Budda Club V.1 [Import]

Budda Club V.1 [Import]

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Double Disc Set features Tracks from Nitin Sawhney, Bent, Groove Armada, Underworld, Thievery Corporation, Paco Fernandez and Many More.

Tracks:

Chan Chan
De Camino A La Vereda
El Cuarto De Tula
Pueblo Nuevo
Dos Gardenias
Y Tu Que Has Hecho
Veinte Anos
El Carretero
Candela
Amor De Loca Juventud
Orgullecida
Murmullo
Buena Vista Social Club
La Bayamesa

Amazon.com essential recording

Ry Cooder's name has helped bring attention to this session, but it's the veteran Cuban son musicians who make this album really special. Reminiscent of Ellington in its scope and sense of hushed romanticism, Buena Vista Social Club is that rare meld of quietude and intensity; while the players sound laid-back, they're putting forth very alive music, a reminder that aging doesn't mean taking to bed. Barbarito Torres's laoud solo on "El Cuarto de Tula" is both more blinding and more tasteful than any guitar showcase on any recent rock album; a quote from "Stormy Weather" and some very distinct parallels to Hawaiian styles remind us of why it's called "world music." --Rickey Wright

Customer Reviews:

Nice cuban music.......2007-03-15

I have had this album a number of years, and my enthusiasm is not quite as great as many of the viewers here, because although it is generally pleasant listening, I don't think there are really any outstanding tracks or personal favorites on here.

I should add that I speak Spanish fairly well and therefore understand the lyrics, and am generally an enthusiast of Hispanic culture and music. The story of this worthy project and how this was recorded are interesting and I suspect some reviewers are moved more by sentiment than just on the merits of the music, some of which seems very middle-of-the-road to me, albeit pleasant enough for casual listening.

Cubano Revisited.......2007-02-12

Ry Cooder did a good thing reassembling these wonderfully talented and forgotten stars of another period. Great album, wish it was a double, triple, a collection. I would buy it. Can't replace these icons of another era and their sound will be gone with them.

Ry Cooder With All Star Cuban Band.......2007-02-02

All done in Spainish, this excellent CD has a book included with translations and facts about the players. The music here oozes with atmosphere, taking you to the heart of Cuba. First rate musicianship and great songs all the way through. Ry leaves the vocals to various others, but his guitar work is unmistakably present. A good veiw indeed!

Buena Vista Social Club Classic.......2007-01-16

For those of you who are fans of the Buena Vista Social Club already, this is the masterpiece. A culmination of talented musicians, soul, love, and sultry afternoons with a cool drink getting ready to kick on into the night!

For those of you who have never listened to this style of music, don't just listen to it once as you could compare it to the first 3 olives you have ever eaten.

The first one shocks your taste with a layered complexity that is both sharp and mellow, leaving you with a look on your face that says "what just happened?".

The second takes you back to the memory of your first taste, and enjoying re-living the sensation, you start looking for more.

The third confirms your interests and instils an infatuation with something unique, powerful, and good for the heart and soul, that will be played over and over again.

Absolutely fantastic!.......2007-01-11

Michael Fletcher reviewed this CD spot-on. And I concur with the review that it is magical--it is indeed that. I can listen to it over and over at work or at home! It seems to suit almost any mood and simply nourishes the soul. I highly recommend for anyone who enjoys good music--you don't even need to be a fan of Cuban music. I certainly am not well versed in Latin music, but am a definite fan of this album!

Buena Vista Social Club Presents Ibrahim Ferrer

Average customer rating:

Excelente!!!!
I LIKE A SPICY CUBAN DISH (In A Little Black Dress)
Good.
Ibrahim
May he live forever

Buena Vista Social Club Presents Ibrahim Ferrer
Ibrahim Ferrer
Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Buena Vista Social Club
Buena Vista Social Club Presents Omara Portuondo
Introducing...Rubén González
Buena Vista Social Club Presents: Manuel Guajiro Mirabal
A Toda Cuba Le Gusta

ASIN: B00000J7IL
Release Date: 1999-06-08

Tracks:

Bruca Manigua
Herido De Sombras
Marieta
Guateque Campesino
Mami Me Gusto
Nuestra Ultima Cita
Cienfuegos Tiene Su Guaguanco
Silencio
Aquellos Ojos Verdes
Que Bueno Baila Usted
Como Fue

Amazon.com's Best of 1999

Picking up where Buena Vista Social Club left off, BVSC Presents Ibrahim Ferrer soothes with the hushed romanticism of Cuba's yesteryear while boasting the talents of one of its greatest singers, Ibrahim Ferrer. Again there's an all-star lineup of musicians led by pianist Rubén González and singer Omara Portuondo creating music at the renowned Egrem studios, whose live room brings the slow lucidity and intense vigor of the Cuban classics to life. --Karen K. Hugg

Amazon.com

It should never cease to amaze how spry and dramatically potent a force is the Buena Vista Social Club. The group--really a gaggle of aging Cuban maestros brought together for stunning all-star performances--keeps its footing in Cuban dance music at the same time as it revels in the lax tempo of layered hand percussion and traditional rhythms. Ibrahim Ferrer stepped to the international fore as the vocalist on the eponymous BVSC CD in 1997 and here furthers his already-obvious command of everything from sultry, horn-swaying ballads to gritty son tunes like "Mamí Me Gustá." Ferrer's tattered vocal inflections shape the more rollicking tunes so their texture is palpable, especially when belted in antiphonal give-and-takes with the rest of the huge band he totes along here. A 15-member-strong string section steps forward on the bolero tracks, which send off a smoldering passion that's startling in light of the BVSC's heightened, horn-charged charts. But the rich string passages color songs in wide brush strokes, which is to say that they heighten the passion to no end. Ferrer's debut might come in his twilight years, but it's a majorly luminous event. --Andrew Bartlett

Customer Reviews:

Excelente!!!!.......2007-06-12

Jamas escuche a este Señor en Cuba, pero su voz en guaracha o en bolero es inigualable. El duo de El con Omara Portuondo esta fuera de liga. Una lastima que lo tuvieran escondido por tantos años.

I LIKE A SPICY CUBAN DISH (In A Little Black Dress).......2007-03-19

[*I first became conscious of the strange phenomenon when I was about 15 years old: I ordered something to eat in a little fast food Mexican joint on Venice Boulevard in West Los Angeles. Unbeknownst to the young Latinas working behind the counter, the very next person to place his order was my Pa, and when he joined me at a table, he related to me how one girl said to her co-worker after I walked away, "That guy was cute," and the other agreed.*]

Good Friend Melanie gave me the IBRAHIM FERRER album of Cuban Jazz as a gift the Christmas before last. (I had mentioned beforehand that I have more music than time to hear it, but she listened to me about like men listen to women. No one's to blame for the communication disconnect between the genders, really, because we have such disparate origins: A woman is from Venus and a man is from a woman's "Monologue.")

