Evolucionando

• Artist: Johnny Almendra & Los Jovenes del Barrio
• Rating:
• Release Date: January 30, 1996
• Total Time: 65:46
• Genre: Latin

Review

Charanga lives! At least as far as Johnny Almendra & Los Jovenes del Barrio are concerned, it does. Fronted by bandleader Johnny Almendra, who claims a musical education straight from the street corners and barrios of New York City, where Latin music is still vibrant and thriving, Los Jovenes del Barrio strive to fill a specific and much neglected niche in the genre -- charanga. Replacing the standard three-horn rhythm section with two violins and a flute, charanga has its roots deep in the early son and danzon music of Cuba. Much like American R&B, which has come to mean something much different than the original rhythm and blues of the '50s, the word charanga is now often associated with the manic, progressive timba music of Havana's modern youth. Los Jovenes del Barrio stay true to charanga's historic tradition, with some N.Y.C. influence thrown in for fun. Salsa with flute and violin backup makes for a lush, supple sound and laid-back sense of time, a refreshing change from aggressive and bright horn-driven salsa. There are a few English-language, urban-tinged cuts, featuring female lead vocals from Jillian. The record on the whole is enjoyable, if not groundbreaking. Released by RMM, one of modern salsa's premier labels, Evolucionando bears a listen. ~ Evan C. Gutierrez, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Evolución -- Entrada	Andreu Johnny Almendra, Johnny Almendra	Johnny Almendra	(:43)
Vas	Ronnie Baró	Johnny Almendra	(5:28)
Telephone	Jill Armsbury, Kenni Hairston, Jimmy Greco, James Greco, Jillian	Johnny Almendra	(7:30)
Habana Vieja	Oriente Lopez	Johnny Almendra	(5:22)
Se Lo Que Tu Quieres	Louie Pérez, Lou Perez	Johnny Almendra	(4:32)
Mofongo	Kimson Plaut	Johnny Almendra	(6:40)
No la Molestes Mas	Jose Luis Cortez	Johnny Almendra	(4:47)
Como Se Goza en el Barrio	Arsenio Rodríguez	Johnny Almendra	(5:12)
Stop Slow Down	Amir Bayaan	Johnny Almendra	(4:35)
Mambo Cuco	Cuco Martinez	Johnny Almendra	(4:22)
Cañafistula	Oriente Lopez	Johnny Almendra	(4:48)
Caminalo/Walk It Out	E.J. Allen, Eddie Allen	Johnny Almendra	(5:12)
El Mundo	Rick Wittington	Johnny Almendra	(4:35)
Evolución -- Salida	Andreu Johnny Almendra, Johnny Almendra	Johnny Almendra	(2:00)

Credits

Branice McKenzie (Vocals (Background)), Ronnie Baró (Vocals), Sam Bardfeld (Violin), Dave Chamberlain (Trombone), John Berderguer (Conga), John Diaz (Mixing), Karen Joseph (Flute), Eric Velez (Quinto), Frank Seguinot (Vocals), Ray Colon (Bass), Antonio M. Rodriguez (Art Direction), Andreu Johnny Almendra (Timbales), Tom Coppola (Mixing), Antonio M. Rodriguez (Percussion), John Diaz (Engineer), Kimson Plaut (Piano), Edward J. Raldiris (Photography), Johnny Almendra (Performer), Giovanni Hidalgo (Shekere), John Berderguer (Percussion), Rick Wittington (Arranger), Andreu Johnny Almendra (Producer), Doris Eugenio (Translation), Kimson Plaut (Arranger), Steve Sacks (Liner Notes), Andreu Johnny Almendra (Bells), Andreu Johnny Almendra (Mixing), Andreu Johnny Almendra (Conga), Oriente Lopez (Arranger), Johnny Almendra (Producer), Ronnie Baró (Vocals (Background)), Andreu Johnny Almendra (Arranger), Giovanni Hidalgo (Conga), Ray Colon (Conga), Stephanie James (Vocals (Background)), Robert Thomas (Violin), Andreu Johnny Almendra (Bongos), Edward J. Raldiris (Art Direction), Pupi Legarreta (Arranger), Isidro Infante (Arranger), Antonio M. Rodriguez (Design), Rick Wittington (Violin), Edward J. Raldiris (Design), Eddie Allen (Arranger), Antonio M. Rodriguez (Conga), Giovanni Hidalgo (?), Andreu Johnny Almendra (Guiro), Andreu Johnny Almendra (Percussion), John Diaz (Mastering), Victor Venegas (Bass)