Iobo Alakorin (The Singer's Grove) Vol. 1 & 2
Reviews
Tom McCarter
Reviewed 2018-11-28
Reviewed 2018-11-28
Reviewed: 2018-11-28
Genre: Jazz
FCCs: none
Review: With this recording Mr Virelles returns to the glory days of the trovadores (of at least a hundred years ago) and he plays the music in the authentic style that it was played back then. And yet while this is a nostalgic return to his own Afro-Cuban heritage, it is far from sentimental and retrograde; rather a musical excursion into what makes Afro-Cuban music – danzón, Oriental , chepinsón, pregón, bolero and trova – so magical., because like classical song, this music, which has been centuries in the making is forever fresh – certainly as it is on this recording.. Every note and every phrase with each nuanced accented utterance is a model of craftsmanship. There are two volumes to this single disc. Volume two highlights Mr Virelles in a duet setting with Rafael Ábalos accompanying him on güiro in a virtuoso performance which sets the bar at a new height for that instrument.
If You Like: Chucho Valdez, Chico O’Farrill, Perez Prado
Track Review (favorites denoted by *):
Vol. 1
*1/ Bodas de Oro (4:51) – loud note to start> midtempo tango> piano solo> midtempo jam & song> quick stop
*2/ El Rayaero (5:23) – cowbell/piano starts> uptempo vocal jam & song with rhumba beat> quick stop
3/ Grato Recuerdo (3:22) – piano starts> slow song builds to midtempo> quick stop
*4/ Echa Pa Alla (3:46) – horns start> uptempo jam> horns interplay> uptempo song> quick stop
*5/ Canto A Oriente (2:49) – guiro starts> midtempo jam & song> slows to fade
6/ Un Granito De Arena (4:38) – horns start> midtempo jam & song> quick stop
*7/ Sube La Loma, Compay (5:24) – piano/percussion starts> uptempo jam, slightly off-kilter> melody shift to uptempo song> quick stop
8/ Cosas De Mi Cuba (2:49) – guira starts> midtempo song> quick stop
9/ Ojos De Sirena (2:47) – guira starts> slow jam> quick fade
Vol. 2
*10/ Tapame Que Tengo Frio (4:19) – piano starts> midtempo duet with guiro swings up> quick stop
*11/ Tira La Cuchara Y El Plato (5:32) – piano starts> uptempo duet > with guiro> quick stop
*12/ Mojito Criollo (4:01) – piano starts> uptempo duet with guiro> quick stop
13/ Mares Y Arenas (3:08) – piano starts> midtempo duet with guiro> quick stop
*14/ Tres Lindes Cubanas (6:07) – piano starts> uptempo duet with guiro morphs into fast tempo> quick stop
Genre: Jazz
FCCs: none
Review: With this recording Mr Virelles returns to the glory days of the trovadores (of at least a hundred years ago) and he plays the music in the authentic style that it was played back then. And yet while this is a nostalgic return to his own Afro-Cuban heritage, it is far from sentimental and retrograde; rather a musical excursion into what makes Afro-Cuban music – danzón, Oriental , chepinsón, pregón, bolero and trova – so magical., because like classical song, this music, which has been centuries in the making is forever fresh – certainly as it is on this recording.. Every note and every phrase with each nuanced accented utterance is a model of craftsmanship. There are two volumes to this single disc. Volume two highlights Mr Virelles in a duet setting with Rafael Ábalos accompanying him on güiro in a virtuoso performance which sets the bar at a new height for that instrument.
If You Like: Chucho Valdez, Chico O’Farrill, Perez Prado
Track Review (favorites denoted by *):
Vol. 1
*1/ Bodas de Oro (4:51) – loud note to start> midtempo tango> piano solo> midtempo jam & song> quick stop
*2/ El Rayaero (5:23) – cowbell/piano starts> uptempo vocal jam & song with rhumba beat> quick stop
3/ Grato Recuerdo (3:22) – piano starts> slow song builds to midtempo> quick stop
*4/ Echa Pa Alla (3:46) – horns start> uptempo jam> horns interplay> uptempo song> quick stop
*5/ Canto A Oriente (2:49) – guiro starts> midtempo jam & song> slows to fade
6/ Un Granito De Arena (4:38) – horns start> midtempo jam & song> quick stop
*7/ Sube La Loma, Compay (5:24) – piano/percussion starts> uptempo jam, slightly off-kilter> melody shift to uptempo song> quick stop
8/ Cosas De Mi Cuba (2:49) – guira starts> midtempo song> quick stop
9/ Ojos De Sirena (2:47) – guira starts> slow jam> quick fade
Vol. 2
*10/ Tapame Que Tengo Frio (4:19) – piano starts> midtempo duet with guiro swings up> quick stop
*11/ Tira La Cuchara Y El Plato (5:32) – piano starts> uptempo duet > with guiro> quick stop
*12/ Mojito Criollo (4:01) – piano starts> uptempo duet with guiro> quick stop
13/ Mares Y Arenas (3:08) – piano starts> midtempo duet with guiro> quick stop
*14/ Tres Lindes Cubanas (6:07) – piano starts> uptempo duet with guiro morphs into fast tempo> quick stop
Recent airplay
(Vol. 1) Bodas De Oro
Clean Copper Radio & Hot Topics — Mar 25, 2019
Sube La Loma, Compay
Clean Copper Radio & Hot Topics — Feb 05, 2019
Tres Lindas Cubanas
Clean Copper Radio & Hot Topics — Jan 29, 2019
Tres Lindas Cubanas
The Acupuncture Hour/Audio Ambrosia — Jan 26, 2019
Ojos De Sirena
old Fart At Play — Jan 25, 2019
Tira La Cuchara Y Rompe El Plato
Clean Copper Radio & Hot Topics — Jan 22, 2019
Charting
2018-12-04 — 2019-02-05
Jazz
| Week Ending | Airplays |
|---|---|
| Feb 10 | 1 |
| Feb 3 | 1 |
| Jan 27 | 3 |
| Jan 20 | 1 |
| Jan 13 | 1 |
| Jan 6 | 1 |
| Dec 23 | 3 |
| Dec 9 | 1 |
Track listing
| 1. | (Vol. 1) Bodas De Oro | ||
| 2. | El Rayaero | ||
| 3. | Grato Recuerdo | ||
| 4. | Echa Pa Alla | ||
| 5. | Canto A Orente | ||
| 6. | Un Granito De Arena | ||
| 7. | Sube La Loma, Compay | ||
| 8. | Cosas De Mi Cuba | ||
| 9. | Ojos De Sirena | ||
| 10. | (Vol. 2) -Taparme Que Tengo Frio | ||
| 11. | Tira La Cuchara Y Rompe El Plato | ||
| 12. | Mojito Criollo | ||
| 13. | Mares Y Arenas | ||
| 14. | Tres Lindas Cubanas |