[*Including my ENTIRE life, I can count on two fingers how many White, Black, or Asian women have had me and the "Mystery Dance" occupying the same thought in their mind. But Hispanic women have always found me to be irresistible, and I don't know why. I am a very ordinary looking, but extremely analytical individual who tends to mentally dissect everything in order to comprehend why and how such and such is so. But I've yet to concoct even the most rudimentary theory to explain the Latin woman's attraction to me.*]

I almost gave up on the IBRAHIM FERRER recording because I just couldn't seem to warm up to it for the longest time. At one point, I considered posting a Two-Star review on this website which I thought to title, "I'LL HAVE THE NUMBER THREE COMBINATION PLATE AND A MARGARITA, PLEASE." The music just made me feel like I was sitting in a booth at a Mexican restaurant. "Not that there's anything wrong with that", but tunes for home listening? And since Good Friend Melanie wasn't too crazy about Bright Size Life - the Pat Metheny disc I had given to her - we even considered trading, and each of us keeping the item we had purchased.

[*The brilliant and world-renowned South American sociologist, Yoey O'Dogherty, once observed that, "Hispanic women are especially drawn to the warm magnetism of masculine intensity, just as conversely, snowmen are drawn to frigid climates." And in my youth I was sometimes known by the nickname, "Mister Intense." Perhaps this accounts for why Latinas are so susceptible to the energy of my aura?*]

I finally decided that I would play nothing but IBRAHIM FERRER whenever writing on my computer until either my ears became educated enough to enjoy it, or until I could stand it no longer and gave it away to Lupe, the waitress at Abuelo's Mexican Food Embassy who always gives me extra guacamole and a wink.

[*You know how women can give men "the once over" without tipping their hand to the guys, while men just ogle openly? Well, these spicy Hispanic gals sometimes lose their highly refined skills around me, unable to extinguish the hungry flames in their orbs. Even at my advanced age of 47, wearing spectacles, and with plenty of grey cohabitating with the brown on my scalp and in my goatee, I still sometimes catch `em eyeing me.*]

Well, to my great surprise, I not only eventually came to differentiate between all of these melodies, but came to embrace them as if they were part of my own culture. The tremendous blasts of brass; the lively, intricate percussion work; the sparse but soulful guitar touches of Ry Cooder; and the emotional and romantic Spanish vocals really move me ... and they make my writing move, too. I've found that IBRAHIM FERRER puts some added zest into my words - really gets the creative juices flowing. (Can't you tell?) Because of its dancing rhythms, it's become maybe my very favorite disc to play as background music while writing anything.

[*I once had a sweet and shy Mexican girl tell me about a week before her wedding that all along it was me she had been hoping to catch. And less than twelve months ago, this 18-year-old hot Hispanic thang let it be known that she was interested in me. (She went by Wendy, but I'm pretty sure her Mama named her Maria.) She was a real cutie and had an absolutely OUTRAGEOUS body to go with that face: all the curves in just the right places and very well pronounced like: "The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain!" To borrow from The Commodores, she was truly built like a "Brick OWse!" The night I had to turn her down, pointing out that at my age I was nearly old enough to be her grandpa, I drove home gnawing on my knuckles and chanting over and over again, "There had better be a Heaven! There had better be a Heaven!"*]

As if the music alone wasn't reason enough to purchase IBRAHIM FERRER, the song MARIETA contains one of the funniest lyrical passages ever. Translated into English it says: "My wife was suffering from an illness of the heart in Havana. So the doctor came one morning to examine her. He took off her dress, her p*nties, too. And her slip. But when I saw that indecency I said: This isn't good; I really don't think my wife's heart is that far down." Imagine that, a song about a doctor "playing doctor."

[*So, you're wondering why I told you how attractive Latinas find me? Well, it just so happens that I wasn't talking to you, Dude; I was trying to send a discreet message to your hot, Hispanic girlfriend. But you know what? To heck with subtlety: Hola guapa, llamame cuando tu novio esta fuera.*]

Good........2007-02-14

The only bad thing about it is that artists are almost all of dying age.

Ibrahim.......2007-02-12

I love Ibrahim, he has just the right feel for the cubano music, I've heard other cubano's sing the same songs but they come alive with Ibrahim. When I'm in the mood for the latin beat and sound of another era this is the first artist I think about.

May he live forever.......2007-01-10

Ibrahim Ferrer is just the best. This CD contains lively but relaxing Cuban music with an international touch

Buena Vista Social Club Presents Omara Portuondo

Average customer rating:

What a voice!
Omara Sears my Synapses. Let her Blister yours, too..
Excellent representation of this genre
beautiful music
Builds on a great foundation

Buena Vista Social Club Presents Omara Portuondo
Omara Portuondo
Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Cuba | Caribbean & Cuba | International | Styles | Music

General | International | Styles | Music

General | Latin Music | Styles | Music

Bolero | Latin Music | Styles | Music

Mambo | Latin Music | Styles | Music

Son | Latin Music | Styles | Music

Rhumba | Latin Music | Styles | Music
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Buena Vista Social Club Presents Ibrahim Ferrer
Buena Vista Social Club
Buena Vista Social Club Presents: Manuel Guajiro Mirabal
Introducing...Rubén González
A Toda Cuba Le Gusta

ASIN: B00004SVHO
Release Date: 2000-05-09

Tracks:

La Sitiera
He Perdido Contigo
Donde Estabas Tu?
Mariposita De Primavera
Canta Lo Sentimental
Ella Y Yo
No Me Vayas A Enganar
No Me Llores Mas
Veinte Anos
El Hombre Que Yo Ame (The Man I Love)
Siempre En Mi Corazon

Amazon.com

While she came to global prominence as the female singer on the Buena Vista Social Club album and in the film, Omara Portuondo has a career that--like the other participants--stretches back many years. She puts her experience to good use on this record, sounding for all the world like a Cuban Billie Holiday, smoky and quietly tragic, with a history of lost love. The lush arrangements, which often sound transplanted straight from 1950s Havana, frame her voice exquisitely while guests such as Ibrahim Ferrer, Compay Segundo, and Rubén González add their inimitable talents to the mix. Her reading of "The Man I Love" ("El Hombre Que Yo Ame") is also a microcosm of the disc--slightly jazzy, with a yearning vocal that's emotive without ever being overwrought. There's little doubt that Portuondo is a world-class singer, and this is the ideal showcase for her extraordinary talents. --Chris Nickson

Customer Reviews:

What a voice!.......2007-05-13

I had heard Omara Portuondo only on the Buena Vista Social Club CD, so I didn't know what to expect. I really love this CD. Her selections and delivery show great emotional range and a sense of humor -- lovely!

