Salsa music you do not like! Aka true confessions

[el_Che]

Lalo Rodriguez. What a phenomenon. I think he was only 17 years old when he first recorded with Eddie Palmieri. And you know what? He still sings his songs in the original key. I have worked with Lalo many times over the years, most recently about six months ago, and when he is ON, nobody can touch him. One of the most gifted singers ever.

Fireworks was one of the very first Latin music albums I ever heard -- Soy Salsero really connected with me ( maybe something to do with that great trumpet solo by Victor Paz ). Someone gave it to me in 1981 so I could learn something. That, and the Pacheco / Casanova album, Los Amigos. A great start to this music.

+1 !!!

One of the best out there...

Fireworks is one of my favorite albums of him.

Still, many people know him as a salsa romantica singer only, some times only by "devorame otra vez" .

I must confess that this was my initial encounter with Lalo's music as well.

 

[DJ Yuca]

michael jackson - you rock my world (salsa remix)

now thats just nasty LOL

True, but it's not as torturous as the ones I have posted. I will be happy if I never hear it again though.

 

[DJ Yuca]

50 Cent salsa. Still getting plays in my neighbourhood!

 

[Abayarde]

Let's not forget Lalo's vocal's with the legendary Machito and his orchestra's album, "Fireworks". I would rate Lalo Rodriguez singing salsa dura as one of my top salsa vocalists and I am glad that you brought him up and highlighted his talent as a top Salsa Dura singer!

that's correct!... I forgot "Fireworks" (Coco Records #131 - 1977)!. Thanks for reminding.

Working and recording with Eddie Palmieri and Machito before having his 20th birthday is not a thing that a "novice" singer may usually accomplish.

 

[DJ Ara]

that's correct!... I forgot "Fireworks" (Coco Records #131 - 1977)!. Thanks for reminding.

Working and recording with Eddie Palmieri and Machito after having his 20th birthday is not a thing that a "novice" singer may usually accomplish.

Yup! He is one of my favorites, too!
Here with Machito (from "Fireworks") for those who are interested:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZYvrXLJPTI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1m_HAVv3jc

Here with Eddie Palmieri: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7ZkIbVBY0k

Right now I am listening to Rumba de Bravos with Lalo Rodriguez's great vocals backed by Valentin Valdes and his Salseros de la Mata orquesta (I am also 'listening' to my wife telling me off about something in the background, but I can't concentrate on more than two things at once..:mrgreen.

Anyway, I am in the possession of the original CD, "El Principe del Timbal Valentin Valdes y los Salseros de la Mata" (2000). You may have this production already, but if you don't I recommend it for sure. Guest stars include Tito Allen, Pedro Brull, Roberto Roena and of course Lalo Rodriguez, as well as others.

I am not sure about your end of the woods, but here in Cali, this cd is almost, if not impossible to get. However, it being a US/PR production, then perhaps it will be easier for people to buy in those locations.

 

[Abayarde]

Right now I am listening to Rumba de Bravos with Lalo Rodriguez's great vocals backed by Valentin Valdes and his Salseros de la Mata orquesta.

have that CD. unfortunately, this is one of those independent releases that barely received some or no promo when launched. a friend sent me an unopened copy a few years ago.

same happened with a 2000 release from Orquesta La Amistad where Ray De La Paz sings in 2 or 3 tracks.

I wasn't aware at that time thinking they were new releases.

 

[nowhiteshoes]

Was Palmieri not keen on lalo? I think I read somewhere that he never plays songs that lalo sang on

I was hoping to dance to nada de ti (sp?) when i saw him play.

 

[DJ Ara]

have that CD. unfortunately, this is one of those independent releases that barely received some or no promo when launched. a friend sent me an unopened copy a few years ago.

same happened with a 2000 release from Orquesta La Amistad where Ray De La Paz sing in 2 or 3 tracks.

I wasn't aware of them at that time thinking they were new releases.

