salsa around the world - various (Putumayo)   coming Soon

salsa around the world - various artists

Although there are expatriate Latin and Cuban musicians present here and there, all of the groups hail from non-Spanish speaking countries. I would also like to point out that there are no remixes. All the entries are in-time performances on real instruments. And they’re off. Scottish group “Salsa Celtica” jumps the gun with “El Sol De La Noche” melding an incredibly catchy Scottish-sounding theme, compulsive call and response chorus and a flute that manages to evoke both Cuba and the desolation of the highlands….all over a fat cha cha cha beat, agile vocal sonerismo and outstanding musicianship. Gimme A Break!

Incredibly Italian group Havana Mambo sprints head to head with a great song and vocal, brass to do Perez Prado proud and a spurt of ska. Curacao’s Arnell I Su Orkesta refuse to call it quits with a salsa son featuring a very poisonous tres solo. Stick that in your authenticity pipe .and smoke it. There’s a Greek group valiantly concocting a salsaflaki with Andean overtones while still running. Senegal’s Toure Kunda realise that the only way to break the pack is to scatter it with some very hyperkinetic salsa rhythms. “And we all know that hyperkinesis can only be defeated by the melisma of Morocco”, retorts Mousta Largo as she chants “Ana Maria”. “If Santana can get a Grammy, so can I”,pipes a young fellow named Shaan as he cha’s his Indian pop and spices it with what sounds like the wail of Carlos’ baby. “Stuff the salsa!” says Senegalese Babacar with his group Sabor International. “The only way I’m going to be first across that line is to go back to my charanga roots and convince latin aficionados with my genuine soulfulness.”

Faced with overwhelming form the Japanese contestants Orquesta De La Luz realise that the only chance they’ve got against this bunch of smartypants maestros is……magic….. invade the bodies of really great Puerto Rican and Cuban musicians, eat their souls and shake the world with flowers and drums…”Flores y Tambores”. You don’t believe me, do you? You will. Richard Bona from Cameroon has a foolproof strategy. “Keep cool man…very harmonically cool… almost stratospheric with a gentle vocal touch ….but keep the beat pumping the bag like Mohammed Ali…stinging and fluttering….then make the cross-rhythms so fiercely complex that the dancers pass out on the mat. Will that work?” “This is all getting a bit too much for us”, cry Finland’s El Septeto as they resort to a 30’s Cuban son classic “Runidera” But wait. Is it a fight on the track? No. It’s an orgy. Least favourite ranked twelfth Haitian competitors Haitiando have pipped the post.

They’ve somehow grabbed a traditional Cuban son groove, mixed it with kompa, extended it into a bubbling afro-swing, punctuated their entry “Pa Koute Konsey” with rich, soulful vocals and if that weren’t enough had the impertinence to top it off with one of the greatest violin solos of all time. I’m really cheesed off and in an unsympathetic mood. A Cuban aficionado next to me dripping with sweat turns and asks through misty eyes;” Fue eso la Sonora Mantancera cantando en frances? No entiendo…no entiendo.” “Don’t come crying to me, mate” I reply “I bet all my salsa records on Orquesta de La Luz.”