Celia Cruz

The question that must be confronted for those familiar with the breadth of her work is, "Is it even possible for Celia Cruz to record a bad album?" With elements such as producer Emilio Estefan, Jr., executive producer Angel Carrasco, and of course, la guarachera del mundo herself converging to create 2000's Siempre Vivire, the answer to that question seems clear. Celia's first album for Sony certainly captured those elements that uniquely belong to Cruz, and discriminatingly avoided any influences of the day that might adulterate those qualities or date the project. In conceiving this record, the creative team walked a very fine line by deciding on a project that could both stand among its contemporary peers and yet sound classic. It is hard in modern salsa to find the tres, a sultry bolero, or to hear plena played well. In a genre that continues to narrow its stylistic scope, it's refreshing to come across a record that can simultaneously be a citizen of the present, and reach to the past.

With her powerful pipes, stunning showmanship, and superhuman sense of timing, Celia Cruz defined her chosen genre like few other performers in the history of popular music. EXITOS ETERNOS is a collection of tracks the "Queen of Salsa" recorded during the last decade of her life that, despite the vocalist's advanced age, clearly show Cruz's talents never wavered. Known for her uncompromising attitude and refusal to sing in English, Cruz valued aesthetic purity, but never became a museum piece. A driving pulse and rhythmic toasting that recall dancehall reggae propel her 2001 hit "La Negra Tiene Tumbao," and other tracks feature subtle synthesizer textures. Unlike lesser artists, however, Cruz is able to incorporate these disparate sonic colors seamlessly, making them sound as traditional as a conga drum or guiro. Of course, the unrelenting force behind each recording is Cruz's astounding voice, the sheer energy of which makes even these later recordings sound both classic and utterly contemporary.

Master conguero Ray Barretto and salsa queen Celia Cruz had already worked together on the 1983 session Tremendo Trío, which found them teaming up with Puerto Rican sonero Adalberto Santiago. Five years later, towards the end of 1988, la guarachera and Barretto recorded the delightful, no-frills salsa session that you hold in your hands. The quality of the songwriting and the excellent production values of "Ritmo En El Corazon" gained the album a Grammy award in 1990.

Cruz with Willie is just about as sure a thing as Celia with Johnny (Pacheco). Surer, maybe, since C&J have made far more recordings than C&W. Celia Cruz is the nearest thing to an icon in contemporary salsa, and since she reaches at least two generations, you can bet on this reaching at least the Top Three, if not the zenith.

The final recording of the mighty Queen of Salsa's career, Regalo del Alma was certainly in keeping with the exuberant, joyful tone that her enormous fan base has come to expect from her. With stylistic influences and production value a bit more modern than one might expect from a legend whose recording career has spanned 45 years, this album will hook yet another generation on Celia Cruz's regal, earthy presence. Cruz is joined by a cast of consummate professionals including producer Sergio George, percussionists Marc Quiñones and Luis Quintero, and many of the usual suspects that one might expect to find on a record of this caliber. These contemporary masters bring a freshness to the project that is invigorating.

Angelique Kidjo reflects on an icon of the Americas, celebrated salsa singer Celia Cruz. Over ten tracks, Kidjo’s album Celia divests itself of the glamour to investigate the African roots of the Cuban-born woman who became the "Queen" of salsa, a music genre invented in New York by Caribbean immigrants.

Providing an excellent introduction to Latin music, the soundtrack to the film The Mambo Kings mixes stellar artists of the genre including Tito Puente, Arturo Sandoval, and Celia Cruz with well-known performers with roots in the form like Linda Ronstadt and Los Lobos. This 2000 rerelease adds a remix of "Ran Kan Kan" by Olga Tañon and "Beautiful Maria of My Soul" featuring Antonio Banderas with Compay Segundo.

Various Artists - Mambo Mania! The Kings & Queens Of Mambo (1995) {Rhino R2 71881 rec 1949-1980}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 344 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 141 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 30 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1949-1980, 1995 Rhino Records | R2 71881
Jazz / Afro-Cuban / Latin Jazz / Mambo / World Fusion / Boogaloo

Mambo Mania! may not be the last word on the Afro-Cuban music of the 1950s and '60s, but for beginners, it's a darn nice place to start. Rhino can usually be counted on to do its homework when assembling compilations, and this superb 18-song CD is no exception. Serious fans of what came to be called salsa will be more than familiar with such classics as Celia Cruz's "Tumba La Cana, Jibarito," Beny More's "Me Gusta Mas El Son" and Tito Puente's "Guaguanco Margarito" – all of which are essential listening for even the most casual salseros.