Search - Various Artists :: Los Grandes de la Salsa

A FRESH, ZINGY and ZESTY Salsa recording by a STYLISH and VE

S. | 07/05/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This 2nd Conjúnto Crema recording released on Roberto Torres's SAR label in 1982 is a different style of record compared to their 1st 1980 recording titled: `Roberto Torres Presenta Al... Conjúnto Crema'.

The 1st recording was a bit more in the typical and traditional Cuban Son-Montúno/Salsa approach with all the songs written by Wilfrédo "Pio" Leyva and Félix Chappotín, and this recording, which is also a bit crisper and livelier, is slightly more modern in style and works better for Conjúnto Crema in my opinion.

This band also has a unique style of its own, and has the ability to make the switch between conventional style of Salsa and the more obvious Cuban sound which is what they do VERY successfully here!

Another of the big strengths they have is the PARTICULARLY GOOD sound of their Trumpets sounding high and sharp, and the HIGHLY DANCEABLE quality swing they can provide for the dancers!...

For all these reasons, I believe this recording would be very appealing to a wide range of Latin music listeners!

That doesn't go without saying to the SAR fanatics that this is not going to be their usual and typical Cuban Son-Montúno style of recording as it's a different band playing a different style to the usual SAR house band.











Sibanicú (4:59 mins) written by Wilfredo "Pio" Leyva, is a tipical and traditional Cuban Son-Montúno style of tune given a Salsa treatment without putting aside the Cuban feel of the tune by any means!

The tune features in the 2nd part some VERY NICE and SHARP Sonóra style of Trumpet arrangements, a decent Tres-guitar solo by Victor Trias "El Chino", and a more extended part at the end with a VERY FINE and BALANCED musicality between the Cuban sound of the tune and the band's Salsa style !...

This is the tune with the most pronounced Cuban accent from the album...







El Cantante (7:15 mins) only takes 1 minute to get started before we get over 6 mins of SHEER musical enjoyment with a very ENGAGING and CONTAGIOUS musicality also featuring a Violin in the background, some TRULY GREAT Brass arrangements again, a change of chorus, and a VERY CREDIBLE Piano solo by an unknown Alex "The Wiz" Vélez!...

This EXCELLENT, VERY LIVELY and DANCEABLE Salsa track that is not only the longest, but also MY favourite tune from the album!...







Bandolera [bad woman] (6:06 mins) is a lyrically melancholic tune about how a man who deeply fell in love with a mean woman suffered a lot and got his heart broken...

While this album's singer is not the most mind-blowing by any means, this tune DOES work because the musicality is NOT cheesy, corny or commercial, and DOES feature some NICE feeling with a FINE musicality played by a FINE band!...

The musicality of the tune in the 1st part is really NICE/EMOTIVE, and gets even livelier, happier and more danceable in the 2nd part with NICE swing, NICE Sonóra style of Brass arrangements again, and a pretty GOOD intensity ALL THE WAY THROUGH!...

ANOTHER FINE extended Salsa track!...







Noviecíta ["little" girlfriend] (6:03 mins) goes back to the slightly more notable Cuban Salsa sound with another VERY GOOD set of Brass arrangements and a FINE musicality ALL THE WAY THROUGH again!...

This time the song narrates about the desire of marrying that beautiful "little" girlfriend that really drives the narrator crazy!...

Otherwise, this is a FINE mid-tempo Salsa tune that is FINE for dancing too...







Pescadóres De Camarónes (6:37 mins) written by a certain Juán Arróndo with Wilfredo "Pio" Leyva, features a NICE swingy little rhythm all the way through, a Charanga style of Violin background arrangement, some pretty good Trumpet soloing again, and some FINE Trumpet arrangements too!

This is DEFINITELY A VERY FUN and danceable Cuban style of salsa tune PERFECT to listen to as well!...







Esa China (5:43 mins) gets straight away to the point as the 1st part only lasts 28 seconds, before we get ANOTHER VERY ENJOYABLE 2nd part with a slightly pronounced Cuban musicality that gets even better as it goes on!...

This is a HIGHLY enjoyable, and laid back mid-tempo tune that PERFECTLY finishes this last album on a POSITIVE note!...





I don't know why Conjúnto Crema did not record at least 1 more album, but what many people do know is that by 1982-83 the SAR Records Label as well as the whole Salsa scene was beginning to fade away over to commercial, geeky, romantic, cheesy and gooey style of Salsa music, and Merengue (without forgetting the growing impact American style of music was always gaining on the youth...)









Total play-time: 36.42 mins [You could just afford to not like 1 tune, and this Cd would STILL be of good value for YOUR money, meaning: G-E-T I-T!!!]







Sound quality is also BRILLIANT and BEYOND ANY REPPROCHES, and the descarga website gave it a very short review, but VERY POSITIVE review too!...







Sound-clips of both Conjúnto Crema albums are available on this site, and in the mercadodemusica site too.







Musicians:



Marcos Quintanilla: Director/Bass

Alexis (The Wiz) Velez: Piano

Victor (Chino) Trias: Tres-guitar

Roberto (Dofy) Mier: Singer/Chorus

Louie Velez: Singer/Chorus

Diane (Dee-Dee) Rodriguez: Chorus

Miguel Santiago: Musical Director/Trumpet

Felipe De Mier: Trumpet/Coro

Freddy Luciano: Trumpet

Marcus Acevedo: Bongo

Wilmer Vega: Conga-drums

Hector Rosado: Conga-drums



Alfredo Triff: Violin

Roberto Torres: Maracas/Guiro (Gourd scraper).



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