Bossa Cubana

Los Zafiros

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 6, 1999)
• Original Release Date: July 6, 1999
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Nonesuch
• ASIN: B00000JG3C
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #123,603 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

"Cuban doo-wop" is good shorthand for the sound of this enormously appealing quintet. But Bossa Cubana, an exhumation of 17 tracks by '60s stars Los Zafiros, is even more unpredictable than that phrase would leave you to believe. The music here carries echoes of everything from Beny More (sans horn section) to Little Anthony and the Imperials, while often sounding like a secret influence on Chris Isaak. Los Zafiros are at their most affecting when wailing and harmonizing over slow-dance tempos; listen to their Spanish translation of "My Prayer" ("Mi Oracion"), and you'll never hear the Platters quite the same way again. --Rickey Wright

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Zeitgeist of 60s Cuba, August 9, 1999

By A Customer

This is an extraordinary soundtrack to Sixties Havana from an extraordinary band. The CD is beautifully packaged with great sleeve notes. Unfortunately, the CD is missing "Hermosa Havana", the best Zafiros track in my opinion, but this is still an outstanding disc.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must have, July 23, 1999

By	L. Campbell (Bellingham, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

These guys are amazing. The music -- a fusion of salsa, bossa nova, doo-wop, R&B and more -- is great, and surprisingly sophisticated. The vocals are fantastic -- and the tenor (soprano?) of Ignacio Elejalde blows away Frankie Lymon or any other doo-wop legend you can name.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars awesome, June 6, 2000

By	lucy (Miami, Florida USA) - See all my reviews

awesome cd. Brought back lots of memories. Sometimes we forget how rich our culture really is. I use to listen to them a lot back home in my native Cuba. I even know all of the songs by heart. It is a pity that Hermosa Havana is not included, but is excellent anyway. By the way, saw the movie about them in Miami a while back.