New music

A

AndrewD

Changui
Hi All,

Generally speaking, my perception is that most people who visit these forums aren't great fans of most new salsa acts or 'commercial' salsa.

However, who are your favourite new acts of last five years or so? Do you like them because they are traditional or because of a new and different direction they are taking?

AndrewD
 
He's been around longer than five years, but Michael Stuart is the first person to come to mind. His new Back to da Barrio has made a big impression on me, as I've been saying at every opportunity. I like it because it sounds fresh, it is doing something a little new, but it is mostly rooted in old school salsa. He knows how to take off during a soneo.

I like some N'Klabe and some Juicy & Eric, as well. Also, I guess Mayito Rivera is fairly new as a solo act, and I did like some of his CD Llego la Hora (or Negrito Bailador, depending on what country you are in), especially "Negrito Bailador." The Mayito song harks back to Siembra, but puts a Cuban twist on it (but not so much that it alienates my ears, which generally don't go for timba).

I do also like some things by Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Soneros del Barrio, and other acts that I think of as largely preserving the past (e.g., Dorance Lorza), but neither have I been blown away by them.

Overall, I am not too impressed with the new acts I've heard. It's possible I'm missing some new bands from Colombia, say, or otherwise from outside the NYC/Puerto Rico axis, but as far as acts that don't take a whole lot of effort to even find out about--eh, not so much going on.
 
Thank you - I shall look your recommendations up.

I'm not really of a fan of the commercial stuff - but I'm not a snob either, 'cheese' can be fun in moderation.

However it does seem a shame that most of the stuff I enjoy listening to is from 10 or more years ago.
 
I don't really equate commercial with "cheese" but I might be in a minority here. It depends on how we are defining commercial, and so forth. A friend of mine agrees with me about the Michael Stuart album being great, but she doesn't hear it as poppy, while I do (but it's poppy and hard at the same time). I really can't recommend that album highly enough (although I know at least one regular here hated it). Probably the best new salsa album I've heard since I started listening (c. '97).

I wish more people would respond, although there have been similar threads, I guess.

Among new albums by new acts, I'm optimistic about:

Little Johnny Rivero: Pasos Gigantes

(Audio clips from this made it sounds a lot more Puerto Rican than the typical sound out of New York these days, which is a good thing, imo.)

Rafaelito Cortijo & Ismaelito Rivera: La Nueva Generacion - De La Raíz La Mata

(I've heard at least one song from this and, again, it had a classic PR sound that reminded me of Orquesta Mulenze or Willie Rosario.)

Benedict & The Magic Band: Swing Sabor 3

(No relation to Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band.)

It's unfortunate that there have been so few strong vocalists or band leaders to emerge in the last five or ten years, but from a more positive angle, it's good that established performers are able to keep recording good material. I have to admit though, even that usually has to be taken on a track by track basis. Good albums are few and far between. But it's possible to work around that.

What do you think of salsaton as a new flavor of salsa? I think some of the experiments have been pretty successful. Andy Montanez, for instance, may be an established act, and Sergio George may be an established producer, but having Daddy Yankee or Voltio featured prominently on a track is definitely something relatively new. (Best track from the new Victor Manuelle album is not one of the collaborations with Eddie Palmieir, but rather the cha cha cha "Vamos de Nuevo" with reggaetonero Hector the Father stealing the show at the end of the track.)
 
I wish I was as opened minded as HotHousSalsero, he definitely keeps up with the new stuff, as well as jumps in and out of styles.

I think most hardcore salseros haven't the necessary knowledge to make an unbaised claim as to what is and isn't good, as well as even less of an understanding as to what is "commerical".

Here in NY City it is common practice for the top of the top to referr to puertorrican salsa as "commercial" stuff. I mean, tunes that were never, or will ever be commercial, they label as such because it doesn't sound like late 60s and early 70s stuff. Then when I tell them region, date of orgin and an array of stuff of why it isn't commercial, their mouths drop open... I didn't know that, of course you haven't, all your teachers haven't either, so I don't expect you to know the difference between commerical and non commercial music, which too, these guys have not figure out just yet that all of Fania's repertiore was commercial music! Don't tell them that, they might stop listening.

Anyhow, I think that good music is good music regardless of time, band, or region. Of course this is limited to Salsa only tracks that have no influence of reggeton, so If I hear a nice tune, I go nuts for it, "pure" salsa though...

