What music are you listening to at the moment?

[Simon B]

A while ago on this forum - years perhaps! - there was a similar topic but why not re-use it for 2005? What are you all playing - whether on CD, vinyl, MP3, whatever?

For the last six months I have been addicted to Cuban timba - particularly Issac Delgado (his Con Ganas album I have just bought and is playing now) and Giraldo Piloto's Klimax. The evolution of Piloto's stuff I find fascinating. You can hear the progression over the years from stuff that begins in the late 90s with the sound that Delgado and NG La Banda perfected, then by the Oye Como Va album of 2001 the music has complexified, with a liberal dressing of American styles, particularly soul and funk, but still retains its Cuban exuberance. I have ordered what I think is the latest album, Nadie Se Parece a Ti, and will be intrigued to find where the sound is at now.

(A question...Many of you will know the 'Funkyfying the Clave' instruction book by Robby Ameen and Lincoln Goines that came out a few years ago. I thought that the CD versions of the book's tracks had a superb feel - what artists are there with this kind of sound? Do Goines and Ameen have albums in their own right?)

Simon B

[Berimbau]

What am I listening to? Totally old school. for sure. Mongo Santamaria, Bob Dylan, Airto, Johnny Cash, Arsenio Rodriguez, Cal Tjader, Dizzy Gillespie, Dizzy Gillespie, and yes, more Dizzy Gillespie.
Miles Davis, Lady Day, Nana Vasconcelos, Ravi Shankar, Frank Sinatra, Cachao, Tata Guines, Tito Puente, Machito, and some new singer named Cheryl Crow. All on CD.

Saludos,

Berimbau

[Tonio]

What am I listening to? Totally old school. for sure. Mongo Santamaria, Bob Dylan, Airto, Johnny Cash, Arsenio Rodriguez, Cal Tjader, Dizzy Gillespie, Dizzy Gillespie, and yes, more Dizzy Gillespie.
Miles Davis, Lady Day, Nana Vasconcelos, Ravi Shankar, Frank Sinatra, Cachao, Tata Guines, Tito Puente, Machito, and some new singer named Cheryl Crow. All on CD.

Saludos,

Berimbau

Johnny cash? LOL more power to you.

Nana, now that is something.


Simon Robby Ameen and Lincoln Goines are in NY , if you dind't know. They do some work with Dave Valentine etc. Good stuff-on the jazzy side however.

T

[Raymond]

Interesting what SimonB is listening to....I went through that face about five years ago when Los Van Van came out with Llego Van Van which is their first full timba sound try...It is a great album.....Isaac Delgado..is one of my favorite performers...Musically, I think Con Ganas, with Girardo Piloto, Otra Nota, the one he recorded in NY with Isidro Infante for RMM Records with a timba feel to it and La Formula, which is Isaac's perhaps best album after Con Ganas are all great album..Check "La Formula" (or El Malecon...the album was named La Formula for ouside Cuba)....Issac is an interesting case because he has played with his sound....The latest offering by Isaac is going back to the "regular salsa" sound, with a experimenting in other rythms, that is normal for us outside of Cuba but is or was not the norm in Cuba...

When I got to that face of "timba" I had to get "Echale Limon" which is NG Banda's best album and the one critics say is the beginning of timba.....Have to check that album.... Klimax???? I have been trying to get some of those albums but are hard to get...I've heard they are great....

Anyway, what I am listening to.....new salsa.....Sonora Poncena "Back to the Road", Puertorrican Power, "Salsa Another Day", Gilberto Santarrosa "Autentico", Tito Nieves "Fabricando Fantasias", Jimmy Bosch "El Avion de la Salsa", Ricky Gonzalez "Oasis", Jose Alberto El Canario "Now and Then".... Just bought "Frankie Negron's Amanecer Contigo with Sergio George to continue to "monitor" the new SG sound that is trying to go "traditional", with less effects, etc.....

Latin jazz....checking Endel Duenos, Ralph Irrizary, Paoli Mejia and Tito de Gracia...Always have them around just in case...

The interesting side of this is that "romantic salsa" is trying to go back to traditional sounds from the 70s which is something record companies in the salsa genre are going back to...

