Customer Reviews

Nuyorican Soul [Vinyl]

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

.... I hope to hear this album on a weekly basis.

I bought the NuYoricanSoul album when it first came out and still,whenever I go into a bar, a restaurant or a club and hear the soulful tones of India and Jocelyn Brown, accompanied by Roy Ayers, George Benson and Tito Puente, Mastered by MAW (Lil' Louie Vega - The Bucketheads - and Kenny Dope Gonzalez).... I die and go to heaven. This is the music that you would want to accompany your laid-back, funky, sunny, HAPPY lifestyle. Since this album blew up, nobody has been able to match it.

Everyone who has this agrees that it is one of the best albums to come out of the 90's, and it's relatively undiscovered by the vultures, so it hasn't dated in trend or reputation.

What makes it so amazing is the fact that it's without genre - a fusion of soul, jazz, funk, Latin, Disco, Beats rhymes and life... It's a big part of mine, and if you like the sound of the above make it part of yours.

(but no, the Armand Van Helden remix of Runaway isn't on it)

This is one of the best Albums that I've ever heard.Not one track on this album isn't fresh and innovative.The 2 guys who brought us Nuyorican Soul are Lil' Louie Vega and Kenny 'Dope'Gonzalez.They also go under a variety of other names:Masters at Work(MAW),Kenlou and also on solo projects such as 'The Bucketheads'(Kenny) and 'Lil'Louie'. Most of this latter stuff is remixing or producing house music with a lot of latin-disco-jazz influence. As for this album it is a modern masterpiece with a really srong latin-disco-jazz vibe with many diverse yet exciting tracks.This album would stand alone if it were just by Louie and Kenny but the guest appearences by divas like Jocelyn Brown and India plus kings like Roy Ayers,Tito Puente and of course George Benson make it shine out far above the rest. As some other reviewer said:Don't lend it to your friends,go make them buy their own copy because believe me they'll thank you for it.

This album was quite a pleasant suprise for me. I knew very little, if nothing, about this group. I only heard "Runaway" on the radio, but I was so impressed by that song that I decided to get the album. I don't know about all you folks out there, but for me, whenever I buy an album for one good song, the rest of the album is never up to the same level as that ONE song. This album will prove the contrary. Virtually every song on the album is as good as the other. What I also love about this album is that it crosses so many different genres of music, while making it actually sound in harmony with one another! Far too often artists try to do this mixing and matching of different genres but the end results sounds so abstract and with no streamline flow to it, however Nuyorican Soul is a wonderful mix of Latin-House-R&B-Smooth Jazz-Ambient-Soul all in one! This album also has some great contributions by some classic artists, like George Benson and Roy Ayers. Be sure to check it out!!!

This CD is constantly in my car, office and home players these days. It doesn't seem to stop stimulating, excite and move me. An extraordianry experience. If you're into Latin+Jazz+Funk - trust me, you'll love it.

This CD will move you from the "Nuyorican Soul Intro" to "You Can Do It (Baby)" you will not be able to stop. It will make you sweat trying to keep up with its ecclectic, engrossing energy. If you like jazz, latin beats and dance music you will love this CD. Don't let your friends borrow your Nuyorican Soul, they will never give it back. Five stars are not nearly enough.

Although the `Nuyorican Soul' tag is misleading as this is a production by dance duo "Masters At Work" and although there is certainly a very danceable flow to the music, its more so in a Latin/Salsa party atmosphere kind of way, and a million miles away from a traditional dancefloor album. Not that any of this matters as the `Jocelyn Brown' sung "I am The Black Gold of the Sun" has long since been one of the most fantastical summertime House/Jazz records ever made. In fact Jazz/Salsa artists feature prominently with tracks here "Roy Ayers" (Roy's Scat)..."George Benson" (You Can Do It (Baby)....and "Eddie Palmieri" (Taita Cañeme) provided big name entertainment, as well as Masters at Work (which consists of: Kenny Dope Gonzales and Little Louie Vega), on several superb productions, and also one of the most substantial albums made by the duo, and provides an album that works on within an upbeat & Downtempo atmosphere.

Something about Nuyorican Soul sound that has encaptivated the ears of almost anyone that comes close to a decible. From Jocelyn Brown's awakening "I am the Black Gold of the Sun." to the scat on "You can do it Baby", Nuyorican Soul will take you on an incredible journey of dance, soul, and laughter. Oh, and I can't forget the very repeat friendly "Sweet Tears" remix featuring Roy Ayers. If you like deep house, eclectic grooves, acid jazz, or anything Masters at Work--- you will love this album. For those of you who are late to digest this 98 work of wax, I urge you to seek Nuyorican Soul, and uh sorry to put you up on it about 4 years later.

I actually had NEVER previously heard of Nuyorican Soul when I bought this CD. I was shopping at the mall and had found a used CD my friend had been looking for and decided to skim the 'used CD rack' to see if there was anything I wanted (the price was right...)

When I saw Nuyorican Soul, it looked very different and interesting to me. So I picked it up not knowing what to expect. What I got was something new, innovative, and catchy!

This is a wonderfully eclectic mix of Jazz, Salsa, and other smooth Sinatra-esque sounds. It is unlike anything I have ever heard and I love it to pieces.

If you want something that's new and fresh to spicen up your CD player, don't hesitate! BUY THIS ALBUM!

What defines the characteristics of album that can really be called great? Is it something like ''Sticky Fingers'' that will be enjoyed by generation after generation until the world explodes into a million pieces of dusty vinyl or is it something like ''Whats Going On'' or ''Volunteers'' that, through their crackles, production and melody also defines the environment it was made in so that it serves as a perfect historical reference as well as something that just sounds good?

Or is it a work of art that makes you ache in wonder at the talent and circumstances of it's creation like Nuyorican Soul, conjuring images of dusty backstreets in puerto rico, disco parties at Studio 54 and b-boys standing in street corners in Brooklyn. With ''Nuyorican Soul'', the Masters at Work team (Kenny 'Dope' Gonzalez) and 'Little' Louie Vega') set out to create a patchwork of music as rich and diverse as New York itself.

The tracklisting includes cover versions of songs recorded originally by musicians that were called back into the studio for the Nuyorican Soul project as well as original tracks written by the 'MAW' production duo. Tito Puente, George Benson, Roy Ayres and even Jazzy Jeff feature on what is now an absolutely essential item within every music lovers collection. Latin, blues, jazz, disco and even house music are put together as the end of one track blends with the start of the next. The result is a musical collage that is so perfect in its musicality, production and sequencing that it should rightly be called a masterpiece by label boss and Radio 1 DJ Gilles Peterson.

The album opens with a short hip hop beat introduction to the production duo and then quickly moves into one of the stand out and probably best known tracks ''Black Gold of the Sun'', an orchestral soul classic with an immediately recognizable piano riff opening. The central section of the album remains firmly in latin and jazz territory, rhythm and musicality oozing from its every beat before moving uptempo for the final section where George Benson, Roy Ayres and Jazzy Jeff feature. The George Benson guitar solo on the final track ''You Can Do it Baby'' is reason enough to sit back and enjoy the rest of the album.

If you can appreciate music in all its forms and genres, recognize how difficult it is to play and produce music with a variety of techniques and instruments to such a high standard then Nuyorican Soul needs to be on your shopping list.

I previously owned Nuyrocian Soul several years ago. It mysteriously vanished from my home. I have searched high and low in an attempt to find it again. I have, and I've purchased it for the second time. If I lost it again, I would make a third purchase. If you love funk, jazz and latin, this is the cd for you. I highly recommend it.