Search - Celia Cruz :: On Fire-Essential

Magically transports you to 1950s Cuba

anonymous | 10/22/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Here's how good this CD is: I've seen strangers in the hallway outside of my apartment spontaneously start dancing when they hear it. I knew close to nothing about Celia Cruz's music until I bought this CD and now I'm obsessed. Her singing is as brilliant as Ella Fitzgerald's but with more power and attitude. This compilation isn't as popular as her others because it's a little more expensive and it doesn't include "La vida es un carnaval," but believe me, it's worth every penny, all 20 of the songs are fantastic, and if you still miss "La vida as un carnaval" you can find it on iTunes for a buck. All kinds of Cuban rhythms are featured here, from son to mambo, as well as one cumbia and bomba. Here's a quick tour:



1) "Cucala"

Mid-tempo, perfect for dancing and full of amazing improvisation.



2) "Mango mangue"

A lush mambo featuring poignant lyrics about missing the simple pleasures (in this case the tropical fruits of Cuba) of one's homeland.



3) "Rico changui"

An older, more traditional song.



4) "Quimbara"

A guaguanco that helped make Celia famous. She spits the tongue-twisting lyrics like a machine gun.



5) "Cao cao mani picao"

One of the stunning highlights of the album. From the first trumpet blasts you will feel your mood lift. She sounds really young and cute in this one.



6) "Suavecita"

A nice, slow son.



7) "Ay mi Cuba"

Another slow, rhythmic son with political overtones and it's also a tribute to Beny More.



8) "Melao de cana"

Very sexy, very passionately sung, and you won't be able to get the beautiful melody out of your head (believe me).



9) "La cumbanchera"

The brass is absolutely perfect and a week later you'll still be humming the melody.



10) "Tamborilero"

If you like trumpets and soft rhythmic drumming, this is the song for you.



11) "Gozando"

A nice cha-cha.



12) "Juancito Trucupe"

One of the best on the album. A fast, cheerful song with funny lyrics that Cuban radio stations must have run into the ground.



13) "El negro bembon"

A straightforward salsa with modern production values and darkly humorous lyrics.



14) "Quien sera?"

The only song that I kind of dislike, but only because it's about loneliness.



15) "La mucura"

A fast, cheerful song with sly, funny lyrics.



16) "Juventud del presente"

A guaguanco with great improvisation.



17) "Pila pilandera"

The only cumbia on the album, delightful, has a big ending.



18) "Cha cha guere"

'Matando y gozando se vive en la Habana.' Enough said.



19) "En el tiempo de la colonia"

This is the best song on the album and this one song is, in my opinion, worth the price of the whole CD. It's hard to find. It features Tito Puente on timbales, begins as a sultry rumba, and then changes into something with African influences. The percussion is ridiculous. The lyrics recall a time when Cuba was a colony and Afro-Cubans were kept down, but the power of their beautiful music kept them alive.



20) "Mi bombo sono"

'Pun-ka-ka, pun-ka-ka, pun-po-po, woo!' Fast, fun, made for dancing.



If you like Cuban music at all, you won't be disappointed."