On that note of making a totally biased claim, I absolutely hated Michale Stuarts new album, had I thought about it a little better, I would have burnt it rather than given it away. I need to flow of the music to be more than he managed in that album, more alluring... So, I think HotHouse has a closer grasp of the album than I... I'm a salsero who needs "pure" salsa and can only make a "good" judgment call on that type of music.
 
I think most hardcore salseros haven't the necessary knowledge to make an unbaised claim as to what is and isn't good
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Yup that's me...apart from the hardcore bit....I'm still learning so much about the music and how the various sounds evolved I simply don't feel qualified to voice an opinion.

I am still discovering what I like - and there's something new every day...but so far with the exception of the LA33 album and a bit of Bachata most of it is pretty old...this week it's Charanga (thanks Boriken for the help with that!) I have no idea what it will be next week...
 
borikenSalsero said:
On that note of making a totally biased claim, I absolutely hated Michale Stuarts new album, had I thought about it a little better, I would have burnt it rather than given it away. I need to flow of the music to be more than he managed in that album, more alluring... So, I think HotHouse has a closer grasp of the album than I... I'm a salsero who needs "pure" salsa and can only make a "good" judgment call on that type of music.
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Thanks for your very diplomatic comments, but I don't understand how you can complain about the flow on that Michael Stuart album. The songs build and shift in interesting ways, the rhythmic feel in different songs implies different ways of moving, Stuart's singing during the mambo or montuno or whatever it's called (you know, the really good part) is pretty varied. I realize we will just have to agree to disagree about it.

Boriken, have you ever seen MS perform live? I think I've mentioned it before, but I saw him once, and after he'd gotten past a couple of his salsa romantica hits and started doing hold school type stuff, I thought he was great (and it was completely unexpected--this was way before BTDB came out).
 
HothouseSalsero said:
.....I do also like some things by Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Soneros del Barrio, and other acts that I think of as largely preserving the past......
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For me, as long as it artists like SHO, I tend to like it. And I'm noticing more that if it's something new in the Mambo/Latin Jazz Genre with a good on2 feel, I will like it as well. But this is more of preference of dance and the "feel" of the music. There is a new artist called Ritmo de Masacote that I really like but again it's more of Latin Jazz and not Salsa.

I think the best thing that happened to me is that the instructors before my last "real" instructor, had no clue about music. Well, maybe that's a little harsh. Lets just say they didn't talk about or explain the mechanics of music in class. Anyways, this pushed me to begin an "in depth" search for music on my own and before long, I started to prefer pre 90s music. I started out listening to new stuff. Marc Anthony, Victor Manuelle, Michael Stuart, Danny Rojo, etc. and eventually, found it no longer inspiring and soon found myself prefering older music or new music intensely inspired by the old.
 
The notion of "commercial" salsa is evasive.

Some recent salsa (past 15 years) has good and bad, just like 60s and 70s salsa has its gems and its share of crap.

Also, Some groups change over time... i'm thinking Los Van Van for example who adopted a "hip hop" sound for the past 10 years; for my ears, van van before this change is old spanish music i simply do not get into and cannot dance on. Did i get into the "commercial" trap because old Van Van doesn't appeal to me?

I love Eddie Palmieri, but i hate Tito Puente. I love Celia Cruz, but i hate Ibrahim Ferrer or Ray Baretto.

A good song is a good song, whenever it came out, and whoever sang it.
 
Arc said:
...A good song is a good song, whenever it came out, and whoever sang it.
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Suppose you're right - thinking about it logically, we're not exposed to the poor music from over 10 years ago (because it's bad) and today's good music will still be good a decade from now.

I guess at a salsa night the DJ might play music that was composed any time between 60 years ago (?? - need to take my Salsa history module) up to the present day. That's a long time and for every floor-filler there must have been dozens of rubbish recordings.
 
HothouseSalsero said:
Thanks for your very diplomatic comments, but I don't understand how you can complain about the flow on that Michael Stuart album. The songs build and shift in interesting ways, the rhythmic feel in different songs implies different ways of moving, Stuart's singing during the mambo or montuno or whatever it's called (you know, the really good part) is pretty varied. I realize we will just have to agree to disagree about it.
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That's what I mean you are more open than I am. I almost had compulsions when I put the thing on. It has been a few months since I heard it, so I can't really make an educated comment on what about it made almost get a heart attack, but next I manage to get my hands on it, and see if I can manage to listen to it again, I’ll comment to a greater degree than simply feeling...