Omara Sears my Synapses. Let her Blister yours, too.. .......2006-10-27

Euphoria. Endorphin overload. Shake yourself a martini or something equally svelte, put this on, find the divan on the patio and just let all gringo unpleasantness evaporate into the Habana infused dusk.

This is the best of all the Buena Vista Social Club productions, IMAO. And whatever that woman up in one of the featured reviews means in saying that this music isn't danceable, I have no idea. Maybe she's in traction or something and can't move. I mean, I barely can myself. It takes something special to bring whatever rhythm I have out of me, but Omara does it every time. No drum machines or thumping bass, true- she's much more potent than that. It's much more a Billie Holiday slow burn, but in Spanish, y el espanol es una idioma mas proximo al corazón que ingles.

El fuego va consumirle.

Sorry about that. Soy el asesino del espanol. But it is still one of el gitano's axioms that if he can break his excreble Spanish down on a lady, then the repartee is practically over. And Omara is one of his very most secret weapons. Loose her, and the party or date will- how to say this - improve. Coulé, coupé, touché.

It happens every time. This album comes with el gitano's seal of guarantee. Buy it, use it with judicious abandon, and enjoy..

Excellent representation of this genre.......2005-10-06

Another wonderful cd from the buena vista social club. Excellent variety of fast paced and slow songs. I highly recommend this cd if you have bought any of the others.

beautiful music.......2004-05-14

Very laid back CD. This CD really highlights Omara's skill as a singer, she sings with great emotion. Highly reccomended! One of the best recordings out of the "Buena Vista" series. On this recording, thankfully, Ry Cooder is not mucking about, this recording is pure Cuban soul.

Builds on a great foundation.......2004-04-27

Since I was first introduced to the jewels of Cuba's past, I have craved more and more of this wonderful music. Omara's solo CD does not dissapoint, her voice is beautiful and the orchestrations are superb. Detractors of Ry Cooder's slide guitar will be happy to know that it is absent from this release.

Buena Vista Social Club Presents: Manuel Guajiro Mirabal

Average customer rating:

Manuel Guarjiro Mirabal
Hot Latin Big Band
"debut solo for Manuel Guajiro Mirabal"
Another Gem From A Buena Vista Social Club Veteran

Buena Vista Social Club Presents: Manuel Guajiro Mirabal
Manuel "El Guajiro" Mirabal
Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Cuba | Caribbean & Cuba | International | Styles | Music

General | Caribbean & Cuba | International | Styles | Music

General | International | Styles | Music

General | Latin Music | Styles | Music

Son | Latin Music | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

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Buena Vista Social Club Presents Ibrahim Ferrer
Buena Vista Social Club Presents Omara Portuondo
Introducing...Rubén González
Buena Vista Social Club
A Toda Cuba Le Gusta

ASIN: B0006SSNCI
Release Date: 2005-01-04

Tracks:

El rincon caliente
Para bailar el montuno
Deuda
El roloj de Pastora
Me bote de guano
Mi Corazon no tiene quien lo llore
Tengo que olvidarte
Canta montero
Chicarronero
No vuelvo a Monon/Las tres Marias/Apurrunenme mujeres Medley
Dombe Dombe

Amazon.com

For his first solo album, 71-year-old trumpeter Mirabal has created a tribute to the seminal bandleader Arsenio Rodriguez. The latter was a tres-wielding maverick who reveled in Cuba's African heritage and gave new opportunities to the piano and brass. With three trumpeters on board, it is not surprising that the tracks often explode into blaring, festive, sloppy--precise fanfares, but Papi Oviedo on tres and pianist Roberto Fonseca more than hold their own. The singers also get a workout, notably on Me Bote De Guano, with its humming opening chorus and robust tenor lead vocal. The late Rubén González, who was Rodriguez's original keyboard man, is heard on Dombe Dombe, a tune he suggested for the set list. The sessions were recorded in Havana at legendary Egrem Studios with a minimum of technical bells-and-whistles and if the sonic texture is somewhat rough and remote, it only adds to the studio-live atmosphere. --Christina Roden

Recommended Similar Titles

Buena Vista Social Club
BVSC Presents Omara Portuondo
BVSC Presents Ibrahim Ferrer

Introducing Ruben Gonzalez
Mambo Sinuendo
Cachaito

Album Description

Cuban trumpeter Manuel "Guajiro" Mirabel was among the first musicians recruited by British producer Nick Gold for the now legendary sessions at Havana's Egrem Studio that yielded the multi-platinum Buena Vista Social Club album and Wim Wenders' groundbreaking concert documentary. But the veteran player already had enjoyed a rich musical history, having performed for more than 40 years in some of the most celebrated Cuban nightclub orchestras. With this lively set of '40s-era conjunto classics, he pays tribute to pioneering Cuban composer-bandleader Arsenio Rodriguez, whose trumpet arrangements inspired Mirabel as a boy.

Customer Reviews:

Manuel Guarjiro Mirabal.......2006-03-05

I'm a true collector of orginal Cuban music from the 1930 to 1970's and this CD is probably one of the best I've heard from new age bands.

Hot Latin Big Band.......2005-02-26

This album burns from start to finish. It is a straight up party album--- if you're looking for romantic make-out music, try another Buena Vista member. This record is loud and hot and made for dancing. Imagine a sweaty ballroom in a Havana casino in the 40's and this is the band that would be playing there. All of the musicians are excellent. The band has the traditional three trumpet, dual percussion, tres, bass and sonero line-up and there is not a weak member of the group. The vocalists are uniformly outstanding. Most of the album was recorded live in one take, and it definitely has the spontaneous, joyous feel of a live recording. Highly recommended.

"debut solo for Manuel Guajiro Mirabal".......2005-02-02

Nonesuch Records and Warner Music present "Buena Vista Social Club Presents - Manuel Guaijro Mirabal", in his solo debut album featuring the music of Arsenia Rodgriguez performed by Manuel "Guaijro" Mirabal and a very selective group of Buena Vista Social Club musicians...recorded at Havana's Egrem Studios with that electricity of "Live Performances"...this is an album you would stay up late at night for, sipping a glass or two of your favorite...entire album is performed in a playful setting.

