Search - Various Artists :: Son Cubano

Fantastic!

Jack Dempsey | South Miami Beach, Florida | 05/11/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"First of all, don't pay any attention to the editorial that references the BVSC as being somehow even remotely related to this release. This is straight-up NYC Cuban Son. Not Salsa. Roberto Torres, founder of SAR Records explains a bit of what Jerry Masucci's role played in the term of "salsa" coming to be used by the masses to define virtually everything remotely Latin. There really is no "salsa." It's a b.s. term of merchandising. But, for this release...



Hermanos, you cannot get any finer outside of Fania. These are what the cats who wanted to venture outside of the Fania and Allegre record labels were laying down. If you wanted to get beyond the amazing double trombones of Colon and lofty coro of Lavoe/Betancourt/Cheo/etc, you found this. With soneros like Roberto Torres (who is a great friend/neighbor of mine in fact), trumpet legends like Chocolate Armenteros and the legendary Henry Fiol (if anyone remembers Saoco), you cannot go wrong here. That's just to name a few.



Get this, get this, get this. I cannot state that enough. Salud to, of all labels, Astralwerks for putting this out.



A++++"

Classic modern latin dance music from the 1970s

Joe Sixpack -- Slipcue.com | ...in Middle America | 06/04/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This swinging set of New York salsa/son cruises through the sweet, summery sounds of old-timers such as Chocolate Armenteros, Henry Fiol, Rey Roig, Roberto Torres and several less well-known (but no less thrilling) Cuban-American dance bands. It's great stuff, a collection that easily holds its own next to all the other salsa and boogaloo reissues out there these days. The liner notes are funny, though, with two parallel perspectives on the "salsa" vs. "son" nomenclature -- there's one strident argument that says the word "salsa" was all marketing/public relations BS, and another, mellower version that says, "Who cares? It's the same music, and it's all really good." I guess I slide into the second camp: when you've got stuff that sounds this sweet, why get all hung up on the name? This is a great collection, definitely worth checking out."

Durable, catchy, timeless

C. DIMOND | Gardner, CO United States | 12/01/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"No it's not Fania. These guys try harder to push the envelope of Son in a different direction. Enduring performances that reveal increasing production skill. The editorial approach is chronological, so there's a progressive feeling to the anthology -- a direction. Well-recorded, well-mixed, well-chosen. Unique."