Search - ORQUESTA BROADWAY :: New York City Salsa

An INTENSE, FIERY, and OUTSTANDING Charanga record with a DE

S. | 06/03/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This 1978 Orquesta Broadway recording (originally released on Harvey Averne's Coco Records label) is the follow up to the HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL MUST-HAVE 1976 recording `Pasaporte' (with the MIGHTY-FAMOUS hits Isla Del Encánto, Barrio Del Pilár, Arrepiéntete, and Pregúntame Como Estoy) also released on Coco Records.





The difference between these two records is actually very different!



`Pasaporte' tends to be much more musical and melodic compared to this release which holds well to its title as it's REALLY harder and MUCH MORE fiery from the rhythmic and musical point of view, as well as having the addition of the Trumpet which I guess is another of the elements that would give this Charanga recording a more notable Salsa edge...





This album is also about ROCK-SOLID "dialogues" between an OUTSTANDING Eddy Zervigón in TOP FORM on Flute (as usual) and Roberto Rodríguez on Trumpet both "conversing" to PERFECTION!













Peléncho is a very swingy and dynamic type of tune that talks about a silly, useless, and clumsy man who is very happy about himself despite being an absolute failure...

Otherwise, the intensity DEFINITELY starts to build up in the 2nd part as the tunes goes on, with SUPERB background violin arrangements and Zervigón's VERY INSPIRED Flute performance all the way through to the 3rd part when the violin background arrangements change again and Roberto Rodríguez starts to come through on Trumpet.

(Charlie Santiago also does a rather short and basic Oréstes Varóna-ish style of Timbale solo around the middle of this GREAT opener tune which WILL DEFINITELY lift your senses up!...)







No Se Va Poder, a LANDMARK Orquesta Broadway tune, gives you a FULL PACKAGED INTENSITY at less than 4 mins!...

As soon as the 1st part in the Danzonéte rhythm finishes, Rafael `Felo' Barrio and Trumpetist Roberto Rodríguez take turns giving INTENSE vocals in between the chorus before Zervigón comes in for an even swingier part with another of his GREAT Flute solos!...

A SUPERB CLASSIC hit-tune!...







Sin Confiánza Conmígo is a POWERFUL Son-Montúno tune that includes ANOTHER INTENSE and LONG musical session in the 2nd part with GREAT Trumpet solos, GREAT vocals by `Felo', a short Cuban style of Bongo solo around the middle, and a pretty UNIQUE and ORIGINAL style of Flute solo by Zervigón at the end.

AN EXCELLENT mid-tempo tune!...







Ven a Bailár Son Montúno, written by Luis `Tata' Guerra, is an ABSOLUTELY SENSATIONAL `HOUSE-WRECKER' tune that never really got the recognition it deserved!

Just wait till it reaches the 1:33 mins spot!...

This OVERWHELMINGLY AMAZING and HUGELY INTENSE tune would HAVE to stand out as ONE of my favourite Orquesta Broadway tunes EVER!... No need to say more!...

CHECK IT OUT YOURSELVES!...







The VERY AGRESSIVE Trompeta y Flauta, which is ANOTHER "BURNING" tune, is this album's other hit!

This tune is FRANKLY about as good as the previous one!...

It's also telling us about how will the Flute react knowing that the Trumpet has infiltrated itself into the Charanga format (even though we've already had the Trumpet playing through the first 4 tunes...)

Otherwise, musically, the tune includes an EVEN FIERIER part towards the middle with RAW violin background arrangements, and MEGA-POWERFUL dialogues between Zervigón and Rodríguez!...

ANOTHER tune that will make you SWEAT!...





Como Yo Te Quiero is a smoother type of tune that gets very original and different in the 2nd part with some sort of rhythm that has light cymbal percussion in the background.

The BIG protagonist here is Eddy Zervigón with his TRULY SENSATIONAL Flute work ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE TUNE! He practically transforms this good tune to something quite EXCEPTIONAL!...

There's also an "EXPLOSIVE" part towards the end where the Trumpet comes through with the Flute, the Drums and Cymbals!...

Quite unique!...







Voy, is a WONDERFUL MELODIC tune that features in the 2nd part FANTASTIC solos by Zervigón on Flute and Roberto Rodríguez on Trumpet, both doing a GREAT and VERY SOULFUL "musical exchange"!....

This one would also have to stand for this album's most musical tune!...

I REALLY LOVE IT!...







Yo No Sé finishes the album NICELY, with a type of swing that builds through as the tune goes on and that would make you want to dance to the point of moving EVERYTHING!...









This record is YET AGAIN, ANOTHER VINTAGE Orquesta Broadway performance and an ABSOLUTE MUST-HAVE (which isn't what the AMG Allmusic Guide reviewer thought when he wrote his IRRELEVANT and TOTALLY POINTLESS [in MY opinion] 3-STAR! review of this BURNING-HOT Cd in the allmusic website, comparing it to the nice but dated Charangas of the 1950's!...

WHAT LACK of appreciation!...)











Total-play time: 38.02 mins. NO ballads/Boleros, NO filler material here; GREAT value for money tunes ALL THE WAY THROUGH, and VERY GOOD sound quality!...











I will not finish this review without telling you to ALSO GET their previous `Pasaporte' recording (with over 36 mins of GREAT music) [which I previously reviewed], and their 2003 release `40th Anniversary' with 50 mins of WONDERFUL music, including a re-make of No Se Va Poder!...





The Cd's are getting harder to find, BUT, ALL are now available to buy through Amazon's MP3 Downloads.





"

Azucar y sabor!

B. London | Chicago | 05/11/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"T he world's greatest Charanga band never disapoints but this swinging set is so hot, irrepressible, mesmerising and danceable that it's almost scary! Violently Latin salsa rhythyms mixed with the three part harmony vocals, the lightly dancing and sweet flute, a pianist that grabs you and won't let go, and a ferverish conjuncto trumpet man. Well now!"