You have touched upon one of the tragedies of the modern Salsa Dura music scene in that there are good releases around, but they never get the promotion that they deserve, hence most people who would like them in the first place never come to know of their existance and as a result limit their 'respect' exclusively to the Salsa Clasica genre, when they should in reality expand their sphere to the newer artists and productions, in order to support and encourage them to produce more great salsa.

Just like you, I have been surprised sometimes by the great quality productions that have slipped the radar, so to speak. As a result, I am more vigilant nowadays as these kind of things can happen locally under one's own nose.

 

[Abayarde]

Just like you, I have been surprised sometimes by the great quality productions that have slipped the radar, so to speak. As a result, I am more vigilant nowadays as these kind of things can happen locally under one's own nose.

now we have to double check all new releases considering most of them are independently distributed by the same artists. the record store sellers that cares about Salsa (only a few good ones) help a lot on this; they may tell us which CD's are really worth buying and they even play them on-site to judge quality.

trying to get original copies of these releases is difficult after a couple of years. so, imagine this 10 or 20 years later. take very good care of these CD's because their value will rise very shortly between collectors.

 

[DJ Ara]

now we have to double check all new releases considering most of them are independently distributed by the same artists. the record store sellers that cares about Salsa (only a few good ones) help a lot on this; they may tell us which CD's are really worth buying and they even play them on-site to judge quality.

In that aspect we are very lucky here in Cali, because usually those who sell salsa records are themselves salseros and I know a few who have more salsa in their record collections than in their shops....LOL!

Luckily, letting people listent to the music they may want to buy is the norm and sometimes the sellers go out of their way to pile a bunch of CDs of their own recommendations and ask you to have listen.

However, inspite of all this, there are still great local bands whose recordings go unnoticed and I am talking about 'orquestas callejeras' here. So, like referred to above, often the artists sell their own music, personally. When I see such people I offer my salsa hotel's boutique area as a point of sale for their music. Still, the situation somewhat saddens me.

trying to get original copies of these releases is difficult after a couple of years. so, imagine this 10 or 20 years later. take very good care of these CD's because their value will rise very shortly between collectors.

Yes, very true. I already have some high value LPs in my private collection as well as others hanging on the salsa hotel's walls, which once in a while 'flip' some visiting melomano who will look at me at an alarmed manner pointing at an LP while advising me to be careful (or even use a scanned copy of the cover instead of the real thing) in order not to have it stolen. LOL!

 

[flowrite]

Jam Block A La La E. Utterly annoying. How is it played so much? :headwall:

 

[bailar y tocar]

Interesting sub theme about Africando. I have had most of their releases for many years now yet the only songs that got a lot of play 8-12 years ago were Yaye Boy, Betece and Trovador. I don't recall ever hearing Aicha in public unless I played it myself at a party. All the Lebanese around here would sing along when that happened. I guess Aicha isn't just a name it must mean something in Arabic.

One of the local bands plays La vida es un carnaval and several play Pare cochero which are boring because these cover bands play them every time. Cuarto de Tula and Son de la Loma are in that category too. For some reason I like El Manisero even though it gets overplayed by the bands too. Three of the local bands have it on their playlist so it should get boring but its one of those all time forever classics and each of the bands puts a different flavor into it.

 

[el_Che]

Interesting sub theme about Africando. I have had most of their releases for many years now yet the only songs that got a lot of play 8-12 years ago were Yaye Boy, Betece and Trovador. I don't recall ever hearing Aicha in public unless I played it myself at a party. All the Lebanese around here would sing along when that happened. I guess Aicha isn't just a name it must mean something in Arabic.

One of the local bands plays La vida es un carnaval and several play Pare cochero which are boring because these cover bands play them every time. Cuarto de Tula and Son de la Loma are in that category too. For some reason I like El Manisero even though it gets overplayed by the bands too. Three of the local bands have it on their playlist so it should get boring but its one of those all time forever classics and each of the bands puts a different flavor into it.