Composer Rodgriguez sends our way "CANTA MONTERO", "EL RELOJ DE PASTORA", "EL RINCON CALIENTE", "ME BOTE DE GUANO", "MI CORAZON NO TIENE QUIEN LO LLORE", "PARA BAILAR EL MONTUNO", "TENGO QUE OLVIDARTE", creativity and innovation sends a modern salsa conjunto that will keep your head spinning...craving more of the same much like "Mambo Kings"..."DEUDA", composed by Luis Marquetti in 1945..."CHICHARRONERO", composer Louis "Lili" Martinez Grinan blends piano solo and brass to this rhythmic tune..."NO VUELVO A MORON LAS TRES MARIAS APJURRUNENME MUJERE MEDLEY", composers Otilio Del Portal and Arsenia Rodriguez favor us with a 5 minute medley of Cuba's finest offerings..."DOMBE DOMBE", beautiful opening trumpet solo, with haunting counter-melodies arranged and performed by Ruben Gonzalez, just the way it was back in the '40s...gotta love it!

Total Time: 46:36 on 11 Tracks ~ Nonesuch Records 79810 ~ (1/04/2005)

Another Gem From A Buena Vista Social Club Veteran.......2005-01-22

I owned all the albums of Buena Vista Social Club veterans and this one I waited with great anticipation. And I'm proud to say that I am not disappointed. All the selections in this album are superb and Guajiro Mirabal's playing of the trumpet is simply superb, most specially, if you are aware that he is more than 70 years old. Trumpet sound can be very annoying because of its inherent loudness but in the hands(or mouth) of Guajiro Mirabal, it is simply intoxicating. I played the album any time of the day and it never failed to amaze me. You can listen to it in any kind of mood you are. Morning. Late afternoon. Late night.

I highly recommend this album, along with all the albums of Buena Vista Social club members. Let's enjoy this music. This is the kind of music that you will not get tired listening at. Why? Because they are made by real musicians. All the sounds you hear are coming from real instruments all recorded live in the studio. If you are tired of listening to "manufactured" music, this kind of music will surely give you an entirely different experience.

Average customer rating:

Absolutely Wonderful
She Doesn't Need Sugababes
It is a good first effort.
The voice of the Sugababes!

Real Girl
Mutya Buena
Manufacturer: Universal/Island
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

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Real Girl Pt.2
Trip the Light Fantastic
Walk This Way
This Time
Don't Give It Up

ASIN: B000PE0EV6
Release Date: 2007-06-11

Tracks:

Just a Little Bit
Real Girl
Song 4 Mutya (Out of Control) - Mutya Buena, Groove Armada
Breakdown Motel
Strung Out
It's Not Easy
Suffer for Love
Not Your Baby
Wonderful
B Boy Baby
This Is Not (Real Love) - Mutya Buena, George Michael
Paperbag
My Song

Album Description

2007 solo debut album from the former member of Sugababes. The album includes collaborations with George Michael (whose only previous female collaborators were Aretha Franklin and Mary J Blige, so she's in good Soul-girl company!), Amy Winehouse on "B-Boy Baby" and Groove Armada. 13 tracks including the single 'Real Girl' which features a sample from Lenny Kravitz's global chart-topper 'It Ain't Over `Til It's Over'. Universal.

Album Details

When Mutya Buena, the 22-year-old from Kingsbury, North-west London Left the Sugababes, She was Leaving More Than a Triple Platinum Pop Group with an International Fanbase and a Healthy Haul of Awards. She was Leaving a Life She Had Known, in One Form Or Another, Since She'd Been Eleven Years Old. The Album also Includes Collaborations with George Michael (Whose Only Previous Female Collaborators were Aretha Franklin and Mary J Blige, So She's in Good Soul-girl Company!), Amy Winehouse on "b-boy Baby" and Groove Armada- Whose Partnership on "Song Four Mutya" Will Be Mutya's Second Single and is Already Being Heralded as a Monster Hit by Nme and Pop Justice.

Customer Reviews:

Absolutely Wonderful.......2007-07-05

Great, well-rounded CD. Mutya is very diverse with the sound of this CD. It's soulful (Suffer for Love) and dance pop (Song 4 Mutya) and a mix of in-betweens.

My Top 5:
Suffer For Love
Real Girl
B-Boy
Paperbag
Song 4 Mutya

The only lackluster song is This Is Not (Real Love) ft. George Michael. The vocals drag and whine all over the place. Boring song.

She Doesn't Need Sugababes.......2007-06-20

Let it be known: Mutya Buena has always been the soul and the attitude of Sugababes. Sure, the popular UK girl group is still carrying strong with entertaining tunes that hold well on their own, but you can't help but notice that the band is becoming far less "real" and more of a super slick, untouchable, manufactured pop product. Fortunately, the band itself has become a musical institution, instilling success to anyone who has had something to do with it (former Sugababe Siobhan Donaghy isn't doing too shabby with her solo effort either, with its ulta-sophisticated, atmospheric, ethereal pop direction).

Many critics have been too easy to jump to the fact that Mutya could have taken what she had learned from being with Sugababes and amped it up a step further. Ever since their formative debut album, you know this girl's always had a penchant for a good R&B-soaked tune, and that comes across rather gracefully in her own debut, "Real Girl." Not so say that she's lost her edge: all of the tracks feature her versatile weapon of choice (her husky, emotive voice) to full effect, showcasing a promising solo artist with an ear for tracks that also present her impressive range in performing music. Don't expect her to churn out retread Sugababes tracks though: she's made her stamp doing her own thing through pop tracks with some soul, R&B, hip-hop, and even a little electro in the mix. "Real Girl" may hint a bit of her roots, but this album is all Mutya in the present.

1. "Just A Little Bit" = Soulful first number that signals what direction Mutya wanted to take with most of the album. Not too dissimilar from the recent retro-pop sounds of those like Amy Winehouse, this is an uplifting soul-pop number that's a declaration of who she is and what she will likely become as a solo act (ergo "great").

2. "Real Girl" = Infectious first single and a quite appropriate one at that. It's straight-forwardness is a great way to kick off the vibe of the album. Sure, it may not be groundbreaking, but the funky beats mixed with some sampling and an old-skool R&B vibe, all put under a greatly-executed pop sheen makes songs like this hard to resist.

3. "Song For Mutya (Out Of Control)" = Every single professional review I've come across heralds this track as the album's standout, and it is deservedly so. Maybe because it's the only straight-up electro-pop tune, maybe it's the track most reminiscent of Sugababes edgy dance-pop gems, or maybe it's because it's so deliriously fresh (despite heavy '80s dance influences). A great track that reminds people that an awesome collaboration (with producers Groove Armada) and an awesome performance from an solid singer can make magic happen.

