Customer Reviews

Descarga Total

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4 star:		(2)
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NEW 2000 RELEASE FROM MARACA, WHO'S LEADER ORLANDO "MARACA" VALLE IS CONSIDERED TO BE ONE OF THE TOP FLUTE PLAYERS IN THE LATIN JAZZ GENRE. DESCARGA TOTAL ! IS AN EXCITING ALBUM THAT CAPTURES THE SPIRIT OF THE CUBAN DESCARGA(CUBAN JAM SESSION) IN ALL IT'S GLORY. THIS RECORDING RUNS THE GAMUT OF CUBAN MUSIC BY SHOWCASING SUCH STYLES AS SON, GUAJIRA, MAMBO, CHA-CHA-CHA AND AFRO-CUBAN DESCARGA.SPECTACULAR SOLOS ARE TAKEN BY MARACA HIMSELF, ON FLUTE, CHANGUITO ON TIMBALES AND PANCHO AMAT ON TRES. VALLE HAS BEEN AN INTEGRAL PART OF GREAT CUBAN GROUPS SUCH AS IRAKERE AND CUBANISMO.THERE ARE MANY SWINGING TRACKS ON THIS FINE RECORDING THAT STAND OUT , INCLUDING: THE TITLE TRACK, "PA' GOZAR PILON" AND "TUMBAO PA' CHANGUITO". DESCARGA TOTAL! WAS CREATED WHILE THE GROUP WAS SOAKING IN THE REACTION OF DANCERS THROUGHOUT IT'S WORLD TOURS AND DEFIES YOU TO SIT STILL WHILE LISTENING !

The first 4 songs are really good. It is worth your money. Josephine.

This is by far the most amazig CD that I own. Its jam packed with sensuous sounds, honoring traditional Cuban rythms with a modern twist. This is like no other CD I have heard in the last couple of years, by far these musicians are extremely talented and their sounds are very superior to those from other Carribbean islands. The energy and passion is sure to blow off your speakers. If you don't own this CD, you're really missing out! It will keep you dancing all night long!

"Descarga Total" (it means "Jam Session") is the latest release from leader and flautist Maraca and his band. All excellent musicians (this is Cuba were talking about, right!) they are leading exponents of Cuban Jazz which is a great concoction of Cuban rhythms allied to Jazz discipline and creativity.

The band has succeeded in producing a CD which mixes great compositions and high levels of musicianship. Maraca started his career with the very excellent Chucho Valdes and his band Irakere (check out some of their CDs most of which are outstanding) who, except for the US embargo against Cuba would be as huge in the US as they are in Europe. Anybody who has heard Irakere will know that they are a tough act to follow but in my opinion Maraca manages it. The sounds of the flute is entirely appropriate to the feel of the music and Maraca plays beautifully

There are many excellent cuts on this CD but the first "Descarga Total" and the second "Oye Guajira Mi Son" are particularly good. Congratulations to Maraca for writing all of the material to such a high standard. My feeling is that there is a lot more excellent music left to come out of this guy!

This band is now, in my opinion, the Latin Jazz outfit to watch, or more precisely, listen to and I will be following their progress with great interest.

An unhesitating recommendation; buy this!

What a refreshing disk this is! I was beginning to lose some of my enthusiasm for Cuban music because a few recent disks have seemed too blatantly commercial and over-marketed, a little too much geared to ride a wave of popularity. Here's a disk where everyone is just having a blast and enjoying the music. There is a fine combination of traditional sounds and rhythms and yet with a little, good-natured, satirical bent. For example, they nod and pay their respects to Perez Prado in the mambo-cha, but with a grin on their faces. Listen to the pizzicati strings, or to the way the piano suddenly barges in. This song and the superb opening track would make the album getting just by themselves. The rest of the tracks are fine, too. Excellent musicianship and ensemble playing, freshness and verve.

For lover's of Cuban music and its derivations, particularly the big band varieties, I highly recommend this album. Right from the first song, 'Descarga Total', this recording is high energy, fast, danceable music. The second song 'Oye Guajira mi son' is PACKED with sabor -- done right, the way it should be! I'm also a big fan of the seventh song, Mambo con Chachacha with its loud trumpet and pumping rhythm. I had the good fortune of catching Orlando Valle playing at SOB's in New York and I was thrilled to hear them play BETTER live (and with only half their band) -- which is saying a lot considering how over-produced some albums are these days.

The description of the songs in the liner notes was also very helpful for me in distinguishing the different veins of development in Cuban music, as well as the various influences.

I've listened to lots of dance music from Cuba, Puerto Rico, Columbia, Dominican Republic, Congo, and the United States (NY, Miami and LA). Descarga Total is one of the BEST new albums I've heard in a while and I highly recommend it -- and if you can, go and see them play live!

Orlando "Maraca" Valle is a child prodigy who has been playing the flute since the tender age of 6. I was turned on to "Maraca" a few years ago when he first formed his band, "Otra Vision" (Translation: A new vision or new way of looking at things.) At the time he was playing mostly Latin-Jazz with a very progressive edge. Since then, "Maraca" has leaned more towards dance oriented music with mixed results. In my opinion, his last release entitled "Afrocubanjazzproject" was disappointing at best.

On this effort, entitled "Descarga Total" (the word "descarga" means jam session) "Maraca" and crew sound like they are having one big party and really enjoying themselves.

As I stated previously, this is party music, however, "Maraca" and crew have put together quite a repertoire on this effort. There is son, guajira, a danzon, rap-son, mambo, salsa, afro-descarga and cha-cha. "Maraca" and crew do it all in good taste and maintain a high level of musicianship throughout.

I am not familiar with some of the artists and guest stars, however, I was very impressed with the vocal stylings of Yumuri and the legendary Changuito on percussion. My favorite tracks thus far: "Solo me quede" and "Yoruba song."

This recording grows on you with every listen. Enjoy!