All I remember is that the type of shift he makes interrupts absorption of energy to my body. Like being in a pressure tube, there is flow, then a bottle neck, then flow again. Meaning that when I try to “transcended” my feelings with the album, there isn’t enough to keep me in tune, rather pushes me away, superficially if at all connecting.

HothouseSalsero said:
Boriken, have you ever seen MS perform live? I think I've mentioned it before, but I saw him once, and after he'd gotten past a couple of his salsa romantica hits and started doing hold school type stuff, I thought he was great (and it was completely unexpected--this was way before BTDB came out).
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Yes, I've heard him live and a few recordings of him live. He does have a sway when he goes old school that is quite nice, aside from this last album :D...

Story: once we were coming from PR, and this guy is sitting next to me on the phone all flight long completely pissed off at one of his friends. Turns out that it was MS arguing with his friend/assistant who is in charge of all his music sheets. The guy forgot to give them to MS and he had a show upon landing. My lady started talking to him, he presented himself very humble to us... Well, he said, “I'm just going to have to go old school tonight and sonear the entire night. I don't remember but parts of the songs...” His knowledge was OK in regards to history, so I was very impressed by him and his need to "preserve" yet create... let me take another shot at the Album, hopefully he doesn’t create any more of that stuff. hehehe... I'm trying to open up to this type of stuff, but my body rejects it... It tells me, just say NO.
 
AndrewD said:
I guess at a salsa night the DJ might play music that was composed any time between 60 years ago (?? - need to take my Salsa history module) up to the present day. That's a long time and for every floor-filler there must have been dozens of rubbish recordings.
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yes, there is so many bad tunes out there from all periods... I collect salsa music from mostly 68 to 82 and boy do I hear lots of bad songs.

Also, my friend and I have a "joke" going on about many DJs in NY City. We say, there are so many good salsa songs that simply putting your hand in a bucket you should be able to grab 7 good songs out of 10. However, in NY City an entire night can go by without a good song being played. We are harsh... is that between the 2 of us, we know so many intoxicating songs that when a DJ can only manage to play 2 infectious songs in 4 hours our souls die a little...
 
Okay, I can sort of understand. Your complaints about MS's music are kind of like my friend Nina's complaints about Victor Manuelle, too much interruption in the music. I like the fact that your comments are so focused on the expereince of dancing. A lot of my judgments of salsa revolve around the feelings it gives me, all of those subtle sensations that occur while dancing, so I can understand the importance you place on that. (I still don't hear/feel anything in most of these songs that I can even imagine causing the sort of interruption of flow that you are describing though. When the songs change, the changes generally feel like an organic unfolding, to me, rather than a sudden jump-cut.)

borikenSalsero said:
hopefully he doesn’t create any more of that stuff. hehehe... I'm trying to open up to this type of stuff, but my body rejects it... It tells me, just say NO.
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I hear that when BTDB came out he already had another album ready to go, one he recorded with Emilio Estefan. Somehow I think not only will that not make you happier, but it might put me off as well.
 
borikenSalsero said:
....... My lady started talking to him, he presented himself very humble to us... Well, he said, “I'm just going to have to go old school tonight and sonear the entire night. .....
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This got me thinking, I wonder how much of the new artists is well 'the production' and how much is the actual artist? Maybe much of what we hear is not the artist but moreso the production? Unfortunately, I don't attend alot of live concerts so maybe if heard more live versions of the new artist I would be more open. hmmm.....
 
Karlosism said:
Boriken, what are your top 5 albums of all time? 8)
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OMG,
This is a truly hard question to answer. I feel as if I was jus asked to bring the sun down with just my hands.

The deeper and vast my knowledge of Salsa grows, the less I can pick my favorite singers, songs, bands, composers, musicians, leaders, arrangers, regional flavor, etc...

Let me take a stab at it and hope to have done justice to all the others, which I know I won't be able...

To make it easier, the list will not contain compilations of any kind, either of various musicians, or the same musician. Hopefully, I can also keep it straight up Salsa. keep in mind that if you were to ask this question again tomorrow, it would likely have a different answer.

Here I go, wish me luck. In no particular order....

:arrow: Willie Rosario - Compañero Rumbero
:arrow: Ray Barretto - Que Viva La Music
:arrow: Bobby Valentin - Rey Del Bajo
:arrow: Eddie Palmieri - The Sun Of Latin Music
:arrow: La Terrifica - La Terrifica

Ok, imma sit in the corner and cry a little for all those others I've omitted out of pure ignorance. :cry:
 
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