Customer Reviews

Eco de Sombras (Echo of Shadows)

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I had the good luck to walk into a music shop in Sydney that had Susana's CD playing. Immediately captured by the beauty of the voice and the guitar I listened further and purchased. Knowing nothing about Susana Baca until three days ago, I am now a committed fan.

Singing in what is described as an Afro-Peruvian style (naturally in Spanish), Susana sounds like a cross between Cassandra Wilson and Cesaria Evora. She sings of slavery, lost love and heartbreak. A plus is that the lyrics are printed in both Spanish and English. Although Susana's singing style and delivery convey the poetry in the music it was rewarding to read a full translation of the beautiful verse.

Production is appropriately bluesy and subdued but it never suppresses the emotion of the singer. The CD was produced by Craig Street who does such a great job with Cassandra Wilson. De Los Amores will break your heart and Los Amantes will move you. The rest of the tracks will transport you to a smoky jazz bar in Lima where a lone guitarist accompanies Ms Baca as lovers twirl on the dance floor. A true gem and a fine example of how music can transport you to another time and another place.

This woman's song is so strong that it is apparent from the first track to the last that she has got incredible soul. The sheer poetry, and excellant musicianship of Los Amantes made me weep. I cant imagine in person what this music must be.

Susana has a beautiful voice and a wonderful presence. She expresses the poetry in each of her songs without sounding contrived. There are many styles coming together in her music (African, Peruvian, Cuban, and even a little Juju). The rhythms in her songs are gorgeous and hypnotic. My favorite songs on this album are "Valentin", "Poema", and "El Mayoral". I saw her perform live in Chapel Hill and bought this recording. The presence that she projects on this recording is even better live. If she is performing at a venue near you, don't hesitate!

The recording quality on this CD is not so poor that it deserves one star! I appreciate the fact that David Byrne did not try to make Susana sing an amplified duet with Andrea Boccelli and a drum machine, or suffocate her in yet another Eno/Lanois production. The recording would have been better with more natural ambience, but the music is so good that you really won't notice.

I came across Susana Baca on a compilation cd, and immediately fell in love with her voice. I don't speak spanish, so I treat this cd as an instrumental, and she has perfected her instrument. This is simply beautiful and hypnotizing.

Eco De Sombras is a slow, brooding, and intense collection of songs. Susana Bacas' voice is clear, refined, and very emotional. She sings poem-like songs with careful attention to diction. It seems she wants to make sure the audience clearly understands that the lyrics are just as important as the music. Thus, the lyrics become poems and the music becomes a companion. But again, her voice is full of emotion - just singing the word "nosotros" on Los Amantes is a song by itself. I wish the musicians could have more say in the songs and less bass would have been nice. Having said that, I keep playing this CD over and over again. Overall, this CD has a great mix of different sounds. If your bored with your current CD collection and you need to listen something meaningful- give this CD a try.

You will hear Cuba and Brazil in this recording with a dash of Argentina (a tango?). Baca's voice is ravishing and filled with longing. A must for fans of accoustic Latin music and great female vocalists.

This CD is the absolute best of Afro-Peruvian music. It is romantic, steamy, and bold. I can't wait for her to return to the states on tour.

I can't stop listening to this CD. Susana's voice is so smooth that it can only be described as pure beauty. The songs are melodic and memorable. Her voice and style is reminiscent of some of the great vocalists of our time. It's a mellow CD for the most part, but has a few upbeat songs. Get this CD.

I discovered this CD accidentally and I haven't been able to stopy playing it. I carry around 1,500 songs on my iPod, but I've been playing this over and over again for the past 4-5 days. The music is so rich and poetic that every time I hear a song I seem to discover something new about it. I don't understand Spanish, but the phonetics of the words are so beautiful that they are songs all by themselves. I highly recommend this CD and can't wait to get her entire discography.

Do not let the previous review keep you from enjoying Ms. Baca's talent and beautiful music. I guess you have to understand the background of the singer and the music, read the lyrics (and maybe listen to it more than once)to appreciate it. Many of the songs are poems that explore a number of aspects of the afro-peruvian experience, including love and suffering. I had the opportunity to go to one of her concerts (Austin, last year), and I really loved her. I have listened to this CD many times and some of the arrangements, although simple, are well executed. No, the rythm is not salsa! In my opinion this CD is worth buying.