Customer Reviews

Con El Permiso De Bola

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Bola de Nieve is the artist name of Ignacio Jacinto Villa (1931-1971). He was a pianist and singer, sort of a cuban Louis Armstrong. He would interpret latin ballads along with other international standards in his own style, mixing jazz and caribbean music in a very sentimental way. This recording brings together Cespedes on vocals and Rubalcaba on piano, to interpret the music of Bola. The quality of the recording is excellent and the performances of both artists are extraordinary. Together, they are able to capture and deliver Bola's feelings. I found particularly good the renderings of "Flor de la Canela" and "Drume Negrita", the latter in its modern version and in a "duet" mixing the vocals of Cespedes with Bola's old recordings. Rubalcaba's jazzy piano, which reminds of his collaboration with Charlie Haden in "Nocturne", rounds up an excellent album.

Having listened to his two earlier CD's, this one is slightly different. The songs are simple and full of Soul with a taste of Jazz. This is the kind of Music, that gets better the more You listen to it.

This is simply some of the most celestial music I have heard in over 50 years of listening. With my conservatory training, Rubalcaba is at times almost too dazzling. One can hear the Moscow influence. However, the story goes that Cespedes asked Rubalcaba to merely provide the "color" behind his vocals. What vocals! What timbre! What music this is.

Unfortunately my favorite, Alma Mia, No. 6 is not available for listening on Amazon. Roughly translated Alma Mia means Soul of Mine. The words alone are simply staggering. The performance on the CD does justice to the magic of Bola's creation. I'm not even a Latin jazz fan and this CD sends me time traveling back to Havana. Thanks to all who participated in this remarkable CD. I have bought a number of copies for my musician friends (those who make a living through their art).

Bola de Nieve is the artist name of Ignacio Jacinto Villa (1931-1971). He was a pianist and singer, sort of a cuban Louis Armstrong. He would interpret latin ballads along with other international standards in his own style, mixing jazz and caribbean music in a very sentimental way. This recording brings together Cespedes on vocals and Rubalcaba on piano, to interpret the music of Bola. The quality of the recording is excellent and the performances of both artists are extraordinary. Together, they are able to capture and deliver Bola's feelings. I found particularly good the renderings of "Flor de la Canela" and "Drume Negrita", the latter in its modern version and in a "duet" mixing the vocals of Cespedes with Bola's old recordings. Rubalcaba's jazzy piano, which reminds of his collaboration with Charlie Haden in "Nocturne", rounds up an excellent album.

"Permiso concedido, mi querido Francisco" diría el Bola. Pocas voces hoy en día tendrían tremenda licencia. Francisco Céspedes no solo cuenta con un timbre distintivo, hermoso y original sino que respira puro filin al interpretar el bolero y ahora al rendir este finísimo homenaje. Con este disco, dudo que Francisco desee imitar, copiar o hacer mímica de uno de los artistas más complejos y sui géneris que parió Cuba.

El formato de arreglos instrumentales a cargo de Jacobo Calderón y del genio del piano, Gonzalito Rubalcaba, redondean la belleza vocal e interpretativa de Céspedes. Y por último, si no se nos llenan los ojitos de lágrimas al escuchar al dúo Bola/Francisco gracias a la magia de la tecnología, es que tenemos que afinar nuestros oídos.

The 'sonically' restored "duet"' track just goes so counter to the here-and-now no special effects trickery that makes Cuban music so special. I own over 1000 Cuban cd's, and find this track so disturbing because it's such a non Cuban thing to do to the music, such a morbid special effect trick that has become so common place in other places (from the King Cole "duet" to those amazingly tacky commercials with dead movie stars mixed with current peddlers) but whose lack in Cuban music has made it such an oasis of musical honesty and beauty in world of mass produced soulless McMusic, maybe the last such artistic realm left in the world to those who value these attributes in all art forms.

The tile of the cd's means "with Bola's permission" well, I really doubt he would have given his permission for such a tacky hatchet job. Bola, who said "soy lo que soy porque soy cubano" (I am what I am because I am Cuban) would probably agree that this is most un-Cuban, and I can't think a greater condemnation I can give to a Cuban song.

Bola de Nieve was a good lounge singer, 50's style, from Cuba; he spoke his songs over music rather than singing them. Today his art sounds a little passé and unpolished, but if you are Cuban you still find something endearing in his old recordings... Poor Bola must be turning in his grave now that this awful CD is out. It's simply agonizing to hear, grating on the ear, appallingly unmelodical, with a maudlin style that's more psychotic than heartfel (which is not at all). Save your money and buy the real Bola de Nieve. You might like him.