Ola Fresca
Elixir (Pipiki Records, 2015)
New Yok-based Cuban-American musician José Conde returns to his tropical Caribbean music roots on the remarkably good Elixir, the new album by his band called Ola Fresca. Conde’s intention is to demonstrate that the argument as to what type of music is better and came first, Afro-Cuban dance music or New York-style Puerto Rican salsa, doesn’t matter because they are both equally exciting. Conde does this by mixing and embracing both musical influences.
“There is a battle going on between factions, entrenched on cultural fronts,” reflects Conde about the controversy. “Every faction wants to trumpet its own culture as the best; as the creators. They draw boundaries, claim ownership, wave their flags, and set their restrictions! This happened with salsa and son. But music is a natural element available to all who wish to open themselves up to it. Music has no boundaries. I wanted to create a powerful positive sound that would reflect this. Cuba and Latin music are a vehicle for me, but it has bigger resonance than just Latin music. The divides are everywhere, and so are the elixirs.”
In a world where salsa sometimes gets diluted into pop, Conde masterfully brings together the finest elixirs: son cubano (Cuban son), Cuban rumba and timba, and Puerto Rican-style salsa, featuring at times the powerful two-trombone sound. On some of the pieces, Ola Fresca intentionally blend old-school son cubano with salsa, creating unexpected twists.
The lineup on the album includes José Conde on lead vocals, güiro and all arrangements; Pablo Vergara on piano; Jorge Bringas on bass; Juan-Carlos Formell on bass; Roberto Quintero on congas, maracas and guïro; Obanlu Iré on congas and chékere; Gabriel Machado on timbales and bongos; Román Diaz on clave; John Spek on trombone; José Davila on trombone; Rey David Alejandre on trombone; and Dennis Hernández on trumpet.
All the songs are written by José Conde, who is an extremely talented songwriter. The lyrics have a timeless feel, making them memorable and future classics.
Elixir is clearly one of the best albums of the year in the tropical Latin music category.
Buy Elixir
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
