Oxfam Salsa: Cuba, New York and the Latin Dance Explosion

Performer: Various Artists
Distributor: Ryko Distribution

Notes: Producer: World Music Network. Compilation producer: Phil Stanton. Includes liner notes by Catherine Steinmann. Liner Note Author: Catherine Steinmann. Arranger: Gary Nu�ez. Some older Cubans despise the term "salsa," which they see as a corny term that non-Cubans invented to describe Afro-Cuban music. There is a Cuban saying that goes, "Salsa is what I put on my food, not what I listen to." But salsa isn't a disrespectful term -- it's a convenient, practical umbrella term that is applied to son, mambo, cha-cha, guaguanc�, danz�n, and all of the other great rhythms that came out of Cuba and were warmly embraced by Puerto Ricans in New York, San Juan, and elsewhere. Puerto Ricans didn't invent salsa -- Cubans invented it -- but their contributions to it have been incredibly valuable. 1990s salsa is the focus of Oxfam Salsa, a collection that the World Music Network put out in 2000 in association with the charity Oxfam. Many of the selections are prime examples of modern Nuyorican-style salsa, including Jimmy Bosch's "La Cacharra," La Misma Gente's "El Perfume de Paris," Orquesta Guayac�n's "Vas a Llorar," and Yolanda Rayo's "Salsa con Sabor." However, Rayo, Guayac�n, and La Misma Gente aren't Nuyoricans -- they are all from Colombia, which is best known for cumbia but has its share of salseros. Meanwhile, Panamanian singer Leo Vanelli's "Porque Duele" exemplifies the softer salsa romantica style. And the CD also contains some 1990s recordings by veteran Cuban acts like Conjunto Casino ("Esta en Candela Mi Son"), Ibrahim Ferrer ("Que Bueno Baila Usted"), and the influential Septeto Nacional de Ignacio Pi�eiro ("La Chica de la Calle Madrid"). Septeto Nacional goes back to 1927, and even though Pi�eiro himself died in 1968, the "ghost band" has remained faithful to his musical vision. Hearing classic Pi�eiro-style son on the same CD as modern Nuyorican-style salsa, one can see how much Afro-Cuban music has evolved over the years. And one is also reminded of the creative debt that today's Puerto Rican (or in some cases, Colombian and Panamanian) salseros owe to Cuban legends like Pi�eiro and Beny Mor�. Excellent at its best and decent at its worst, Oxfam Salsa is worth picking up if you appreciate a variety of Afro-Cuban oriented sounds. ~ Alex Henderson

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