Bobby Valentin
Evolution - CD & DVD
DVD
(Bronco 176),
Released 2008;
Editor's Pick:
It's in! The highly anticipated new project by the veteran bassist has the earmarks of a classic. Valentin knows exactly who he is and where he came from, at ease taking on past gems in a manner that is neither nostalgic or kitsch: with a purity of vision he makes them his own. With Evolution, an apt title indeed, he has produced one of the most intriguing and well-balanced salsa records I have heard in a long time: a class act that's smart, stylish, and packed with four decades of salsa know-how. The former Fania All Star brought in some special friends like Ray De La Paz, Luis Marin and Paoli Mejias to help give life to some savory new compositions and a crop of exemplary cover renditions like Silvestre Mendez' "Clotide," Enrique Bonnet's "Que Me Digan Feo" and Roberto Anglero's "Hace Tiempo Que Te Estoy Mirando." Valentin's singers, Julio Lopez and Kriptony Texeira, are both high caliber performers. Check out Lopez' vocal prowess on "El Doña Bella," the Raul Marerro composition. And Texeira does complete justice to Bobby Capo's "El Cucú." But there's no denying the excitement generated by any project that includes Ray De La Paz. This guy throws fireballs left and right, and the two Gino Melendez tracks he sings are clearly highlights on Evolution. The top notch band also features pianists Lenny Prieto and José Lugo, trumpeters Angie Machado and Julio Alvarado, bone player Eliut Cintron, and a coro section that boasts Luisito Carrión, Pichi Pérez, Chewi Ramos, Janira Torres, and Nino Segarra. There are invited guests, too: the singer Giselle and guitarist (and New York Yankee) Bernie Williams. The CD is so good I almost forgot to mention the DVD. (What you get is a special 2-sided disk with the audio CD on one side and the DVD on the other.) The DVD is a wonderfully produced and finely edited window into the recording sessions of Evolution. There are four complete tracks including Ray De De La Paz' blistering take on "¿A Que Se Debe?" and a Giselle's sultry and *very* sexy interpretation of Rafael Blanco Suazo's classic "Si-Si, No-No," made famous by Machito and Graciela. It's a killer not to be missed. Again, with Evolution, a new classic is born.
Very Highly Recommended. (BP, 2008-01-04)
Song titles include:
CD: Clotilde
El Cucú
El Doña Bella
Que Me Digan Feo
El Alma
Tu Pueblo Es Mi Pueblo
Four Plus Two
Piel Canela
No Name
DVD: El Doña Bella
Hace Tiempo Que Te Estoy Mirando
¿A Qué Se Debe?
Si-Si, No-No
Musicians include:
Bobby Valentin Bajo
Angie Machado Trompeta
Julio Alvarado Trompeta
Eliut Cintron Trombon
Ricardo Pons Alto sax
Luis Torres Alto sax
Lenny Prieto Piano
José Lugo Piano
Victor Roque Conga
David Marcano Timbal, bateria
Javier Oquendo Bongo
Ito Serrano, Bernie Williams Guitarras
Mariano Morales Violin solo
Paoli Mejias Conga
Luisito Carrión, Pichi Pérez, Chewi Ramos, Janira Torres, Nino Segarra Coros
Luis Marin Piano
Lulio Lopez Cantante
Kriptony Texeira Cantante
Giselle Cantante
Ray De La Paz Cantante
Category: Salsa/Son
=> Salsa
=> Puerto Rico
Shipping Value: 1
ORDER TL-22825.20 DVD $21.98
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