4. "Breakdown Motel" = Slowing things out a bit, this somber, but emotional track pulls on the heartstrings of its listeners. If anything, Mutya's got some personality to carry sentimental tracks that would have crumbled had anyone with less character sang it. It only comes to show that Mutya not only owns every single track in the album, but does it with complete dignity and finesse (a bonus).

5. "Strung Out" = One of, if not, the album's most dramatic track. Half Sugababes ballad (a la "Stronger," "Caught In A Moment," and "Follow Me Home) and half rocker track (like a poppier Evanescence at best), the fact that two different sounds are seamlessly synthesized once the song unfolds only shows that Mutya's got more tricks up her sleeve. Oh, and her urgent vocals kinda help the track shine even more too, if you consider that...

6. "It's Not Easy" = Very much like stuff from Sugababes' "One Touch," the chorus of the track is one of those hard-to-pull off subtle beauties that dig deep within your skin. Moody and atmospheric, this med-tempo track's strongest facet are its tight, but effortless melodies and harmonies.

7. "Suffer For Love" = For Mutya and her incredible, if not underappreciated (and underestimated) voice, you know it was inevitable: a big soul ballad. People who don't really like R&B would knock this off quite easily, but if you're a fan of a good ol' fashioned slow jam, this thing sizzles. Again, a yearning vocal from Mutya only further justifies the fact that she's one of the best singers in our generation today.

8. "Not Your Baby" = A catchy little ditty, reminiscent of the recent ska-pop stylings of acts like All Saints and Lily Allen, it's even got some quirky Girls Aloud pop in there somewhere. Reminds like an old gameshow tune turned into a deliriously catchy dance-pop track. Pure quality without signs of Mutya breaking a sweat.

9. "Wonderful" = Another ballad, but this time it's more of a direct pop ballad instead of an R&B-drenched one (like "Suffer For Love"). Proving that there is room for another Mariah, it's familiar and welcome melodies are sweet and quite dazzling at times (if you put down your guard and disregard the fact that a track like this is surprisingly saccharine for Mutya's more edgy persona - the girl just wants to be loved).

10. "B Boy Baby" = A fun, stomping, soulful take on a Ronettes classic, it's probably the strongest of the retro-soul vibes in the album. Of course, having Amy Winehouse back you up in this one can also help a bit. It's playful and unpretentious in all its glory. Another definite standout.

11. "This Is Not Real Love" = Not exactly keen on this one, but it's grown on me. Okay, so it's a cheesy George Michael collabo, but the fact that they tweaked the track a bit to fit the sound of Mutya's album kinda helps. At best, it shows Mutya at her sultriest, yet unconvering a new facet of her amazing voice. It's a perfect late night, smouldering tune, really.

12. "Paper Bag" = A reggae-lite, R&B track, it's pure quality as one would expect from Mutya (if her previous track weren't convincing enough to make another a believer, I dunno what would at this point). More chilled, but it's still got a killer backing to it that makes it loud and clear.

13. "My Song" = The last track in the album. Doesn't end it with a bang, but it does end it with an emotional message of redemption. Not too deep, but it's just a nice, relaxed way to end a really entertaining album.

"Real Girl" is not necessarily an immediate summer album. I mean it's devoid of club bangers or even more uptempo material that Mutya's done with the 'Babes, but it does show a promising artist that's an all-around great album act and a solid performer. "Real Girl" may not be explosive in the context that every track has to be a super hot uptempo jam, but it does provide as a great alternative: a relaxing, soulful, fun way to enjoy getting cool from the hot weather. In all the album's overall greatness, even though Mutya stretches herself to become a surprisingly versatile perfomer (one that was never quite showcased with Sugababes and one that was never expect of her...until now), she's still got that trademark effortlessness that shows how cool she is. Not compromising anything about her character as an artist, but always pleasing her listeners with pop tunes that hold their own ground just as much as any she's done with her old band, this album is a must have for anyone who likes their pop with equal parts quality, class, edge, and grace.

It is a good first effort........2007-06-15

If anyone has seen the Sugababes live, you will understand how aloof they can appear. It is almost as if they are going through the motions just to pay the rent. If anyone suffered from that on record also, it is ex-babe, Mutya. But, away from the band on her debut solo album, she certainly sounds more committed.
Her smoky voice suits the mix of soul, r'n'b and pop, including hit single, 'Real Girl'. There is an over-reliance on a Lenny Kravitz sample here though, which does nothing to separate her from the band she left.
"Song 4 Mutya (Out Of Control)" is a Groove Armada collaboration and it is undoubtedly the strongest track, and it makes you want to dance as it does feel real.
The George Michael duet, "This Is Not (Real Love") shows off Buena's strong vocal range but as a song, it goes nowhere and feels like a whinge fest.
Put it this way, if you got a dinner invite from both of them, you would say no!
The Babe of the moment, Amy Winehouse appears on "B Boy Baby" and lends it the street cred needed to wipe away the cuteness/sheen.
Mutya can consider herself proud as she has the lungs to keep you away from pushing the stop button. But the material is trying to please too many people.
It's a bit urban, a bit poppy and a bit soulful. This means though, it lacks the heart that Winehouse herself delivers on Back to Black.
It is a good first effort though as it's likely to give the babes a hole in the head for a few months, when potential hit singles get airplay.

The voice of the Sugababes!.......2007-06-07

With a mix of R&B, as well as the quirky sass of her Sugababes alumnus, Mutya Buena's debut "Real girl" is a pop delight. Her soulful, and distinctive voice is well suited to the diverse material at hand.

The upbeat "It's not easy" (with lyrics about being a young mother) wouldn't sound out of place on a Sugababes CD, nor would the buzzing electro-pop "Song 4 Mutya (Outa control)", the latter a collaboration with dance act Groove Armada, and set to be the second single.

Lead off single is the breezy, midtempo cathartic "Real girl" built around Lenny Kravitz's "It aint over till it's over". Currently a UK #2 hit.

"Strung out" (about dealing with a partner's drug addiction) starts out as a piano ballad with a thumping beat introduced by the second verse, building to a whirling climax. Lovely!

The horn sprinkled "B boy baby" is a retro 60s sounding fun song with hip hop beats, and harmonies from Amy Winehouse. It is a reworking of "Be my baby" by the Ronettes.