Last but not least...checking some records given to me, by a member of this forum, in "zouk" and compas....interesting stuff....

Saludos!

[windhorse]

Los Monequitos - Vacunao

It freekin rocks!

Dave

[ralph]

Vacunao does rock on many levels, coincidentally a brother like me has been listening to that very same cd as of late. This has got to be one of the last cd's with"El Goyo" playing tumba, his variations are so fresh, you can probably reference "El Goyo" as almost starting what we refer to as guarapachanguero nowadays, just that his variations were on just one drum. Great singer too. Other cd's i am listening to on the regular are Ecue Tumba "Buena Vista En Guaguanco", Rumberos de Cuba "Donde Andabas Tu Acereko", when i am feeling introspective i go to Fort Apache...
peace
Ralph

[windhorse]

Thanks for that info Ralph!
One of the reasons I like it so much is the amazing tumba muffs that roll through whole and half measures. The dialogues between the three drums often create a song within a song. The recording is so perfect, which is really rare in the CDs that I have. You can hear each drum and seperate aspect of the music quite nicely.

I'll have to look up the other CDs you mentioned.

Thanks,
Dave

[ralph]

yes the fidelity on that recording is very clear and its very good to study and analyze, its also good just to enjoy you know. If you like this munequitos recording , another good one is
Yambu, Guaguanco, Columbia, also issued as Congo Yambumba, check it out, it has Goyo playing tumbador in his original fashion, that only he can play really. His timing is so impeccable, that the variations and fills are never uneccesary and forced, good stuff, check out "Donde Andabas Tu Acereko", by Rumberos de Cuba, new stuff with cajones and congas, it's well sung beautiful stuff, you can get it at http://www.descarga.com, or through http://www.casalatinamusic.com (go on the website and get the phone number and just call it in cause there website it old and outdated

[Mike]

Well, now to something completely different... Dam- dam , damdam: Mission impossible composer wrote great stuff:
Recently my brother gave me a LALO SCHIFRIN - Cd as a present. TITLE : Most wanted 1968-79 (exactly my childhood).
Particularly good are almost unknown tracks like "Agnus Dei", but its freaky Latin touch is just great!
And in film soundtracks like Dirty Harry or Rollercoaster Schifrin emploed ample percussion (the conga player certainly has the funky groove, man!)

Check it out, conga brethren... :;):

[untaltumbador]

Brothers

I have been listening, lately, to Azuquita and los jubilados ‘Cuba Son’. The tumbador name is Jesus Estrella Palacio. I really like the way he sounds, does anybody out there know of him?

Thanks

Untal

[ABAKUA]

This afternoons selection includes Ralph Irizarry and Timbalye, La Charanga Habanera, Dan Den, and various Latin Jazz compilations..

[ralph]

You know what charanga recording i can't get enought of,
"Son Primero"...an obscure recording which was produced by Rene Lopez, you got Dave Valentin on flute, Rene Lopez II on congas, Oscar Hernandez and the late Jorge Dalto on piano, Willie Garcia on vocals, in my opinion a must have for aficionados. This what i mostly listen to when it's not rumba.
peace

[tamboricua]

Hi Congaplace,

Lately I have been listening to:

Paoli Mejias, Mi Tambor.
Tito de Gracia y su Naoka Jam, My Latin Roots.
Viento de Agua, Materia Prima.
Wilson "Chembo" Corniel, Portraits in Rhythm.
George Delgado, Mi Ritmo Llego.
Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Across 110th Street.

Saludos,

Jorge Ginorio

[mco]

Hello,
The following discs have been spending a lot of time in my CD/SACD player:

Marta Gomez, Cantos de Agua Dulce
Monica Salmaso, Iaia
Rosa Passos/Ron Carter, Entre Amigos
Cedar Walton, Latin Tinge
Samba Sunset, compilation by DJ Ray Velasquez
David Macejka: Poi for Gadje

mco

[Tonio]

Lately I've been listening to Alex Acuna Y Su Acuarela de Tambores, Anthony Carillo-don't have the title?, Andy Narrell-LongTime Band, Ray Obiedo-Iguana, Top Percussion -Tito Puente.

T