Tite Curet Alonso
Alma De Poeta: 2-CD Set
CD
(Fania Codigo 507003),
Released 2009;
Re-Issued 2010
Editor's Pick:
Simply amazing, and long overdue, compilation of work by the legendary Puerto Rican composer Tite Curet Alonso. Alonso's work has been interpreted by just about every singer or band of note, especially in salsa, with deep associations with Fania artists — many of whom are featured on this exemplary 2-CD set: Willie Colón, Héctor Lavoe, Roberto Roena, Cheo Feliciano, Pete "El Conde" Rodríguez, Ray Barretto, Ismael Rivera, Tommy Olivencia, Bobby Valentin and others. Alonso's best works have become iconic classics. Included here are "Piraña," "La Esencia Del Guaguanco," "Las Caras Lindas," "Peródico De Ayer," "La Tirana," and "El Hijo De Obatalá." This pristine 2-CD set has thirty-one tracks, and sports liner notes by Aurora Flores edited by Ernesto Lechner.
A must-have: Very Highly Recommended. (BP 01/19/09)
Catalino ‘Tite’ Curet Alonso, the quiet Afro-Boricua postal worker from Guayama, lead a double life as the poet of salsa, and his beautifully crafted compositions reached far beyond the realm of New York and Puerto Rico. None other than Rubén Blades, no slouch with words himself, has said that a composition from Tite Curet could revive a career, and many interpreters are best known for their rendition of his songs. Though he died in Baltimore far from his sunny home, and didn’t make much money from his songs, never achieving super star status amongst the public the way some poets of song in Spain and Brazil have, he was most certainly widely recognized by musicians, producers, and connoisseurs of “salsa con consciencia” as a genius of song with the soul of a poet. Equally adept at party songs, folkloric anthems, humorous guarachas, or tortured love songs in the bolero format, he was as prolific as he was versatile, composing over 600 tunes during his career. Emusica seems to have ironed out whatever publishing issues there may have been with his estate, because now they have put out an intriguing 2 disc compilation of Tite’s songs, with the first concentrating on his more up-tempo salsa efforts, and disc 2 covering his slower paced romantic ditties. Though most salsa fans will already have the bulk of the material, it is wonderful to have a collection like this that gives us a historic overview of the man’s work all in one package. There are some glaring omissions though – most notably “Plantacion Adentro” as interpreted by Willie Colon and Rubén Blades – and some of the pop ballads sound overblown and dated – but in general this is a satisfying catalog of the man’s best points: his humanity, his soul, his depth of spirit. Some wonderful liner notes by Aurora Flores help shed light on this unsung hero of Latin song. For further study, I suggest Aqui Estoy Con Un Poco De Algo, a rare recording where the man interpreted his own songs. A must-have: Very Highly Recommended. (Pablo Yglesias, 2010-03-23)
Song titles include:
Piraña (w Willie Colon)
El Primer Montuno (w Andy Harlow)
La Esencia Del Guaguancó (w Willie Rosario)
Evelio Y La Rumba (w Tommy Olivencia)
Aquella Mujer (w Bobby Valentin)
Las Mujeres Son De Azucar (w Sonora Ponceña)
Lamento De Concepción (w Roberto Roena)
Se Escapó Un León (w Ismael Rivera Con Cortijo)
Galera Tres (w Ismael Miranda)
Las Caras Lindas (w Ismael Rivera)
Tengo El Idde (w Celia Cruz/Johnny Pacheco)
La Abolición (w Pete "El Conde" Rodriguez)
Anacaona (w Cheo Feliciano)
Pena De Amor (w Willie Colon/Mon Rivera)
Periódico De Ayer (w Hector Lavoe)
La Tirana (w La Lupe)
Enfriamiento Pasional (w Cheo Feliciano)
Temes (w Vitin Aviles)
Ayer Me Enteré (w Larry Harlow/Ismael Miranda)
Fue Por Mi Bien (w Blanca Rosa Gil)
Como Novela De Amor (w Tommy Olivencia)
Ante La Ley (w Roberto Yanes)
Lluvia De Verano (w Carmen D. Dipini)
Fiel (w Santitos Colon)
Plus: Amor Y Tentacion (w Sophy) / No Llores Corazon (w Willie Rosario) / Hubo (w Celines) / Copas De Soledad (w Bobby Valentin) / Mi Corazon Que Te Amó (w Sonora Ponceña) / Puro Teatro (w La Lupe) / El Hijo De Obatalá (w Ray Barretto)
Category: Salsa/Son
=> Salsa
Shipping Value: 1
ORDER TL-23459.10 CD $19.98
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