Then there are the ballads, soulful and lovely. "Suffer for love" sounds like something out of Alicia Keys songbook, while the haunting Spanish guitar tinged "This is not (real love)" features George Michael (in a slightly different version than what obtains on his last greatest hits). Mutya's in good company here as prior to her, the only other females George sang with are Aretha ("I knew you were waiting for me"), Jody Watley ("Learn to say no"), Mary J Blige ("As"), and Whitney ("If I told you that").

"Just a little bit" is a retro sounding ballad with great harmonies, "Breakdown motel" is a midtempo groovy song with hip hop beats, while "My song" (with a passionate vocal delivery) reaches out to those who have hit the lowest points of despair.

An impressive debut from the voice of the Sugababes.

Average customer rating:

Buy it
WOW! - YERBA BUENA Really good
President Alien
One hot album
Fun & Infectious

President Alien
Yerba Buena
Manufacturer: Razor & Tie
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

World Dance | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

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General | Latin Music | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Island Life
A Lo Cubano
El Kilo
Yerbabuena
Emigrante

ASIN: B00008V5T9
Release Date: 2003-04-15

Tracks:

Guajira (I Love U 2 Much)
Tu Casa, Mi Casa
La Gringa
Solito Me Quede
Electric Boogaloo
Fire
Wassamatter Baby?
Bote Bote Va
Follow Me
Definition Of A Warrior
Rompe El Cuero
Solar

Amazon.com

Yerba Buena draws upon salsa, Cuban son, jazz, Latin rock, hip-hop, Afro-beat, and club culture to skillfully weave its hip, sexy and infectious dance floor grooves. Led by Venezuelan immigrant Andres Levin (the principal producer of the Red Hot + Riot Fela tribute) with other members from Cuba, New York City and St. Thomas, this multi-cultural combo's debut covers all the bases: fantastic production, skilled rappers, diva-like vocals and an endless multi-ethnic groove that erases all rhythmic boundaries. Tailor-made for hot summer nights of dancing, the poppy "Guajira (I Love U 2 Much)" opens the album with a catchy sing-along chorus sung in English. The band then follows with the manic Nuyorican boogaloo of "Tu Casa, Mi Casa." Yerba Buena is no less compelling when the band cranks up the Afro-beat-style choruses on songs like "Rompe El Cuero," which hit with the visceral impact of a Mack truck. A fully formed and promising debut, President Alien is as imaginative as it is addictive. --Tad Hendrickson

Customer Reviews:

Buy it.......2007-04-09

I just wrote a review for Habib Koite's Foly live album where I said I'd listened to that as much as anything in the last 2 years, then I thought about this CD. This would be the competition. This CD is one of the best CDs I've every heard. It's what others say, just a brilliant mix of styles in the songs. The studio production is fantastic. I heard new little elements every time I listen to it. The grooves are completely infectious, the songs great and the musicianship just off the scale.
I first heard them live before hearing the CD and they were as good a live band as I've ever seen and I live for live music. Buy this CD and go hear them live. I'm much less crazy about the 2nd CD, Island Life. As one review said, it's like they're channeling their inner Kid Creole and the Coconuts...it's just too cute and poppy for me most of the time.
This CD manages to be pop without dumbing down or oversweeting the music.

Just buy it, particularly at the prices they have used.

WOW! - YERBA BUENA Really good.......2004-09-09

Thumbs up for the Yerba Buena Team, this CD (my first one) is GOOD, excelent mix of rhythms afro, caribbean and hi-hop all at once, well done. Love the mix of the traditional with the modern that still can be enjoyable and danceable. I think Yerba Buena, could take more advantage of Xiomara's really nice voice and make the instruments arrangement more "contagious" that what the disc really is, and, please do not undestand me - the CD is REALLY GOOD - is just a way of thinking. Going for more Yerba Buena...

President Alien.......2004-06-17

I am originally from Africa so my taste varies musically from hip-hop,jazz,classical through african rhythms.Getting this Cd introduced me to a whole new vibe especially if you are african in the diaspora.President alien is soulful,infectious and has an earthy afro-freshness to it.To all the new initiates this CD is a must for all people.YERBA BUENA!!!!!!!!!

One hot album.......2004-03-12

Wow! That is all I could say after listening to this album for the first time. I first heard Yerba Buena on the Orlando Jones show when they performed "Guajira (I Love U 2 Much)" I dont normally buy CDs but I liked that song so much I went ahead and ordered it. Turns out, the song that made me buy the album is one of the weakest on the album. With sweet latin sounds, this album just makes you want to shake your hips. Buy this album! You wont be sorry!

Fun & Infectious.......2003-12-26

This album is great! Every song is enjoyable. The beats are fun and make you want to dance. A great CD for keeping yourself entertained on long car rides or on the way to the clubs. A great mix of many influences which smack of infectious Latin-Afro flavor. Beware if you don't have tinted windows in your car- this CD can make you look like an idiot to other drivers because it will make you dance and belt out the songs in your seat!!!

Average customer rating:

Best motivation to learn Spanish ever!!
Great disc
Island Life
Trying too hard
A marvelous CD

Island Life
Yerba Buena
Manufacturer: Razor & Tie
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

President Alien
El Kilo
A Lo Cubano
Emigrante
Tijuana Sessions, Vol. 3

ASIN: B0009VNBW4
Release Date: 2005-07-26

Tracks:

Dr. Aneub Abreys Island Blues Cures: Intro
El Burrito
Sugar Daddy (featuring John Leguizamo & Les Nubians with Celia Cruz)
La Vida La Life
Belly Dancer (featuring Fulanito & members of Gogol Bordello)
La Candela (Prendela) (featuring Orishas)
Corazon Bandolero (featuring El Cigala)
Bilingual Girl (featuring Joe Bataan)
Fever (featuring M1 from Dead Prez)
Bla Bla Bla
No No No
Dr. Aneub Abreys Island Blues Cures: Accent Elimination
Cityzen Citysoy
Te Estoy Amando Locamente (featuring Rosi DePalma)
El Burrito (Saboreando) (featuring Peret & Ile Aye)
Dr. Aneub Abrey's Island Blues Cures: Farewell
Sugar Daddy (White Lion Remix)

Amazon.com

It seems almost criminal to say anything less than stellar about Island Life, the sophomore album from producer Andre Levin's latin-fusion collective Yerba Buena. And indeed, there's a sufficent amount of energy and plenty of good-time party vibes on the disc, which infuses the Afro-Cuban framwork with cumbia, salsa, merengue and flamenco rhythms. The thing is, we've heard much of this hybrid before, done in more substantial ways. Yerba Buena wants to be all things to all people, and its music is jam-packed with splashy collaborators. The cutesy "Sugar Daddy" is a prime example, featuring something for traditionalists (Celia Cruz), urban hipsters (Les Nubians), and even movie buffs (John Leguizamo)--all in one song. There are also appearances from the critically acclaimed rap group Orishas (standout "La Candela"), Grammy favorite Diego "El Cigala" ("Corazon Bandolero) and Pedro Almodovar muse Rossy De Palma. It makes for an interesting A-list of world music VIPs and oddities, but Island Life ultimately doesn't gel into something outstanding. It's merely OK. --Joey Guerra

Customer Reviews:

Best motivation to learn Spanish ever!!.......2006-03-18

Well, OK. I can think of one motivation that might be better. But this CD is amazing, even for a white boy that knows no Spanish. It's a big island where all you need to do is love the rhythm and the music!

