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<p><img class="story_image" src="http://www.stereophile.com/images/713rotm.promo_.jpg" /></p>
<b>Pedrito Martinez: <i>Rumba de la Isla</i></b><br />Pedrito Martinez, vocals, congas, chekere, cowbell; Niño Josele, guitar, clapping; Alfredo de la Fé, electric violin; John Ben°tez, acoustic & electric bass; Pirana, cajón, clapping; Román D°az, batas, cajón, spoons, vocals; Xiomara "La Voz" Laugart, Abraham Rodr°guez, backing vocals<br />Calle 54/Sony Masterworks 8876 540607 2 (CD). 2013. Nat Chediak, Fernando Trueba, prods.; Jim Anderson, eng. DAD? TT: 50:20<br />Performance ****½<br />Sonics *****
<p>
Cross-cultural mashups are all the rage. There's the BlueBrass mix of New Orleans brass band and bluegrass, reviewed in this issue. The Border Music project mixes David Hidalgo's Norteño/East L.A. rock with Marc Ribot's downtown New York jazz. Here, conguero Pedrito Martinez, born in Cuba but based in New York City, successfully crosses Afro-Cuban rumba with Andalusian flamenco to celebrate the work of flamenco composer and singer Camarón de la Isla. Born José Monje Cruz, de la Isla is probably best known outside Spain for his collaborations with guitarist Paco de Luc°a; together they made nine records, and toured extensively throughout the 1970s. De la Isla died in 1992 at the age of 41.
</p><p>
Spanish film director, music producer, and author Fernando Trueba, and film presenter and music producer Nat Chediak, the producers of this record, have gone the cross-cultural route before, most notably in <i>Lágrimas Negras</i>, a collaboration between the late Cuban pianist Bebo Valdés and Romani flamenco singer Diego el Cigala (Diego Ramón Jiménez Salazar). Here, the arrangements mix multiple rhythms and much improvisational soloing from every player, all of it held together by Martinez's smooth, joyful singing, which lacks the abruptness and shouted lines so common in flamenco.
</p><p>
Rhythm, of course, is the common ground of Afro-Cuban music and flamenco, and in each tune that commonality builds to a mass of furious, glorious drumming. The opener, "Que a M° me Vió de Nacer," opens gently with acoustic guitar, followed by electric violin and drums, before Martinez's voice enters. Furious interplay then ensues between the drumming and, finally, a chorus of voices in call and response with Martinez. Another highlight is the spirited singing in "Volando Voy," by Spanish singer-guitarist Kiko Veneno, who worked with De la Isla.
</p><p>
As it does for so many forms of Latin music, including salsa and mambo, Cuban son forms the basis for much of Afro-Cuban's rhythms, as well as for the overall instrumentation of each track here. The musicians are a mix of Caribbean players
[Source: http://www.stereophile.com/content/recording-july-2013-irumba-de-la-islai]
<b>Pedrito Martinez: <i>Rumba de la Isla</i></b><br />Pedrito Martinez, vocals, congas, chekere, cowbell; Niño Josele, guitar, clapping; Alfredo de la Fé, electric violin; John Ben°tez, acoustic & electric bass; Pirana, cajón, clapping; Román D°az, batas, cajón, spoons, vocals; Xiomara "La Voz" Laugart, Abraham Rodr°guez, backing vocals<br />Calle 54/Sony Masterworks 8876 540607 2 (CD). 2013. Nat Chediak, Fernando Trueba, prods.; Jim Anderson, eng. DAD? TT: 50:20<br />Performance ****½<br />Sonics *****
<p>
Cross-cultural mashups are all the rage. There's the BlueBrass mix of New Orleans brass band and bluegrass, reviewed in this issue. The Border Music project mixes David Hidalgo's Norteño/East L.A. rock with Marc Ribot's downtown New York jazz. Here, conguero Pedrito Martinez, born in Cuba but based in New York City, successfully crosses Afro-Cuban rumba with Andalusian flamenco to celebrate the work of flamenco composer and singer Camarón de la Isla. Born José Monje Cruz, de la Isla is probably best known outside Spain for his collaborations with guitarist Paco de Luc°a; together they made nine records, and toured extensively throughout the 1970s. De la Isla died in 1992 at the age of 41.
</p><p>
Spanish film director, music producer, and author Fernando Trueba, and film presenter and music producer Nat Chediak, the producers of this record, have gone the cross-cultural route before, most notably in <i>Lágrimas Negras</i>, a collaboration between the late Cuban pianist Bebo Valdés and Romani flamenco singer Diego el Cigala (Diego Ramón Jiménez Salazar). Here, the arrangements mix multiple rhythms and much improvisational soloing from every player, all of it held together by Martinez's smooth, joyful singing, which lacks the abruptness and shouted lines so common in flamenco.
</p><p>
Rhythm, of course, is the common ground of Afro-Cuban music and flamenco, and in each tune that commonality builds to a mass of furious, glorious drumming. The opener, "Que a M° me Vió de Nacer," opens gently with acoustic guitar, followed by electric violin and drums, before Martinez's voice enters. Furious interplay then ensues between the drumming and, finally, a chorus of voices in call and response with Martinez. Another highlight is the spirited singing in "Volando Voy," by Spanish singer-guitarist Kiko Veneno, who worked with De la Isla.
</p><p>
As it does for so many forms of Latin music, including salsa and mambo, Cuban son forms the basis for much of Afro-Cuban's rhythms, as well as for the overall instrumentation of each track here. The musicians are a mix of Caribbean players
[Source: http://www.stereophile.com/content/recording-july-2013-irumba-de-la-islai]