Search - Willie Colon, Ruben Blades :: Siembra Live

Very cool document, awkwardly packaged...

Sound/Word Enthusiast | Rhode Island, USA | 06/08/2010

(3 out of 5 stars)

"...how could anyone with even a passing interest in salsa not be excited by this? A previously unknown Willie Colon and Ruben Blades concert recording was apparently discovered in the Fania vaults not too long ago, taken from a gig on March 20, 1980. This disk features five tunes from their classic "Siembra" collaboration and two from the prior (and nearly-as-amazing) "Metiendo Mano." The band is hot and tight, and Blades, as always, is incredibly commanding, falling back on his under-appreciated skills as a traditional sonero, delivering riveting improvisations and brilliantly nuanced takes on these now-familiar tunes.



It's wonderful that this recording exists, but, as usual, there are a few catches...namely two:



1. The sound quality isn't great. It's pretty shrill and one-dimensional. Of course, as a concert recording of a historic gig, it's better than nothing, and I've certainly heard worse, but it seems like some of the hiss and whine could have been carefully excised in mastering. The solos on "Buscando Guayaba" are accompanied by this high-pitched whinnying that is very distracting. The crowd cheers sound like a squeaky wheel -- literally. Also, being what sounds like a soundboard recording, the vocals are disproportionately out front.



2. The packaging is oddly inconclusive. There are no band credits (some band members are named in the liner notes, but not all), no credits for mastering or restoration or production...the liner notes include no new reflects from Colon or Blades, which really would have been classy. It's a shame Fania's new owners couldn't be bothered to credit the musicians. If they were just unknown, tell us! C'mon. There are a bunch of undated photos, which are nice and in color, but are they from this gig? Another?



So...better than nothing is basically my feeling. With a little extra effort this could have been great, but I suppose that wasn't in the cards. Really exciting find, for sure, but if you're looking for an introduction to this great music, grab "Siembra" and "Metiendo Mano" first."