This is a concept album that works because it is all about fun. Andres Levin takes us on a tour of the island that seems to move from funky to hip hop to Cuban to god knows where. It pokes fun at itself and some easy targets (Pres. Bush).

So don't miss out. Even if you don't speak spanish, you will like this one. But as they say, two tongues are better than one, baby.

Great disc.......2006-03-09

I love the CD and recommend it to anyone! President Alien (Yerba Buena) is the BOMB as well.

Island Life.......2006-01-06

I first heard of Yerbabuena, while listening to NPR's "The World", and immediately knew that I had to get the CD. Yerbabuena is explosive, witty, and well executed. I'm not sure what other reviewers are referring to... the album is a gem in my opinion, catchy lyrics, great fusion, good instrumentation...not to mention contributions by Diego "El Cigala", Orishas, and others.
It's a shame that Yerbabuena does not get airtime play in broadcast stations (yet), they are certainly a cut above the overplayed reggeton, salsa and repetitive ballads in Latin radio. If you are tired of all the above, this album is for you. Enjoy.

Trying too hard.......2005-11-18

Andres Levin is a genius ... behind the console. When put in front of a band, he's merely ok. He is a great producer and sound engineer, yet his two efforts w/ Yerba Buena somehow fail to grasp my imagination the way other latin and spanglish bands do. For an excellent example of music PRODUCED but not performed by Mr. Levin, I recommend our countrymen (yes, both Levin and me are venezuelans) Los Amigos Invisibles' first american published album "The new sound of the Venezuelan Gozadera.

A marvelous CD.......2005-09-25

Yes of course one of the best latin music "spanglish" cd of these years.
Don't miss it.

Average customer rating:

Review by Ken Dryden, All Music Guide
Sure-fire album by the Hot Club of San Francisco
Gong Oh has arrived, and so has the Hot Club of San Francisco

Yerba Buena Bounce
Hot Club of San Francisco , and David Grisman
Manufacturer: Reference Recordings
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
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Postcards from Gypsyland
Django Latino
Chasing Shadows
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Garden of Dreams

ASIN: B000N60H5O
Release Date: 2007-03-13

Tracks:

Mystery Pacific
Hot Lips
I'm Happy Just To Dance With You
Sway
Number Two
Souvenir De Villingen
Tickle Toe
Black And White
Lullaby
Rhythme Futur
Yerba Buena Bounce
Stardust
Borneo
Georgia Cabin
Improvisation #2
Gong Oh
Jam: Some Of These Days

Album Description

The Hot Club of San Francisco is a quintet of acoustic string virtuosos and one of the premier exponents of "gypsy jazz" inspired by Django Reinhardt's Hot Club of Paris. Special guest David Grisman, the world's best-known mandolin player, has a huge following.

Customer Reviews:

Review by Ken Dryden, All Music Guide.......2007-05-11

Review by Ken Dryden, All Music Guide
The Hot Club of San Francisco is more than a tribute band re-creating the recordings of Django Reinhardt, Stéphane Grappelli and the Quintette du Hot Club de France; the group covers pieces from many different eras never performed by the group which inspired them. On their tenth CD, Yerba Buena Bounce, the Hot Club of San Francisco, which has identical instrumentation to the French group (lead guitar, violin, two rhythm guitars and a bass), leader Paul Mehling, violinist Evan Price and the rhythm section swing like mad in their updated treatment of the QHCF's speeding locomotive represented by "Mystery Pacific" and the brisk, chugging "Black and White." But they also successfully convert modern pop songs into gypsy swing material, such as the Beatles' ballad "I'm Happy Just to Dance with You" (adding Seth Asarnow on bandoneon) and Norman Gimbel's "Sway" (which adds mandolin master David Grisman). Mehling proves himself as a composer as well, contributing the upbeat "Number Two" and the tender "Lullaby" (the latter adding both Asarnow and Grisman). If that's not enough, Mehling adds campy vocals to "Gong Oh" and "Some of These Days." Fans of Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli owe it to themselves to investigate these swinging, beautifully recorded sessions by the Hot Club of San Francisco; gypsy swing is very much alive in their hands!

Sure-fire album by the Hot Club of San Francisco.......2007-04-13

"Yerba Buena Bounce," the newest album by Paul Mehling's Hot Club of San Francisco, really stunned me, though I have long been aware of this fine band. This album is a must for any fan of Gypsy jazz, or of "old jazz" in general. It has the right spirit, great execution, and vibrant recording methods.

First, the acoustics generated at legendary Fantasy Studios are as good as it gets. One feels throughout that he's seated right before a live bank of hot guitars playing in perfect unison, as in the old Parisian haunts of Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli. You've got to hear the sound of the guitar wall on "Tickle Toe" and the brightness of the horns played by friends who sat in for "Some of These Days."

Paul Mehling has always had a classic "Django band," with his lead guitar, two accompanying guitars, a solo violin, and bass. Though he has tweaked the band a bit in the past twenty years or so, this classic format has usually prevailed and it reaches its zenith in this recording. Paul's own playing is superb as he romps over some of the brisker and more difficult Django tunes, like "Mystery Pacific," "Rythme futur," and "Black and White."

Evan Price's viloin lead on Pres' "Tickle Toe" is superb, and just when you think it can't get get any better than that, he launches into a swinging chorus or two of "Black and White." Evan has been a stalwart in Paul's band for a long time, bowing with a boppish flair that just ain't that easy on violin. And for fans of the double bass, Ari Monkres is a never-fail chord-keeper who gets an overdue break on "Stardust," where he takes the lead.

