Beautiful Vocal Harmony
Alejandro Roque OMI | San Antonio, TX United States | 12/29/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"First of all I like to tell you that - I DO NOT SMOKE CIGARS... yet the beautiful vocal harmonies of the "Cuarteto Tiempo" in their interpretation of timeless popular cuban songs in this excellent recording is better than any Cohiba Cigar or any of those famous cigars from Cuba. "Cigar Music" truly captures the sound and voices of a timeless Havana through the various musical styles found in this excellent musical work including Bolero, Son, Cha-Cha-Cha and Rumba from the pre-revolutionary island nation of Cuba. The style of harmonic vocal sounds from the US became very popular in Cuba as well from the 1950's to the 60's (remember, Cuba was the playground of America for the first half of the twentieth century). But rather than the "Rock and Roll" counterpart, the cuban version became known as "Feeling" and noted for it's romantic and melodic lyrics of their quartets. Miami still hosts a great nightclub in Calle Ocho that is known for "feeling": "El Rincon del Feeling". This establishment features one of it's original and most popular interpreters, pianist and vocalist Luis García. Luis sang in Cuba with a group which included the voice and piano of Meme Solis and the voice of the late cuban diva Elena Burke. Within the last five years Luis Garcia was part of a recording entitled "A Solas Contigo" (this was the name of a Radio Program in Havana on Radio Progreso that lasted over eight years in the air) and featuring once more the great Meme Solis and the beautiful voice of Malena Burke (daughter of the late Elena) and it is a beautiful expression of the same type of melodies that "Cigar Music" features. I truly recomend "Cigar Music, Tobacco Songs from Old Havana" to all who enjoy great vocal quartets and the timeless songs from Cuba... you will never regret it!"