Ruben Blades
Bohemio y Poeta
This anthology captures the nascent career of Panamanian singer/songwriter Ruben Blades just as he is about to become a household name throughout barrios in the United States and Latin America. Although not yet a solo artist, Blades already sounds remarkably polished—which is why during the early 1970’s Louie Ramirez, the Fania All Stars, Ray Barretto, and of course, Willie Colón, were all featuring him and his songs on their albums.
While his big break arrives when he joins Ray Barretto’s orchestra and records his Canto Abacua for Barretto’s self-titled album in 1975, all hell brakes loose in the salsa world when Blades teams up with Colón and together they start producing chartbusters beginning with 1977’s classic Metiendo Mano. Juan Pachanga, recorded for the Fania All Stars on their Rhythm Machine album, introduces another of Blades’ colorful street characters together with a slick arrangement by Louie Ramirez who also is responsible for developing a sound for Fania that incorporated the urban sophistication coming out of the Philly International studios during the mid-1970’s with thick bass lines and lush strings.
While Blades’ biting social commentary has been a staple of his writing style from the beginning, he has always expressed a romantic side as well. Sin tu cariño teamed him up again with Ramirez and the Fania All Stars on the Spanish Fever album. It’s a romantic theme but not overly dramatic and his lyrics have a youthful innocence as he playfully introduces Papo Lucca for a piano solo in Portuguese. Paula C. is another original from Blades and again finds him in the company of the Fania arranger on the Louie Ramirez y Sus Amigos session. This autobiographical tune had everyone in New York trying to figure out the identity of the mystery woman who allegedly broke his heart. But halfway through the song Blades and company break into a festive samba beat as if to let everyone know that he’s down but not out.
Me Recordaras, Pablo Pueblo, and La Mora are featured on the Metiendo Mano record, which is Blades’ debut with the Willie Colón band and the precursor to salsa’s first million record seller Siembra. A sweet bolero with a stripped down arrangement, Me Recordaras reveals Blades at his most romantic, interpreting a standard by Cuban composer Frank Dominguez and featuring a dazzling cuatro guitar solo by Yomo Tomo. Pablo Pueblo is the big hit here and with good reason. Blades introduces a refreshing new narrative: A struggling workingman finally breaks his way into a story. Who can’t connect with that? La Mora is by another Cuban composer Eliseo Grenet and shows that Blades also can be wildly funny and quirky at the same time.
Blades tenure with Ray Barretto was brief but a significant step in his career as he contributed several popular tunes like the last track of this collection the Afrocentric extended jam Canto Abacua. “Ruben was very ambitious and restless,” says Barretto of the singer.
After Barretto, Blades signed on with the trombonist Willie Colon from the South Bronx whose Pan American flavored music was the perfect stage for his prolific songwriting skills. This collection documents the beginning of a career of a master storyteller who made salsa fun and exciting—and whose impact has been felt around the world.
Executive Producer: Jerry Masucci
Coordinator: Rene Lopez
Written by Alfredo Alvarado
Esta antología captura la naciente carrera del cantante y compositor panameño Rubén Blades justo cuando estaba apunto de convertirse en un nombre familiar en todos los barrios de los Estados Unidos y Latino América. A pesar de que aún no era un artista en solitario, Blades ya sonaba extraordinariamente pulido, que es la razón de que a principios de los setenta, Louie Ramírez, Fania All Stara, Ray Barretto y, por su puesto, Willie Colón, lo incluyeran a él y a sus canciones en sus álbumes
En tanto su gran oportunidad llega cuando se une a la orquesta de Ray Barretto y graba su Canto Abacua para el álbum Barretto, de Ray Barretto, en 1975, todo el infierno se desencadena en el mundo de la salsa cuando Blades se asocia con Colón y juntos comienzan a producir éxitos de las listas, partiendo con el clásico de1977, Metiendo Mano. Juan Pachanga grabado para Fania All Stars en su álbum Rhythm Machine, introdujo otro de los coloridos personajes callejeros de Blades junto con un ingenioso arreglo de Louie Ramírez, quien también es responsable del desarrollo de un sonido para Fania, que incorporaba la sofisticación urbana proveniente de los estudios Philly International durante mediados de los setenta, con compactas líneas de bajo y sensuales cuerdas.
