Cuban Originals

Xiomara Alfaro | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 20, 2000)
• Original Release Date: June 20, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: RCA Intl
• ASIN: B00004TQWD
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #582,321 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Siboney

2. Te Quiero Dijiste

3. Lagrimas de Estrellas

4. Luna Rossa

5. Angelitos Negros

6. Noche de Ronda, Amor, Amor

7. Malagueña

8. Anema E Core

9. Amor de Verano

10. Ochun

11. Mirame Asi

12. No Me Importa Lo Que Pienses

13. Baia

14. Duerme Negrita

15. Facundo

16. Serenata Mulata

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE ORIGINAL CUBAN CAMP, August 2, 2000

By 

Polly Chinela (Miami, FL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cuban Originals (Audio CD)

I love Xiomara Alfaro. I love her in spite of and because of her campiness. She is the epitome of Cuban camp. She is the queen of Cuban kitsch. She never made up her mind whether she wanted to sing legitimately or be a pop singer, so she opted for both, combining a classically trained voice with a pop repertoire to produce an Yma Sumac kind of je ne sais quoi hybrid. Indeed, she was Cuba's answer to Yma Sumac, although she was never as far-out as the Incan Diva.

Her mix of coloratura high jinks and popular music is what ultimately endeared Xiomara Alfaro to several generations. Who can forget her rendition of the italian standard Luna Rossa complete with coloratura runs? Her version of Siboney is equally tacky, with a display of staccati at the end that must have ruffled Maestro Lecuona's feathers. The woman was never a linguist. Just what language is that she uses for Luna Rossa? It is definitely not Italian or any of its dialects. Her portuguese in Baia is equally laughable. Apparently nobody advised her at the time of the recording sessions that in the word abraco the c is pronunced as an s, as it is marked with a cedilla.

But no problem. None whatsoever. The essence of Xiomara Alfaro is not musical perfection or linguistic prowess. She is to be enjoyed and treasured precisely for what she is, a lovely reminder that whatever the Cuban artists of her time lacked, they certainly were not lacking in originality. So to that end, I proclaim her the Queen of The Cuban Originals Series.

I play Xiomara Alfaro and she immediately puts me in a groovy, mellow mood (how sixties!). She brings me joy. She makes me laugh out loud at her awfulness. She's better than Prozac. I strongly recommend this CD to anyone who is depressed.

I also strongly urge BMG Us Latin to continue its Cuban Originals series and show the world that there is more to Cuban music than The Buena Vista Social Club. They can start by giving us the RCA recordings of another artist who reigned supreme in the field of camp, Bola de Nieve, whom I also adore. And let's not forget the RCA sides of Gonzalo Roig (In A Cuban Garden comes to mind) and El Cuarteto De Aida.

A great big kiss to Xiomara Alfaro and a big thanks to BMG US Latin for preserving her recorded legacy. After all is said and done, I, being a Cuban myself, would prefer that we be remembered for artists like Xiomara Alfaro, rather than for second class non-entities like Omara Portuondo and company.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Could't agree more with the previous reviewer!!, June 16, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Cuban Originals (Audio CD)

I also think that Xiomara gets as tackie as possible on these records, but the orchestrations are beyond believe. The Cuarteto D'Aida is a real jewel. I saw Xiomara Alfaro last year in Miami and what a dessaster she was. You can imagine this recording is from the fifties and we are talking 2002. She was premanently out of key, horrible body expression and all they were waiting for was for the circussie stuff. But it was great to see her. Nothing, just one of those masochists things we do once in a while in life!