Creating quite a stir when it was released, this album was recorded as a studio project before Pupy left Los Van Van. It features an all-star cast of studio musicians and stars from other bands.

This album was recorded as a studio project before Pupy left Los Van Van and features an allstar cast of studio musicians and stars from other bands. Some, such as Tirso Duarte (then with NG La Banda), wound up joining Pupy's band as permanent members when it became a regular working orquesta. Among the guest artists of note are Manolito singer Sixto "El Indio" Llorente, Adalberto Alvarez/Maraca singer Donaldo Flores, Changuito, master conguero Tomás "El Panga" Ramos, trumpet greats Julio Padrón and Basilio Márquez, Candelita Avila, drummer Jorge Baglan of NG, and Van Van members Hugo Montejón, Boris Luna, Gerardo Miró, Pedro Fajardo, and Jorge Leliebre. Quite a lineup, and this CD created quite a stir when it was released. It's now somewhat overshadowed by the subsequent release of "Qué cosas tiene la vida" which has remakes of six of the songs performed by Pupy's working band and featuring all sorts of great additional material. However, this is still a very valuable album. In addition to the great individual performances, and the opportunity to compare the approaches of the two bands, the songs which were NOT included on "Qué cosas" are among Pupy's best. I would buy this CD just to get the opening track, "La Voluminosa" or just to get the closing track, "Vamos a gozar hasta fuera".

La Voluminosa - This song, the first that Tirso Duarte sang with Pupy, is irresistible. It combines the driving Timba groove with a bit of the flavor of a Cole Porter standard.

El Vecino Se Mudó - Pepe Gómez sings lead.

More from Latin Pulse Music at Myxer

More from Latin Pulse Music at Myxer

More from Latin Pulse Music at Myxer

More from Latin Pulse Music at Myxer

Qué Cosas Tiene La Vida - This was first recorded on the 2001 release, "Timba: The New Generation of Latin Music", sung by Donaldo Flores, whose regular gig is with Adalberto Alvarez. Armando Cantero's guías and style are completely different and the comparison of the two performances is fascinating. The new version also has an extra coro and timba breakdown with some exciting new bloques. "Qué cosas tiene la vida" was also Pupy's final contribution to the Los Van Van repertoire and the first lead vocal for the singer who replaced Pedro Calvo, Lele Rosales. LVV hasn't recorded it in the studio but has played it live at virtually every show for several years, and with still a different set of coros, guías, and mambos. Ironically Lele at first used it as a vehicle for a long set of raps and guías debunking the rumors that Van Van was in conflict. "Look," he'd say, "there's Pupy Pedroso, still here, playing the piano. Van Van will continue!". Well, Van Van has continued, but without the composer of "Qué cosas tiene la vida"! As Pepe points out in the review, there's a good chance that Pupy's departure will benefit both bands by bringing in fresh blood and stoking the competitive fires.

El Gato No Araña - Lead vocals are split between Donaldo Flores and Gustina Azcuy.

Juégala - This one begins with one of Pupy's most unique piano tumbaos. El Indio is on lead vocal. The lyrics are an "homenaje" (tribute or homage) to the long history of Cuban musicians.

Te Molesta Que Sea Feliz - Tirso sings on this tune which also features a long tasty piano solo from Pupy.

Las Mujeres Son - This merengue hybrid is sung by Jesús Bello.

Mamita Pórtate Bien - Based on the information given so far, the person who only wants to buy one of Pupy's recent CD's is very likely to opt for "Qué cosas tiene la vida", and when all is said and done, it's the better choice. BUT, there are also numerous reasons why no serious timbero should be without "Timba: The New Generation"! One of them is the presence of the great Sixto "El Indio" Llorente. El Indio, a veteran of Orquesta Aliamén, is most famous for work with Manolito y su Trabuco, and his name is at or near the top of the list in any discussion of Cuba's greatest singers. El Indio is still with Manolito, but was able to participate as a guest artist on "TTNG", because it was a studio project which didn't entail live performances. On the new version, Armando Cantero follows El Indio's basic phrasing and guías, but adds quite a lot of melodic embellishments of his own. The first set of guías is shortened, as is the trumpet solo, but on the second set of guías, Cantero departs completely from El Indio's version, and with great results. Cantero has sung with several groups over the years, including Charanga Forever and Bamboleo, but now seems to be finding his own style. After shortening the earlier sections, the new version adds a lot of new material at the end. The verdict? You've got to have both versions!

Vamos A Gozar Hasta Fuera - This is true gem which is the epitomy of what Pepe Martínez' comments about Pupy's ability to achieve beauty through simplicity. On the surface, "Vamos a gozar" is no more than a descarga based on a simple repeated 2-bar figure, but it's completely addictive -- the song could be an hour long without becoming boring. The track begins with just piano and bass, playing a simple four note figure in unison. How simple? Well, three of the four notes comes on the downbeat and they outline the roots of one of the most common Latin chord progressions, I IV V V. For the life of me, I can't figure out why it sounds so fresh and so great, but it does, and it forms the backdrop for series of fantastic individual performances: first a lengthy Changuito solo, and then ecstatic and inspired guías from El Indio, Tirso and Donaldo Flores.

--review by Kevin Moore of www.TIMBA.com

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