Search - Willie Colon :: Tiempo Pa Matar

A Testimonial to a Visionary Grand Master - and it Swings!

03/13/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album was a sleeper. The quality of the songs and the personnel is head and shoulders above anything recorded in that era. The Late great Jorge Dalto on the piano doesn't disappoint us in his solo in Volo or his conception of just vamping the way he knows how to. Falta De Consideracion was also a new sound that heralded the begingings of the RB soneros like Marc Anthony and others who came later. Gitana a gypsy love song in a very middle eastern mode has become a standard throuout Latin America. Serenata, a delicate Brazilian serenade, shows Colón's sensitivity and range. El Diablo a hybrid merengue/plena rythym, swings with sarcastic humor as the devil tries to get Willie to sign his soul away.Tiempo Pa' Matar, a photograph of Willie's old neighbor in the South Bronx (139th Street) during the Vietnam era has also become a standard. Noche De Los Enmascarados is a great version of Chico Buarque's song done in a bachata style before bachata was even "invented"! Callejon Sin Salida is a reggaesque tour de force, where Colón pulls out all of the stops. Willie Colón has never been known to do throw away productions. This record is a masterpeice of music lyrics and swing."