Search - Jose Alfredo Jimenez :: 100 Clasicas 1

Now and forever El Rey

Enrique Torres | San Diegotitlan, Califas | 08/10/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This CD, coupled with Vol.11, makes for the most volume of work ever assembled of the late great composer and singer, Jose Alfredo. This volume, like vol.11 has 50 songs, so if you buy both CD's you get "Las 100 Clasicas." There are many compilations of "greatest hits" but this is without a doubt the best. It has all the familar fare plus alot of rare and more obscure recordings that are lesser known. Some of these gems were previously only on vinyl. What you get here is a variety of rancheras filled with Jose Alfredo's favorite subjects. A tormented soul, Jose Alfredo sings often of loves both lost and won. His songs are autobiographical in nature as he inevitably numbs his pain, both in song and life as he celebrates his victory with "otro tequila" or as he often invokes,"otro vaso de vino." The themes Jose Alfredo writes about include all the usual suspects. The characters are all here, the coward, the brave soul, the bartender and his clients, the chaos that often results, gunfights and fistfights, the women in all forms, wives and lovers, unappreciative, bandidas, lovely and kind, beautiful and senuous, he loved them all, both in real life and in song, querido Mexico with all it's beautiful places, including Mazatlan, Jalisco and Guanajuato to name a few, dogs and their owners, horses and their riders, money and all it's pitfalls, poverty and it's tragedies, sadness and happiness, luck and fate in life and death, God and La Virgen, boxers and other machos, in short if it existed in Jose Alfredo's life he wrote about it. Make no doubt though, his favorite themes were love, women and drinking, no wonder I love this guy! Someone like Jose Alfredo only passes briefly through this cosmos, like a shooting star he was brilliant but short lived. That he was able to create such voluminous work in his 47 years is mind boggling. This volume covers songs from his most active decade, the 60's, with the exception of a few classics from 1972. The mariachi is the world renowned Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan, often arranged and directed by the the brilliant Ruben Fuentes. There are so many great songs that it is hard to pick favorites but suffice to say that when Jose Alferdo's disc is playing the "next" button is never touched, I want the full experience. If you are like me, one can never get enough Jose Alfredo so this is perfect, to have 50 songs on one CD(2 discs) is nirvana. If you have alot of these songs already, like I do, don't worry, there are enough "unknown" gems here to make it worth it. Besides it is good to have one in the car and wherever else one stores their favorite CD's. If you are new to Jose Alfredo welcome and enjoy this great CD, if you're an old fan, enjoy revisiting the master. Jose Alfredo sigue siendo El Rey, for all times. Buy this CD for an awesome, historical musical experience to be lived over and over. "El disco es cultura.""

Authentic Mexican Rancheras!

Enrique Torres | 01/26/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you love the ever popular words of Jose Alfredo Jimenez, than this CD and the accompanying volume 2 are a must-have! His compositions are timeless and it's easy to understand why mainstream pop artists of Latin America continue to record his songs. Simple, honest and powerful words backed by the best Mariachi band in Mexico! Gracias y que siempre Viva Jose Alfredo!"