Chan Chan - Compay Segundo

Advantages: Easy listening
Disadvantages: Spanish lyrics

...Segundo (vocal), aged 89; Rubén Gonzalez (pianist), aged 77; and a younger man Ibrahim Ferrer (vocal) at the age of 70! They may be old, but the performances of these elderly gentlemen were just amazing. The music in this album is actually quite funky and jazzy with typical Latino rhythms. Music instruments like guitars, piano, trumpet and drums had played an essential part of the recording. The end products are very enjoyable pieces of music that are perfect for a layback Sunday afternoon. I found some of the lyrics quite erotic and amusing; some extracts in English translation are included in this review. The number of stars (out of 5) beside the track titles indicates my rating for each of them: - 1) Chan Chan * * * * * What a beautiful love song about Juanika and Chan Chan, it's so subtle, yet so loveable. ♪ I'm going... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Very good music salsa and bolero's been singed by a great voice
Disadvantages: can sound a little boring if you are not a fan

...Known by what sould be the last Ry Cooder cuban production, this is the second solo album of Ibrahim Ferrer, one of the stars of The Buena Vista Social Club. On this, most all of tunes was written by Ibrahim Ferrer himself and there are a lot of musicians and instruments that wasn't heard on his previous one. Here his voice sounds more natural and more relaxed. There's some boleros too, something tht ibrahim really can sing with a powerfull voice. On Musica cubana, ibrahim says who is who in cuban music presenting musicians dead and alive. I really enjoy this album it has really great songs, but I'd prefer the Buena Vista Social Club because we can listen to Compay Segundo and others singers too. But if you like a bolero, and Ibrahim's voice it's very good, and much better than the first.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: Rock, Roll and Revel in Cat Power's stunning vocals
Disadvantages: The last track is oh so poorly recorded

...Cat Power, or more correctly: Chan Mashall, harkens from Atlanta Georgia and it doesn’t take more than the very first moments of Myra Lee to recognise that she could come from no where else other than one of the southern states of the USofA. The album sounds pretty lo-fi, not tinny or flat but it appears that it was recorded almost entirely in a rehearsal space in New York. No fancy recording studio. The effect works to the benefit of the listener. The opening track, Enough, slowly builds in volume and you feel like you could easily be in some subterranean venue, listening to some late night rock and roll. Because just who is Cat Power and what is her music? Only within the last few weeks have I discovered Cat Power and I now have three of her albums. All good. Myra Lee is my favourite. It’s raw. But it’s somehow... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful