In 1971, the versatile composer and singer from Santurce, Puerto Rico Rafael “Chivirico” Dávila recorded a solid debut album as a soloist for Cotique Records, a label that would eventually be acquired by Jerry Masucci's Fania.

The producer of “Chivirico Y Su Nuevo Estilo” was Ralph Lew, who wrote in the back cover of the original LP: (To say Chivirico) is the same as saying salsa, flavor and everything good that could be said about a singer.

Chivirico was launching a solo career after creating an indelible impression with Kako, Tito Puente, Johnny Pacheco, Orlando Marín and other popular orchestras of the time.

The “Su Nuevo Estilo” (His New Style) formula was a combination of danceable tracks in the guaguancó, son montuno and bomba genres, together with a number of boleros, a Caribbean style which he had mastered to perfection.

For this recording session, which was engineered by Bob Liftin and Vince Garrett in the Regent Sound Controls studio, Ralph Lew and Chivirico enlisted two salsa masters as arrangers: virtuoso percussionist and vibes player Louie Ramírez, and Javier Vázquez, pianist with the Sonora Matancera and musical director of Ismael Rivera's Los Cachimbos.

You can imagine the quality of players that was invited to participate in this session: a veritable all-star team which included Louie on timbales, Javier on piano, trumpet player Alfredo Chocolate Armenteros, trombonists Barry Rogers, José Rodríguez and Lewis Kahn, as well as Meñique Barcasnegras and Elliot Romero on backup vocals.

On the bolero front, Chivirico distills his romantic spirit on the standards “Hay Que Vivir El Momento,” “Perfidia,” “Alma Libre” and “Consentida,” which includes a priceless duet with trombonist Barry Rogers and Javier's exquisite jazz chords on the piano.

“Hay Que Vivir el Momento," a song by Miguel Angel Valladares which suggests that the passionate feelings between a man and a woman should not be postponed, would project the crooner as one of the most respected bolero voices of the '70s, together with Cheo Feliciano and Santitos Colón.

There's also plenty of space for salsa. Chivirico ignites the fire with “Mírame,” a declaration of passion to a beloved woman. “Simón Simonte” is a tasty son montuno with self-penned lyrics that talk about a bad dancer who gets himself in trouble trying to impress a woman who is a firecracker on the dancefloor.

Following the santería theme that was extremely popular during the '70s, Chivirico's self penned “Siete Potencias” finds inspiration in the African deities of the yoruba religion, asking Yemayá, Eleguá, Orula, Changó, Ochún, Obatalá and Olofí for protection.

“Ya Llegué” is another guaguancó which finds Chivirico planning his return in order to conquest the salsa world again. “Quina Quini-o” is a tuneful Puerto Rican bomba that evokes the 1970 classic “Ritmos Y Cantos Callejeros,” recorded for the Ansonia label with Cortijo and Kako y sus Tambores.

The album concludes with “Como Me Traten,” yet another Chivirico composition inspired by the hypocrisy and betrayal of friends, a popular subject in salsa narratives.

In 1994, Chivirico Dávila passed away in New York at age 70. His spirit, however, remains alive on the strength of albums such as this one.

Credits

Javier Vásquez – Piano
Louie Ramírez – Timbales
Mario Cadavieco – Bongos
Víctor Venegas – Bass
Alfredo “Chocolate” Armenteros – Trumpet
Nilo Argudin – Trumpet
José Rodríguez – Trombone
Barry Rodgers – Trombone
Lewis Kahn – Trombone
Ramón Luis Díaz – Congas
Robert Franquiz – Claves, Maracas


Chorus - Elliot Romero, Meñique Barcasnegras


Producer – Ralph Lew
Coordinator – Mike Martínez
Recorded at – Regent Sound Controls by Bob Liftin and Vince Garrett
Arrangements – Javier Vásquez (“Mírame,” “Hay Que Vivir El Momento,” “Simón Simoné,” “Consentida,” “Como Me Traten”), Louie Ramírez (“Perfidia,” “Siete Potencias,” “Ya Llegué,” “Quina Quini-o,” “Alma Libre”)
Original Album Photography – Mort Waters
Original Album Design – Producciones Mr. Morton


Written by Jaime Torres Torres
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