Maña
¡Por Fin…Maña! Comenzó La Fiesta
CD
(Maña/RR 001),
Released 2007;
Produced by Ramón "Ray" Rosado
Arranged by Ramón Rosado (8 tracks), Louie Cruz (2 tracks) & Héctor Rivera (1 track)
Editor's Pick:
The Bronx-based band Maña were co-founded in 2001 by New York salsa stalwarts Ray Rosado and Victor Maldonado. Ray is the longtime composer, arranger, chorus singer and hand percussionist with the Bronx-based pianist and bandleader Wayne Gorbea and Victor has played percussion with the likes of Gene Hernández' Orquesta Novedades, Yomo Toro, Tito Nieves, Miles Peña and Johnny Ray. "Maña's mission is to continue the salsa dura tradition, doing their part to keep it alive, with original material as well as covers," says Ray.
After a break of two days I listened to Por Fin for a third time, and discovered that "Azucaré" and " Comenzó La Fiesta", both written and arranged by Ray, had already insinuated themselves into my system. Then Ray's re-working of the Arsenio Rodríguez classic "Monte Adentro" hit me! Ray is a cunning fox, because the album is real grower, and this is the knack of his arrangements. They imperceptibly get under your skin. Maña's sound can be reminiscent of Wayne Gorbea, but that is no bad thing and not surprising in view of Ray's creative input to Wayne's bands over the years. Deep swing (to borrow Peter Watrous's apt expression) pervades.
There should put an advisory sticker on the CD case saying "Guaranteed to be addictive after just three plays!!" I'm going to put it back on again...
Very highly recommended.
(Read the complete unedited review here) (John Child, 2007-02-19)
Song titles include:
Azucaré 5:49
Comenzó La Fiesta 5:24
¿Y Yo? 6:43
Donde Está La Conciencia 4:45
Monte Adentro 5:45
No Hay Mal Que Por Bien No Venga 5:51
El Que No Sufre No Vive 5:39
Tu Bombón 4:28
Por Fín Llegó La Hora 4:59
Tremendo Coco 4:09
Con Maña Se Puede 3:59
Musicians include:
Ramón "Ray" Rosado Leader, piano, producer, coro
Victor M. Maldonado Co-Leader, timbales, coro
Carmelo Berríos Bongo
Marcos González Bass
Christian Kollar Trombone
Willie Andino Congas
Fernando Fernández Vocals, coro
Ada Chabrier Vocals, coro
Nodál Hernádez Vocals
Alex Casanova Vocals
Jorge Maldonado Coro
Cathy López Coro
Frank Otero Coro
Invited Artists: Tomer Levy Trumpet
Carl Corwin Tenor Sax
Pete Nater Trumpet (3 tracks)
Carlos Ordúz Tenor Sax (2 tracks)
Carmelo Rivera Tenor Sax (1 track)
Maribell Vocal (Duo) (3 tracks)
Luis A. Cruz Güiro, Maracas
Category: Salsa/Son
=> Salsa
Shipping Value: 1
ORDER TL-22275.10 CD $15.98
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