Cuban Gold, Vol. 2: Bajo con Tumbao

by N/A

Overview

Vol. 2 of this estimable Qbadisc series continues the estimable task of giving U.S. listeners some idea of what was going on in Cuban music in Cuba during the embargo. Familiar names from the island like Orquesta Aragon and Los Van Van are joined by Arturo Sandoval and an artist who would become Buena Vista Social Club familiar -- pianist Ruben Gonzalez. Both Sandoval and Gonzalez were in the Estrellas de Areito lineup. With two other sets of "estrellas" (stars) among the artists, you wonder if these groups were one-off get-togethers in the studio or regular working units around Cuba. The nonexistent liner notes and skimpy musician credits won't provide that information, but nonetheless Bajo con Tumbao is a good introduction to a number of classic Cuban styles. Almost half the songs, like Estrellas Cubanas' solidly arranged "Bombo Chara" and Orquesta Aragon's "Pare Cochero," with violin inventively riffing through the conga solos, feature the smooth charanga sound. Estrellas de Chocolate sports a rowdy-ish guitar and horns, and the track lurches and lumbers along with quite appealing rough edges. Sandoval takes a nice solo during "Guaguanco a Todos los Barrios," followed by a typically spare, elegant one from Gonzalez. The leisurely 15-minute track doesn't wear out its welcome thanks to the locked-down rhythm foundation but someone should have miked the guitarist's amp -- his solo is so faint it sounds like he's three rooms down the hall. But the highlight is Adalberto Alvarez y Su Son's "Quimbombo," with its whooping trumpet flares and chorus hook flying over a fiercely propulsive groove not too far (but far enough) from "Guantanamera." The music is definitely focused more on mainstream Cuba than new approaches or unknown underground artists pushing the envelope. Still, Cuban Gold, Vol. 2 is a very consistent, high-quality compilation recommended to anyone curious about modern Cuban music from the island itself. ~ Don Snowden

Product Details

Release Date:	03/14/1995
Label:	QBADISC RECORDS
UPC:	0726167901621

Tracks

1. Pare Cochero  - Marcelino Guerra  -  Orquesta Aragon  -  Papines
2. Punt¿¿ame Bien el Tres  - Pedro Aranzola  -  Estrellas de Chocolate
3. Bombo Chara  -  Estrellas Cubanas  -  Gonzalez
4. Guaguanc¿¿ a Todos los Barrios  - Pedro Aranzola  -  Estrellas De Areito
5. Cuidado con la Percusi¿¿n  - Antonio Cala  -  Ritmo Oriental
6. Quimbomb¿¿  -  Alvarez  - Luis Martinez Grinan
7. Mi Bajo con Tumbao  -  Orquesta Aragon  - Silvio Vergara
8. Salgado  - Elio Reve Matos  -  Reve
9. Que No, Que No, No Juegues Conmigo  - Juan Formell  -  Van Van
10. En Cuba el Son No Se Ha Muerto  - Manolo DelValle  -  Orquesta Original de Manzanillo

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Los Papines   Primary Artist
Estrellas Cubanas   Primary Artist
Los Van Van   Primary Artist
Ritmo Oriental   Primary Artist
Orquesta Original de Manzanillo   Primary Artist
Elito Reve y Su Charangon   Primary Artist
Adalberto Alvarez y Su Son   Primary Artist
Estrellas de Chocolate   Primary Artist
Estrellas de Areito   Primary Artist
Orquesta Aragon   Primary Artist
Tony Cala   Vocals
Wilfrido Naranjo   Director
Pedro Calvo   Vocals
Filiberto Hernandez   Vocals,Voices
Felix Reina   Director
Juan Pablo Torres   Director
Juan Formell   Director
Richard Eguees   Flute
Miguelito Cuni   Voices
Nino Rivera   Tres
Arturo Sandoval   Trumpet
Adalberto Alvarez   Director
Manolo del Valle   Vocals
Tata Gueines   Tumbadora
Ruben Gonzalez   Piano
Rafael Lay   Director

Technical Credits

Wilfrido Naranjo   Arranger
Amanda Ruiz   Transfers
Luis Yanez   Producer
Luis Gonzalez/Yomo Toro   Composer
Elio Reve Matos   Arranger,Composer,Producer
Frank Fernandez   Producer
Estrellas Cubanas   Performer
Los Van Van   Performer
Juan Pablo Torres   Arranger,Producer
Ritmo Oriental   Performer
Juan Formell   Arranger,Composer,Producer
Ned Sublette   Photography,Executive Producer
Los Papines   Performer
Tony Lopez   Engineer
Jorge Abal   Arranger
Juan Carlos Alfonso Rodriguez   Arranger
Antonio Cala   Composer
Silvio Vergara   Arranger,Composer
Luis Martinez Grinan   Composer
Orquesta Aragon   Performer
Adalberto Alvarez y Su Son   Performer
Rafael Padron   Engineer
Adalberto Alvarez   Arranger
Manolo del Valle   Composer
Pedro Aranzola   Composer
Estrellas de Chocolate   Performer
Estrellas de Areito   Performer
Orquesta Original de Manzanillo   Performer
Marcelino Guerra   Composer
Eusebio Dominguez   Engineer
Ben Socolov   Executive Producer
Adolfo Pichardo   Producer