There are two tunes on the CD that seem to me inherently infelicitous,
Dean Martin's saw "Sway (With Me)" and Henry Busse's "Hot Lips," yet the Hot Club makes good sense out of them. I would have said that "Hot Lips"--much like Clyde McCoy's "Sugar Blues"--was a one-man, one-band, one-time song. Yet played by this solid band, "Hot Lips" bobs along, sort of an upside-down "J'Attendrai," which HCSF has in fact recorded elsewhere. With the addition of Dave Grisman's mandolin, the minor chord sequences on "Sway" sound as if they they emanate from a Gypsy camp.

Leader Mehling is a fine composer. On this CD, his "Number Two" and "Lullabye" are really noteworthy. "Number Two" is a typical Paul, where the tempo is brisk and there are lots of surprises, as in stops and starts and changes from minor to major. "Lullabye" represent's Paul's other side: a lovely, wistful ballad on a par with his earlier "Giselle."
Paul sings on "Some of these Days," and is in fine, humorous form on Paolo Conte's "Gong Oh."

Speed and instrumental tours de force seem to be the sine qua non of most Gypsy bands. And that is here. But what always impresses me with Paul's band is that everyone plays with good tone quality and intonation. This album ain't no dog. In fact it is four paws up--and a tail and a muzzle. And a swooping canine bow to the grooving rhythm guitarists!

Gong Oh has arrived, and so has the Hot Club of San Francisco.......2007-04-08

The reverence gypsy jazz musicians all feel for Django Reinhardt, the inventor and perfecter of the idiom, makes them step cautiously into innovation, and that has served the culture well...and the Hot Club of San Francisco has always had the tightest grip on what the authentic guts of the sound require. As the pre-eminent American gypsy jazz ensemble, HCSF triumphs with Yerba Buena Bounce, preserving that 1930's sound while propelling gypsy jazz well into the 21st century.

On their 2005 release, Postcards from Gypsyland, the HCSF set new, high standards for themselves or anyone wishing to enter the game: in recording quality, professionalism, and fidelity to the gypsy jazz idiom, most curious because the geologic pace of its evolution that never seems to detract from its endless energy. If Postcards set out to impress, Yerba Buena Bounce finds the group even more comfortable in their musical skins; it's more a session where they found great material and arrangements and decided to just have some fun, play great. The result is music that impresses even more.

Paul "Pazzo" Mehling, the founder and leader, sticks to what has always worked well before, and concentrated on doing it better than he ever has: four Django tunes, and classics from Bechet, Carmichael, Lester Young, Lennon/McCartney, and as always, some sparkling originals. Reinhardt's Mystery Pacific, the opener, draws you into the fun and magical space of gypsy jazz freedom, impeccably recorded, authentically reproduced. On the Beatle's I'm Happy Just To Dance With You (yes, the only Lennon/McCartney tune sung by George!), the melody is re-phrased to fit the Hot Club's mien, but HCSF enhances and deepens the original sentiment, treating it not just as a melody, but capturing the whole romance of the early Beatles, and breathing new life into an old tune that makes this more than a reminiscence. Sway is one of two tunes that feature David Grisman on mandolin, and Pazzo's solo has an exceptional quote from Suicide is Painless, that is simultaneously hilarious and sublime. Grisman returns, along with Seth Asarno on bandoneon for Pazzo's 'Lullabye,' to which they both bring a delicate, tender touch.

Of course, the whole band swings from head to toe, but shout outs must go to Evan `Zeppo' Price, whose violin playing consistently takes tuneful flight, yet is always locked in to the the ensemble rhythm...this is great jazz playing. On Tickle Toe, his playing and the SOUND evoke the great Duke Ellington Jazz Violin Session with Ray Nance, Svend Asmussen, and Stephane Grappelli . Reinhardt/Grappelli's 'Black and White' features the quintessential Pazzo solo, where one of Reinhardt's arpeggio techniques, usually used for a three or four bar flourish, is taken to delightful extremes for what seems like an entire chorus.

And the recording: the combination of Reference Recordings persnickety microphone technique and the underground chambers of the Fantasy recording studios in Berkeley worked like a charm. While audiophile recordings will often obsess on brilliance and clarity to the point of sterility, the recording on this album is transcendently natural. The instruments sound, not crystalline and clean, but like MUSIC, with all the warmth left in and nothing in between. The naturalness of the sound occupies that sublime and elusive middle ground between the technical advantages of a studio and the warmth of a live recording.

There's plenty more to enjoy here, from the heebie jeebies of 'Rhythme Futur,' the jamming of 'Borneo,' Pazzo's gorgeous reading of Django's 'Improvisation #2' that closes the set, and an absolutely amazing bonus cut, Paulo Conte's 'Gong Oh,' that will have you reaching for your absinthe and cigar, bumping up with the great gypsy culture that has blessed us with a unique jazz form that only grows more enduring and more exciting, due in no small part to the raucous, sweet-tight sounds of the Hot Club of San Francisco.

Average customer rating:

Great for dance, party, & casual listening

Afro-Cuban Reggae Mix: Ride It
Jencarlos Canela , Yerba Buena , Noztra , Monte Rosa , Suenelo , Soniko , Prato Principal , Sancho Nairobi , and Rough Guide Club Cuba Reggae
Manufacturer: Quest Living.com
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Caribbean & Cuba | International | Styles | Music
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Proxima Estación: Esperanza
BABYLONIA en Gaugua
Clandestino

ASIN: B000GJLYYQ

Product Description

Ride It is a high energy collection of summertime hits. Each song infuses Afro-Cuban style with rap, cumbia, salsa, merengue and flamenco rhythms. 13 Tracks include: 1.) Ride it like a Ford - Jencarlos Canela, 2.) Sugar Daddy - Yerba Buena, 3.) El Maquinon - Noztra, 4.) Me La Robo - Monte Rosa, 5.) Zona de Peligro - Jencarlos Canela, 6.) Kimbia - Suenelo, 7.) Game Over - Soniko, 8.) Bassilar - Suenelo, 9.) Temptation - Jencarlos Canela, 10.) Inmigracion - Prato Principal,11.) Citizen Citysoy - Yerba Buena, 12.) Raquel - Sacha Nairobi, 13.) Ride it Like a Ford (sp) - Jencarlos Canela.

Customer Reviews:

Great for dance, party, & casual listening.......2006-12-12

This is a mix of hip-hop, African beats, and Caribbean (with Reggae). High energy, upbeat - interesting & multi-layered. Great for parties, dance, or just to play in the car.

It's hard to find good, hip music in this genre, but this CD's got some of tomorrow's big musical artists. It reminds me of some of the other Rough Guide CDs. If you like Orishas, Sergent Garcia, La Mano Negra, Manu Chao, Amadou & Mariam, and/or Black Eyed Peas, then you'll like this.