Regarding classics, I think that it's OK for beginning bands to play them; if we think of, most new bands \ musicians start out by playing well known covers before releasing their own material.
I guess it's an easy start...
I hear the same classics (son de la loma, el manicero, el cuarto de tula, guantanamera, pare cochero and others) a lot whenever a local live band plays, and for me it's OK.

As bands get more experienced they do start playing some other more or less well know songs, with some playing classic fania songs, some playing los van van, and some even start making their own tracks, which is the best case scenario, IMO.

 

[Big10]

I love La Excelencia, Plus, they have a tremendous energy in their live concerts!

I cannot stand La Lupe. I'm sure she must have some cultural significance, but her voice is totally annoying to me and I've never heard a song by her that I've liked.

Some of Alex Wilson's stuff is very cool. But "Show Me" is not, in my opinion. I'm lucky that I've never heard that song played at any club or congress in the United States. I'm a huge fan of his song "Antonio," though.

I've seen positive references on other parts of this forum to the Williamsburg Salsa Orchestra, so I listened to a few of their songs on YouTube. I kept an open mind but I don't understand their appeal at all. One of their members has even posted on SF a few times, so my apologies if you're reading this now. Sorry, but I just don't get it.

 

[terence]

I .

I've seen positive references on other parts of this forum to the Williamsburg Salsa Orchestra, so I listened to a few of their songs on YouTube. I kept an open mind but I don't understand their appeal at all Sorry, but I just don't get it.

Me neither.. but,I guess if we all liked the same music, that would make it very boring for many .

 

[DJ Yuca]

I've seen positive references on other parts of this forum to the Williamsburg Salsa Orchestra, so I listened to a few of their songs on YouTube. I kept an open mind but I don't understand their appeal at all.

Same here.

But I do like the few La Lupe tunes I've heard.

 

[Abayarde]

Not a big fan of La Lupe, but I like a nice bunch of her songs. Got her best compilations ("The Best" and "Greatest Hits") and what I think is her best CD: "The King Swings, The Incredible Lupe Sings" (1965).

 

[salsology]

I don't know who the DJ's are in your neck of the woods but I don't hear any of the tracks being mentioned in this thread in the clubs I frequent these days - they had a spell when released but have since been relegated to the bottom of the pile.

No sooner having said this and what do I hear last night (Ain't Nobody - Alex Wilson) - deep breath, sigh

 

[EMOYENO]

Those who label Ubaldo "Lalo" Rodriguez as a Salsa Romántica singer, have no idea of it's roots in the 70's.

When Lalo was 12 (early 70's) he was already singing with Tempo Moderno. At 16, he recorded "Sun Of Latin Music" with Master Eddie Palmieri (Harvey Averne's Coco Records #109 in 1974), winning a Grammy. A year later, their "Unfinished Masterpiece" (Coco #120 - 1975) won their second Grammy.

This was 5 years BEFORE Fania won it's first Grammy (Homenaje a Beny Moré - Tito Puente).

He also played a leading role in the Puerto Rico All Stars projects (3 LP's).

"Simplemente Lalo" (IMHO, his best recording) was one of the best ten LP's of 1980. It stayed in the top radio charts for months. All songs from this LP were big hits, including two boleros! He also succeeded in the following LP's "Nuevamente Lalo" (1982), "El Niño, El Hombre, El Soñador y El Loco" (an Homage to Rafael Cortijo - 1985), but with less luck on "Punto y Aparte" (1987).

His career was practically re-launched when "Un Nuevo Despertar" was released (TH-Rodven Records - 1988 ). This time, the romantic mode played full time; This eventually (and wrongfully) labelled him as a Salsa Romántica singer and -for new salseros- this may shadow his prior achievements.

I like the fact that there's historians here!!! specially my peeps!!! :-D

 

[EMOYENO]

No sooner having said this and what do I hear last night (Ain't Nobody - Alex Wilson) - deep breath, sigh

:headwall: :headwall: :headwall: I have to have a serious talk with my studio instructor... he keeps playing this song over and over that I get to frown while practicing. aaayyyyyy por Dios!!! really makes me sick the song.