Salsa de la Buena (Lulaworld Records, 2015)
The Lula All Stars is an ensemble of some of the finest Toronto-based performers of tropical dance music from the Spanish-speaking Caribbean and South America. Toronto is one of North America’s most multicultural cities and has a thriving salsa scene. Lula Lounge is an iconic world music venue that hosts numerous salsa and Cuban music concerts.
Through its own indie label, Lulaworld Records, Lula Lounge has released a fabulous album titled Salsa de la Buena (good salsa). Indeed, this is first salsa. Toronto is the new home for some top Cuban musicians as well as other first class musicians from Latin America.
Salsa de la Buena is seductive set of salsa dura, son cubano, música guajira, classic salsa, and timba, with a heavy accent on Cuban roots. The reason for this is that the majority of the members of the all stars are Cuban musicians.
Bear in mind that this is not a local salsa group playing standards. It’s rather a gathering of band leaders, world class instrumentalists and composers who deliver brand new material. Some of the songs are so good that they could become salsa classics.
Band members include Italian-Canadian musical director and pianist Sean Bellaviti; Luis Orbegoso (Peru) on congas and background vocals; Yosvani Castañeda (Cuba) on lead and background vocals; Ricardo Barboza (Venezuela) on lead vocals; Roberto Linares Brown (Cuba) on timbales, bongos and cencerro (cowbell); Yoser Rodriguez (Cuba) on bass; Pablosky Rosales (Cuba) on tres cubano; Daniel Stone (Venezuela) on background vocals, maracas and chéquere; Alexis Baro (Cuba) on trumpet; Christian Overton (Canada) on trombone; and Jorge Maza (Cuba) on flute and tenor saxophone.
Salsa de la Buena also includes various guests: Yani Borrel on lead vocals’ Juan Carlos Cardenas on guiro; Rosendo Chendy León on bongos, cowbell, timbales; and Alejandro Páez on violin.
Salsa de la Buena is an album packed with exceptionally good infectious salsa.
Buy the Salsa de la Buena digital version
The CD is available from Descarga
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.
