Rumbas Originales - Juan Martin

Advantages: Unique flammenco style, beautiful, evocative, scenic
Disadvantages: Absolutely none

...Nothing could have prepared me for Musica Alhambra. I am very aware of Juan Martin's discography. From 1981 to this present day he has released a string of intricate albums, most of these being extremely traditional. Juan Martin has explored many Flamenco styles, especially in his Andalucian Suites I-IV (same year actually) where he covers Rumba, Tarantas, Tangos, Alegrias, Bulerias and even contemporary Milonga. Musica Alhambra came out in 1998. It is clear to me that Juan Martin plays Zambra, a form of arab influenced flammenco, to perfection. With Musica Alhambra, he goes even further. With this piece of work we undertake a wonderful journey accross a 12th Century Andalucia. This is made possible by additional artists such as Rony Barrak, Stephen Dummer, Chris Karan and the obscure Abdul Salam Kheir. This is definitely worth your... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Rustic, Powerful, Emotive
Disadvantages: None, unless you have a problem with late 70's sound quality

...of the late 70's. This album is a very long one: 68 minutes approx. The amount of styles that Carlos conjures with his fumbling fingers is titanic. In this respect, the album could be compared with another great Flamenco record called "The Andalucian Suites" by Juan Martin. Solearas, the opening track, is dazzling in every single way. The graceful strings fall before rising is such haste that it almost feels as if Carlos had an extra pair of invisible hands. Rondena alternates between purism, simplicity and then astounding technicality. The Jazz influence is obvious here. The third and forth tracks are forms of Spanish dancing. These tracks are highly technical. Bolera Maorquie contains a short section that could even be inspired by traditional American folklore, as bizarre at it may seem. But if we consider Montoya's post-1945 contribution... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: About 9 of the songs are excellent!!
Disadvantages: None

...The Best Of Ricky Martin Album is excellent, because about 9 of the songs on there are really funky and I love all the spanish/english lyrics!! There are 14 songs altogether, so considering 9 of them are really good, this CD is brilliant!! I think I first heard about Ricky and his songs was when I heard Livin' La Vida Loca and I loved that song, so I went on to buy this album and was amazed. :) It was definitely worth every penny, because I listen to his songs over and over again and never get bored! Here's a bit about the artist himself, before I tell you more about the album: He was born on 24th December 1971 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. His birth name is Enrique Martín Morales, but he changed it to Ricky Martin, so it would appeal more to the British public and many other countries. He started off his career when he was 12, being... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful