SON – SOUL OF A NATION

‘they get the balance of slippery African polyrhythm and rough-hewn balladry absolutely right – offsetting their three velvet-rich male voices with tingling tres guitar and a gloriously sharp-toned trumpet’ Daily Telegraph Mark Hudson

“The polyrhythmic drumming, energising call and response, tumultuous brass and heart-tugging lyrics are all stunningly rendered here, as is that ripple of melancholy that underlies the best son and explains the frenetic attempt to play loud and have fun that this music represents” Metro, London

‘Sierra Maestra is the band par excellence’ Phoenix New Times

“The son remains the same but the group just gets better. Cuba’s Sierra Maestra prove that there will always be room for great music played by a great band. Here, tunes by Ignacio Pinero, Beny More, Bola de Nieve and Arsenio Rodriguez are all lovingly rendered in perfect clave rhythm with sharp trumpet breaks, shuffling maracas and rich, sentimental vocals that defy you not to move on the fast tracks or be moved by the ballads… It’s like a lesson in Cuban son in all its forms: the bittersweet love stories of the trova, the stell twang of the tres on the rural guajira-son, the fast steps of the slick son montuno, and the Afro-Cuban beats of the rumba. The sleeve notes are also well written, giving the words in Spanish and short summaries of the songs in English. This is a strong return to form for Sierra Maestra – it’s a beautifully focused work that doesn’t hit a bum note.’ Songlines

“This ebullient celebration of Cuban music serves as an introductory history of son, with Sierra Maestra offering versions of classics by such composers as Arsenio Rodriguez and Beny More. Recorded in Havana, this disc percolates with verve and energy. The Boston Globe

‘They play it like it flows through their veins, enjoy.’ Netrhythms

’ ‘The Cubans say if you don’t know son, you don’t know salsa. When you listen to Sierra Maestra, you start to understand what they’re talking about. This is a band with all the depth of sabor of a fine old Cuban rum; smooth, with a bitter sadness, and a fiery afterburn… Their latest release is a history of son, from its early days, through the additions of brass, trumpet and piano to the big band and modern son sound. This album, recorded in Havana, is set to become a classic and reintroduce son to a whole new generation.’ London Salsa Scene Info

‘There's plenty of melody here, as you'd expect, played with plenty of vigor and zest -- but there's also a great deal of tenderness, the full breadth of son and its possibilities. If you want to understand what makes son so special, not only to Cubans, but to the world, Son: Soul of a Nation is an excellent place to begin.” All Music Guide , USA

‘Highly recommended, and give these singers a medal.’ Descarga.com, USA

‘If son is indeed the soul of Cuba, then Sierra Maestra are the heartbeat at the center of that soul.’ World Music Central, USA

If you want something that's classic but fresh, no need to look further than this. Instead of a retread of some old tired soneros check out the vital sounds of Sierra Maestra. This record is a brilliant production. Full of variation and yet very cool.’  Hamburger Morgenpost, Germany

’This deceptively unpretentious performance was packed with musical thrills’
Evening Standard live review

 

RUMBERO SOY

‘Another instant classic…it’s the fact that glorious dance songs of romance, passion and love are captured with the atmosphere of a perfect gig that make Rumbero Soy another winner’ Songlines ‘recommends’

‘There are thrilling instrumental solos throughout, plenty of action and excitement, yet the whole album feels easygoing and relaxed’ Evening Standard

‘Dazzling new release from the godfathers of today’s Cuban boom.’ Traveller Magazine

Recorded in France, but as Cuban as rum and cigars, Rumbero Soy is proof of the enduring strength of Sierra Maestra’ Straight No Chaser

This hugely exciting ensemble has just come up with a typically addictive release in Rumbero Soy… there is much to enjoy on the new album from Cuba’s Sierra Maestra’ The Independent

Sierra Maestra were championing the traditional son sound long before the Buena Vista phenomenon, and here the nine-piece band trots out a set of new tunes with familiar rhythms and characteristic ability ****’
Wanderlust

Unlike a fine wine that mellows with age, Sierra Maestra remains as perky and bubbly as a bottle of recent vintage’ Global Rhythm Sept.’02

Sierra Maestra, from Havana, is topped by dramatic singers and a trumpet, and it revs itself up to a high-speed rumba in the title song ‘Rumbero Soy’’ New York Times

‘Rumbero Soy’ gives the boundaries of traditional son a good shove, pulling out all the stops to throw a musical shindig of addictive rhythms, sublime tres parts and trademark trumpet – all of which keep the grooves flowing’ Jazzwise

‘They continue to mine a classic son groove…and create the overwhelming feeling that they want you to join in their party’ HMV Choice

‘The ultimate cure for Cuban music fatigue’ New Internationalist

EARLIER COMMENT

“...Sierra Maestra’s success is built on their expert recreation of the classic son style of the great founding sextets of the 1920s and 1930s.” The Independent, London

“...Cuba’s finest trad son group...Tibiri Tabara is a fitting way to bring to a close a bumper year for Cuban music” MOJO, London

“...Tibiri Tabara is another classic reminder of Cuba’s remarkable musical history…all performed with passion, enthusiam and enormous energy” ****
The Guardian, London

“…the highlights of Tibiri Tabara are mostly for the dancefloor, including the irrepressible sucu-sucu of Felipe Blanco, the title track and the closing Anabacoa ”
Folk Roots, UK

“...tout y est fin, profond, senti..
It’s all there, deep and heart-felt: beautiful melodies, biting or caressing solos, the knife-edge entanglements of the percussion” L’Affiche, Paris

“…Tibiri Tabara ..nine amazing players, brass arrangements licked into precision by 20 years of playing like kings...an astonishing record.**** VOX, UK

“...Delightful reworking by veteran Cuban nonet of classics based on that country’s most vital musical staple, the son.” Billboard, USA

“…Sierra Maestra, whose sparking Tibiri Tabara ambitiously traces the development of son, he classic Afro-Cuban music form, from its sedate 19th century origins to the jazzier swing of modern salsa” The Times, London

“...Glorious and at times spectacular trumpet improvisation.” The Guardian

“...Serious musical expertise......Dundunbanza is an album to treasure. ****” Q (UK)

“...real warmth, vitality and passion” Sydney Morning Herald, Australia

“...Sierra Maestra are a class act...Dundunbanza is without doubt their best album to date with superb sound production to match” El Latino. UK

“ ...Sierra Maestra are spectacular - stratospheric trumpet improvisations, intricate tres patterns over bubbling percussion, and the call-and-response close harmonies are immaculate” The Wire, UK

“...Dundunbanza shows the band absolutely fired up and blasting out a selection of classic Cuban tunes with such passion, verve and subtlety that this certainly could be a classic release.... total tantric orgasm...every song is brilliant in some deep and subtle way.” The Beat, Dave Hucker , USA

“...The tres playing of Juan de Marcos Gonzalez is pure silk....Connoisseurs of the son genre will be pleasantly surprised by Sierra Maestra’s integrity and musicianship” Rhythm Music magazine, USA

“...Sierra Maestra’s music sparkles and punches” Folk Roots, Lucy Duran, UK

“...Sierra Maestra have totally reinvented and rejuvenated the son sound” Straight No Chaser, UK

“...A vital, push-pull, metronomic beat is elevated to the realms of the exceptional by the fleet tres, the lyrical trumpet ... and the lead singing of the two soneros”. MOJO, UK

“...La groupe donnerait une pêche d’enfer à une armée de déprimés. Les cuivres flamboyants et les voix cristallines s’envolent très haut dans les aigus.
The group would put fire in the bellies of a whole army of depressives. The flamboyant brass and the crystalline vocals soar to the heights. ffff ” Télérama, Paris

“...An album of such distinction it’ll be immediately accepted as a modern classic. Definitely one of the albums of 1994 Folk Roots, UK

“... the magic of Dundunbanza is that every track is a killer......this album is gorgeous”
TradeWind, UK

“...toda una lección para los salseros cubanos que andan coquetando con lo peor Salsa boricua o neoyorquina del momento.....¡qué delicia!
Dundunbanza is a lesson to all Cuban salseros who continue to fool with the worst Puerto Rican and New Yorkan salsa” El Manisero, Barcelona

“...subtle dynamics and shifts of gear, as well as the uncannily tight stops and starts. The real thing” Straight No Chaser, UK

“...Dundunbanza est un album frais dont les percussions chaleureuses, les cuivres fanfarons et les duos vocaux vertigineux des soneros défendent avec chaleur l’adage du Septeto Nacional.” (This is better left in French!) Vibrations, Switzerland