Bobi Céspedes is a singer, composer and percussionist as well as a priestess in the Yoruba-Lucumi spiritual tradition. Her solo debut couples deep Afro-Cuban and Yoruban grooves with one of the most distinctive and c... more »ompelling voices in world music. Bobi has been gathering acclaim both with her 12-piece ensemble Conjunto Céspedes and as a featured vocalist with Mickey Hart's Planet Drum and Bembé Orisha bands. Produced by Greg Landau (Susanna Baca and Patato) Rezos marks the solo debut of an emerging global diva. "Bobi's voice is an instrument equally capable of summoning orisha and filling dance floors"-Folk Roots Magazine« less
Bobi Céspedes is a singer, composer and percussionist as well as a priestess in the Yoruba-Lucumi spiritual tradition. Her solo debut couples deep Afro-Cuban and Yoruban grooves with one of the most distinctive and compelling voices in world music. Bobi has been gathering acclaim both with her 12-piece ensemble Conjunto Céspedes and as a featured vocalist with Mickey Hart's Planet Drum and Bembé Orisha bands. Produced by Greg Landau (Susanna Baca and Patato) Rezos marks the solo debut of an emerging global diva. "Bobi's voice is an instrument equally capable of summoning orisha and filling dance floors"-Folk Roots Magazine
"If you want a CD that's rich in vibrant vocals, spiritual depth, pulsating African-Latin beats, this CD is a must. Don't pass up an opportunity to hear ancient soulful chants with contempary finger-snapping rhythms. Bobi voice gives us a heavenly glance of what soul-stirring, heart-felt songs should be."
Takes you to another place and time
zapmama | New York, NY USA | 02/23/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"THe second cut "Obatala" had me transfixed. The rhythms, the vocals, the mix... all work together to reach inside your soul, whether you are of the Faith or not, and play the native chords. I LOVE THIS CD! Glad to hear Bobi again, and look forward to more."
A bridge between the old and the new
Bomani Siwatu | Seattle, WA United States | 03/07/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This CD ties a link between tradition Yoruba/Santeria music with new world jazz, rhythm and blues. Excellent music, voice, and inspirational message!"
Outstanding music
Jeevan | San Francisco, CA USA | 02/26/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The problem with a lot of Caribbean sound is that it has become homogenized, everything appears to be following the same "Buena Vista" formula. Not so here. Owing to her Yoruba practice, there is a heavier emphasis on distinctively African sounds with soft percussion and vocal rhythms that create a truly hybrid harmony."
Afro-Cuban charged action
WorldDiscoveries.Net | Petaluma, California | 11/18/2004
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Take Afro-Cuban singing and drumming, mix in an almost hiphop modern element, add a rich voice in Bobi Cespedes - equally able at presenting rap, Latin, jazz and soul influences - and you have a work difficult to categorize and quite compelling in REZOS.
Not quite for the completely modern listener but more than its Afro-Cuban roots, REZOS is packed with charged action, blending jazzy riffs and Cuban traditions with reggae, hiphop, and electronic drumbeats.