Customer Reviews

The First Album

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

 

 

since i bought the original albums in the 70's and not the reissues i will say they are still ahead of there time.leader Chico Alvarez later became a Prof/Teacher at William Patterson College. Herbie Morgan and Billy Phipps were pro jazz players as sidemen on many popular albums and are from the newark,new jersey area as were many of the band. the rthyms were authentic and solos hot and vocals smooth as can be.Tito Puente also enjoyed Ocho's fusion of styles which he had pioneered decades before.mainly a studio band they enlisted several pro latino singers for the dance numbers.one was Elliot Romero and Pete Marin who's brother Orlando was a famous bandleader, who sang english/spanish/soul and i believe Willie Torres of Joe Cuba fame sang brilliantly with Ocho.all in all a concept that would fit in even today with recycled sounds being so prevalent.

I have the orginal album. It is timeless and the best example of complex salsa rhythms especially with the combination of the sax and rhythm section. The vocals are outstanding. Orginally not generally accetped but today considered to the best examples of early salseros...

Obviously Ocho is eight and Spanish. And eight hours ago, I didn't know Ocho, the band, existed. I discovered them in the best of ways, but first I'd like to tell you about 1, the album I have been listening to for the last ocho hours.


This is Latin funk and some of the best I have listened to for a long time. I am no expert in this area, but I know good music when I sniff its trail. Now, along with Ray Barretto, Malo, Harvey Averne, and about ocho hundred other such artists the music gods have been good enough to smile on me comes these guys.

What impresses me about Ocho is the rock and the polish. This album certainly was aiming at a early 1970s rock audience--look at the effort put in the cover. And there is a funky rock drive to much of this music.

But there is little guitar, a ton of fantastic vibraphone--which I have a natural bias towards--and the playing is just immaculate. The surface of this music is smooth as 70s space-age furniture--not the type of modern slick from digital production, but the radiance that comes from players who are totally confident with both their abilities and the elegance of their material. Listen just for instance to "Undress My Mind," to hear the sublime vocals and natural varnish of the band.

SO, anyhow about Ocho hours ago, I am driving and listening to WMFU, the last great free form station in the world, and the DJ, Monica, plays some material from Tom Dissevelt, a Dutch electronic composer, and then segues perfectly into "Undress My Mind." Totally unrelated, but if you love music, you can find the hooks anyplace.

Anyway, I just had to get both, and, ironically, both are now burnt onto one CD from Amazon for about Ocho bucks. All listened to, down loaded and reviewed for you in only Ocho hours.

So life goes in the 2010 world of free form radio, Amazon
downloads and Amazon reviews. I wonder what number will come up tomorrow.