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A Rough Guide to Celia Cruz

 
Album Review: A Rough Guide to Celia Cruz

  • Artist: Celia Cruz
  • Rating: StarStarStarStar
  • Release Date: April 26, 2005
  • Type: Compilation (best of)
  • Genre: Latin

Review

Ah, that voice! Oh, those horns! Oy, that sound quality. Actually, the sound on these vintage recordings isn't as bad as it could be; it's just that in several places it's nowhere near worthy of the great Celia Cruz, whose voice has been the defining sound of Cuban salsa since she emigrated to the United States in 1959. Her band joined her in 1960 and took the growing expatriate Cuban community by storm; until her death in 2003 she remained America's preeminent exponent of Cuba's music. This carefully selected retrospective includes recordings made between 1966 (with her original band, the spectacular La Sonora Matancera) and 1992 (when she was a mainstay of the great Fania label). The older recordings sound like they're ready to explode from the effort of containing Cruz's huge, brilliant voice and the massed horns of her band, but the less than audiophile quality does little to lessen the songs' impact -- if anything, it accentuates their energy and Cruz's irrepressible vivacity and good humor. Because the program is so well selected, highlights are difficult to identify, but particular mention has to go to the irresistible "La Jaibera," which opens the album, and the equally delightful "Reina Rumba." This album is very highly recommended as an introduction to Celia Cruz's catalog, but it should by no means be considered sufficient. ~ Rick Anderson, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track TitleComposersPerformersTime
La Jaibera Mario Suarez Celia Cruz (2:30)
El Cacahuatero Celia Cruz (2:10)
Arrecotin Arrecotan Hugo Gonzalez Celia Cruz (3:30)
Metida Con You Rosendo Rosell Celia Cruz (2:54)
La Campeona Carlos Rigual Celia Cruz (2:59)
Reina Rumba Senén Suárez Johnny Pacheco, Celia Cruz, Justo Betancourt, Papo Lucca (4:16)
Elegua Julio Collazo Celia Cruz (3:03)
Bambarakatunga Ray Barretto, Celia Cruz (4:34)
No Me Cambie Camino C. Curet Alonso Ray Barretto, Celia Cruz (4:31)
El Paso del Mulo Rey Díaz Calvet Johnny Pacheco, Celia Cruz (4:43)
La Madre Rumba Celia Cruz, Pete "El Conde" Rodríguez (4:00)
Nadie Se Salva de la Rumba Ciro Rodríguez Ray Barretto, Celia Cruz, Adalberto Santiago (5:47)
Sugar Sugar Andy Kim, Jeff Barry Celia Cruz (2:57)
Cucala Wilfredo Figueroa Johnny Pacheco, Celia Cruz (3:50)
Rico Changui Calixto Callava Johnny Pacheco, Celia Cruz (4:24)
Flor de Mayo Johnny Pacheco, Celia Cruz (4:56)
Se Que Tu Johnny Pacheco, Celia Cruz, Justo Betancourt, Papo Lucca (5:32)
Te Solte la Rienda José Alfredo Jiménez Celia Cruz (2:40)
Cuando Sali de Cuba Celia Cruz (2:57)

Credits

Lawrence Cedar (Mastering), Susan Steward (Compilation), Susan Steward (Sleeve Notes), Phil Stanton (Series Producer), Duncan Baker (Coordination)
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Album Review. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more