and a star-studded studio cast. Opening number "Anacaona," by famed Puerto Rican composer Catalina Alonso, was arranged by Ramon Sanchez and features Rubén Blades on lead vocals. A burning salsa, the percussion interplay between Sheila E, Tony Succar, and Diego Camacho under Blades' soaring, soulful vocal and a backing chorus is breathtaking. The horn section offers excellent contrapuntal engagement with Livan Mesa's piano. The title track walks the invisible border between Cuban son and vintage Nuyorican salsa with vocalist Luis Enrique (though Sheila E inserts a completely unexpected rap breakdown near its close). The frenetic drumming and horn exchanges are underscored by fiery piano montunos and a strident, anthemic chorus of singers and chanters. Single "Bemba Colora" is a classic son associated with Cuban vocal icon Celia Cruz. Its three-part lead vocal is offered by Mimy Succar, Gloria Estefan, and Sheila E. The latter's rippling conga solo is one of the set's brightest moments. The reading of Tito Puente's "El Rey del Timbal" features salsero Gilberto Santa Rosa up front. Passionate, fiery, and hooky, Escovedo's galloping timbales solo is framed by driving montunos and swinging horns. Her own songs on this set include "Gente Buena" with Victor Manuelle on vocals. The happiest track here, it's a key playlist component for a beach or dance party. Her "The Way You Do," featuring Jean Rodriguez on lead vocals, is a gorgeous fusion of Latin soul, funk, and salsa. "Mi Amor" is a vehicle for Sheila E.'s lead vocals and Mykal Gabriel's Spanish guitar playing. It melds bolero, son, soul, and funk with hard-swinging horns and backing vocals. She takes another lead on the co-written "Playa Tequila," wedding Latin soul, funk, tropical, and salsa underscored by a transcendent vocal chorus. "Descarga" is an Afro-Latin jam that includes dad Pete, mom Juanita Escovedo, and Dominican salsa legend José Alberto "El Canario." Son, montuno, guaracha, and rhumba envelope one another as horns engage drums and chanting to close it out. The exceptional playing, arranging, songwriting, and joyous performances on Bailar easily register this album as an exceptional Sheila E. outing, certainly, but also one of the year's finest salsa albums. ~ Thom Jurek

Product Details

Release Date:	04/05/2024
Label:	Sony Music
UPC:	0197644024117
Rank:	5356

Tracks

1. Anacaona
2. Bailar
3. Bemba Colorá
4. El Rey Del Timbal
5. Gente Buena
6. The Way That You Do
7. Mi Amor
8. Possibilities
9. Playa Tequila
10. Descarga

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Sheila E.   Primary Artist,Drums,Bongos,Congas,Timbales,Percussion,Lead Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Mychael Gabriel   Primary Artist,Guitar,Featured Artist
Ruben Blades   Primary Artist,Lead Vocals,Featured Artist
Luis Enrique   Primary Artist,Lead Vocals,Featured Artist
Jean Rodriguez   Primary Artist,Lead Vocals,Featured Artist
Gloria Estefan   Primary Artist,Lead Vocals,Featured Artist
Debi Nova   Primary Artist,Featured Artist,Vocals (Background)
Victor Manuelle   Primary Artist,Lead Vocals,Featured Artist
Jose "El Canario" Alberto   Primary Artist,Lead Vocals,Featured Artist
Mimy Succar   Primary Artist,Lead Vocals,Featured Artist
Pete Escovedo   Primary Artist,Featured Artist,Timbales
Gilberto Santa Rosa   Primary Artist,Lead Vocals,Featured Artist
Julian Avila   Guitar
Ricardo Martinez   Bass
Diego Camacho   Bongos,Congas
Sergio Munera   Bass
Rodner Padilla   Bass
Igor Moreno   Vocals (Background)
Lynn Mabry   Vocals (Background)
Fernando Vargas   Vocals (Background)
Maribel Diaz   Vocals (Background)
Julio Diaz   Trumpet
Jorge Dobal   Trombone
Courtney Leonard   Bass
Efrain "Junito" Davila   Piano,Keyboards
Marc Quinones   Bongos,Congas
Dante Vargas   Trumpet
Ismael Vergara   Sax (Tenor),Sax (Baritone)
Kevin Ceballo   Vocals (Background)
Tatan Betancurt   Vocals (Background)
Jhow Anderson   Guitar
Kenyi Succar   Keyboards
Juanita Escovedo   Guiro,Featured Artist
Tony Succar   Piano,Timbales,Keyboards
Alex Zapata   Trombone
Vince Harder   Keyboards,Vocals (Background)
Gerardo Rodriguez   Trumpet
Mario Guzman Rosario   Guiro,Bongos
Livan Mesa   Piano,Keyboards
Yorgis Goiricelaya   Bass
John McVicker   Drums
Johan Escalante   Trombone
Bertron Curtis   Piano
Otto Santana Selis   Bongos,Congas
Lenny Fierro   Vocals (Background)
Brian Succar   Keyboards

Technical Credits

Jess Sutcliffe   Mixing,Engineer,Mixing Engineer
Ramon Sanchez   Arranger
Raymond McKinley   Engineer
Shari Sutcliffe   Coordination
Reuben Cohen   Mastering,Mastering Engineer
Rob Shanahan   Photography
Sheila E.   Arranger,Composer,Engineer,Lyricist,Producer,Executive Producer
Juan Carlos Cosme   Composer,Lyricist
Mychael Davison   Engineer
Mychael Gabriel   Composer,Engineer,Lyricist
Anthony Williams II   Composer
Felipe Mejia Saldarriaga   Composer,Lyricist
Alberto Hernandez   Composer,Lyricist
Rickey Offord   Composer
Lorie Moore   Composer
Jose Claro Santiago Betancourt   Composer,Lyricist
Luis Enrique   Composer
Guianko Gomez   Composer,Engineer,Lyricist,Vocal Producer
Tito Puente   Composer,Lyricist
Efrain "Junito" Davila   Arranger
Debi Nova   Composer,Engineer,Lyricist
Jose "El Canario" Alberto   Composer,Lyricist
Miguel Galdos   Engineer,Assistant Engineer
Julio Roque   Engineer
Catalino Alonso   Composer,Lyricist
David Pachon   Assistant Engineer
Kenyi Succar   Arranger,Engineer
Irving Loayza   Engineer,Assistant Engineer
Iris Smith   Executive Producer
Diego Giraldo   Composer
Tony Succar   Arranger,Composer,Engineer,Lyricist,Producer
Pino Russo   Assistant Engineer
Charles Vincent Harder   Composer,Lyricist
Vince Harder   Engineer
Jean Rodriguez   Engineer
Steve Parke   Design
Yorgis Goiricelaya   Arranger
Ia Ann Cheveres   Producer
Juan Daniel Montero   Engineer
B. Slade   Engineer
Jonathan Montes   Composer
Francesco Martinez Burali-Forti   Composer,Lyricist
Daniel Saint   Engineer
Camilo Fernandez   Engineer,Assistant Engineer