Search - Ismael Miranda :: Asi Se Compone Un Son

A Star is Born

Hector Reyes-erazo | 01/25/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Ismael Miranda takes off as his own man in this recording extricating himself from the great music wingspan of Larry Harlow, a Maestro in his own right. Under the direction of the Dominican born virtuoso flautist Johnny Pacheco, co-founder of Fania Records and a brilliant recording artist, Ismael Miranda, in the tradition of great band leaders, demonstrates his leadership and command of top salsa musicians, Cuban Son, and the scintilating salsa of New York's 1970's. He scripts a number of original compositions and draws on some of Arsenio Rodriguez' colorful Son tunes from Cuba. His mastery of son montuno, lead vocal improvisation, and tumbao are unparalled. "Asi Se Compone Un Son" is an architectural blue print for how Son is constructed from pitched kettle, paying tribute to the late Son Montuno master Arsenio Rodriguez. His playful Santero skit "Cuidate Bien" is one of the most entertaining on record. I've played "Cuidate Bien" (a younger Nelson Gonzalez on tres) several hundred times since originally buying recording in 1973. I never tire of this cut especially in light of good and evil in this world. His tribute to Colombia burns the dancefloor. "Ahora Que Estoy Sabroso" and "Ahora Si" a song imbued with hubris, parleys the ambitious and competitive spirit of a lead sonero itching to prove his muster and to triumph over malcontents and ill wishers. I can go on and on lauding every jam on this classic recording. Buy! Buy! Buy!"

One of Miranda's BEST solo albums EVER!!! A MEGA-MASSIVE CLA

S. | 07/16/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This 1973 solo debut album by Ismael Miranda and his Orquesta "Revelación" is a TOP-CLASS New York Salsa recording with a VERY notable Cuban edge throughout most of the songs.

ONCE AGAIN, Miranda came up with what were some of THE best compositions from the album like nor more nor less than the MEGA-MASSIVE title track (Así Se Compone Un Son), as well as Me Voy Pa' Colombia and Ahora Sí which are 2 other MONSTER-KILLER tracks!

It's also a HIGHLY danceable album that would be appropriate to set any party on fire because of its high rhythmical intensity and its quality musical content.







The title track is a GREAT tune that shouldn't even be worth mentioning!...

It's a mid-tempo Salsa-son type of tune, which includes a fine piano solo by an 18 year old Oscar Hernández followed by GREAT arrangements with 2 Trumpets and one Trombone, a more intense follow up to the tune with Miranda coming back on vocals, few more arrangements and a Trombone solo before Miranda comes back on vocals to wrap the tune up!...





Nicolas is ONCE again, another GREAT tune which talks about that great guy who is too good and generous, and as a consequence people take advantage of him.

Once the tune gets started, it's SHEER joy again, as the intensity starts to build up all the way through with a fine Nelson González Tres-Guitar solo and again, wonderful arrangements, and a FIERY end to the tune!





Mulence is a GREAT tune to cool things down a bit after the intensity of the 1st two numbers as it's a NICE slower Cuban-Montuno style of salsa number that will take you back to the days of Arsenio Rodríguez y Su Conjunto.

While you can tell it's not Alfredo Armenteros `Chocolate' soloing on Trumpet, the Trumpetist puts out a decent enough performance as the tune gets more musically harmonious with Miranda taking over and the chorus saying: `Ahora veraaas, Muleeence!' (Now you will see, Mulence!) And guess what!?

You even get a GREAT and slightly faster 3rd part to the tune with a fine Conga-Drum intervention, a different chorus, another Conga-Drum solo, FINE arrangements, and a VERY good finale to the tune once again!





Now we come to another of the high points of this Cd, with the lyrically and musically intense song dedicated to Colombia! Wow! Once that tune gets started things not only get HIGHLY danceable, but VERY HOT with BURNING brass Trumpets/Trombone arrangements AND SOLOS towards the end of the tune!... A TOP-CLASS tune, and a HIGHLIGHT!...







Side B's opener Cuídate Bien is a slightly smoother song which I think talks about sorcery against the envy of others!... You then get in the middle a funny part with the witch applying his witchcraft on Miranda to protect him from other's evilness!...)

Anyway, this part is just followed by a short Nelson González Tres-guitar solo before the tune gets back to `normality'...

(And Sorry for this rather `thin' explaining!...) It's a fine tune, nonetheless...





Now, we get to ANOTHER SERIOUS tune from this album (Ahora Sí) which sets the tone STRAIGHT AWAY from the second it starts!... Yet again, we get a HIGH New York style of intensity throughout, with ANOTHER very good Tres-Guitar solo by Nelson before the brass arrangements start to get VERY HOT! A ROCK-SOLID QUALITY TUNE! ANOTHER of THE VERY BEST! Check it out!...





Then, Curet Alonso's tune Soneríto starts nicely in a Cha-Cha-Chá rhythm with an obvious Cuban musicality, a quite good 2nd part saying: `Oigame bien, soneríto'! (Listen to me carefully, "singer"!), and a 3rd changing musical part on the arrangements which give a more intense, but also fine musical contrast to the 1st two parts of the tune... Check that one out too!...





The Merengue at the end is ALSO ANOTHER HIGH point on this Cd!

Once it gets started (after 1:29 mins), it REALLY gets VERY HARD and INTENSE, and AGAIN, HIGHLY DANCEABLE (as a Merengue that it is, obviously) but also with a TOP-NOTCH musicality that WILL set the house ON FIRE!...

The tune also includes a short Conga-Drum percussion section at the end with the Mozambique rhythm!









This FAMOUS CLASSIC recording is not only an essential, but a MUST-HAVE to anyone who wants to enjoy a GREAT example of what New York salsa music PERFECTLY `fusioned' with a Cuban style of sound could give in the REAL golden era of Salsa!





I didn't write this review for you all to read my personal emotions, but for you to simply buy the album WITHOUT EVEN THINKING!

There is not ONE weak Salsa track here, and I'm not the only one raving about this one!...





(I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT V2 Music didn't even re-make an economical version of this album for the UK/Europe!... It's UNBELIEVABLE!!!...)







With a VERY LONG total play-time of 49.44 mins, you could exclude the 2 ballads (3 & 8), and you'd STILL get 41.24 mins of GREAT music for your money!

If you were to not like 2 more tunes, you'd STILL be over the ½ hour mark of music, meaning: G-E-T I-T N-O-W B-E-C-A-U-S-E T-H-A-T W-O-N-`T H-A-P-P-E-N!!!





Remastered 2006 By: Bob Katz-Digital Domain. A high 7/10 meaning: a good and satisfactory sound quality with a decent enough volume level and a fine clearness of sound; not an issue at all!...

"