En tanto el comentario social incisivo de Blades ha sido un tema principal en su estilo de composición desde el comienzo, siempre ha expresado un lado romántico también. Sin tu cariño lo reunió nuevamente con Ramírez y Fania All Stars en el álbum Spanish Fever. Es un tema romántico, pero no demasiado dramático, y su letra tiene una inocencia juvenil a medida que introduce, festivamente en portugués, a Papo Lucca para un solo de piano. Paula C. es otro tema original de Blades y nuevamente se encuentra en compañía del arreglador de Fania en la sesión de Louie Ramírez y Sus Amigos. Este tema autobiográfico ha tenido a todos en Nueva York, tratando de adivinar la identidad de la misteriosa mujer, de quien se afirma, rompió su corazón. Pero a mitad de la canción, Blades y compañía irrumpen en un festivo ritmo de samba como para hacer saber a todos que está triste, pero no acabado.
Me Recordarás, Pablo Pueblo y La Mora¸ son interpretadas en el disco Metiendo Mano, que es el debut de Blades con la orquesta de Willie Colón y el precursor del récord en ventas de salsa, que vendiera un millón de copias, Siembra. Un dulce bolero con un arreglo sin adornos, Me Recordarás, revela a un Blades en su faceta más romántica, interpretando un estándar del compositor cubano, Frank Domínguez y con la interpretación de Yomo Tomo en un deslumbrante solo de cuatro. Pablo Pueblo is the big hit here and with good reason. Blades introduce un refrescante narrativa nueva: Un esforzado trabajador, finalmente, logra abrirse paso y forjarse una historia. ¿Quién no puede conectarse con eso? La Mora es de otro compositor cubano, Eliseo Grenet y muestra que Blades también puede ser muy divertido y peculiar al mismo tiempo.
El período de Blades con Ray Barretto fue breve, pero constituyó un paso importante en su carrera, ya que contribuyó con varios temas populares, como el último corte de esta colección, la extendida jam afro central Canto Abacua. “Rubén fue muy ambicioso e inquieto” dice Barretto del cantante.
Después de su trabajo con Barretto, Blades firmó con el trombonista Willie Colón del Bronx Sur, cuya música con sabor panamericano era el escenario perfecto para sus proliferas habilidades como compositor. Esta colección documenta el inicio de la carrera de un experto contador de historias, quien hizo a la salsa divertida y emocionante -y cuyo impacto se ha sentido en todo el mundo.
Escrito por Alfredo Alvarado
Hammock House: Santiago Sessions
$5.99
Fania is pleased to announce the release of HAMMOCK HOUSE: SANTIAGO SESSIONS on August 25, the newest installment in their highly-regarded “Hammock House” remix series, produced and mixed by internationally renowned LA-based producer and DJ, Jose Marquez. The iconic entertainment brand, which has evolved from a legendary NYC-based music label to an innovative and digitally-driven global music, entertainment and lifestyle company, is known worldwide for their work with influential DJs, and one of the best examples is their highly-regarded ‘Hammock House’ series.
Stemming from an idea that originated at the Manana Festival in Santiago de Cuba two years ago, Marquez fuses his love for dynamic Afro-Cuban and Caribbean flavors on SANTIAGO SESSIONS with classic Fania tracks from icons such as Hector Lavoe, Ray Barretto, Tito Puente and Celia Cruz. Standout tracks include “Aguanile,” the iconic song from Fania legends Willie Colon and Hector Lavoe which first appeared on the album El Juicio in 1972, for which Marquez enlisted noted musicians Bobby Wilmore and Lazaro Galarraga, who specialize in Afro-Cuban percussion, to perform on congas and bata drums. Another showstopper on the release is “Herencia Africana,” which was composed by Javier Vazquez and recorded by the legendary Celia Cruz and Sonora Matancera on the album Feliz Encuentro, released in 1982. In the song, Cruz talks about her African Heritage/influence, so Marquez brought in US-based musicians originally from Mali to perform and emphasize the African elements of the song, using a djembe instead of congas and a Balafon which is a traditional African version of a marimba/xylophone.
Fania launched the groundbreaking ‘Hammock House’ series in 2011 with the release of its first acclaimed compilation from the celebrated producer/DJ Joe Claussell entitled ‘Hammock House Africa Caribe.’ With each thematic installment, Fania has teamed up with innovative DJ/producers such as Louie Vega, Toy Selectah and The Whiskey Barons, providing them with access to Fania's treasure vaults and the original multitrack master tapes from recordings by classic artists to create fresh takes on Fania’s musical legacy to introduce to new generations of fans.
Music Credits:
1. Celia Cruz - Un Bembe Pa Yemaya (Jose Marquez Remix)
Congas: Bobby Wilmore, Lazaro Galarraga
Bata Drums: Bobby Wilmore, Lazaro Galarraga
2. Ray Barretto - Indestructible (Jose Marquez Remix)
Piano: Claudio Passavanti
Bass: Claudio Passavanti
Congas: Ismel Wignall
Saxophone: Elias Perez
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