Customer Reviews

El Ultimo Trago

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

For those of you who love a sultry, deep, playful voice with infectious rhythms, Buika is a wonderful discovery. Her CD Mi Nina Lola, released a few years ago, is a blessing. This CD she released, with Chuco Valdes on piano, is beautiful. Her voice plays off his piano, and vice-versa in a way that is hynotizing. See her in person if you get the chance. We saw her in Miami recently to a captivated, sold-out audience. FIVE stars!

Buika comes from Palma de Mallorca. She was raised there the only person of African descent in a neighborhood of gypsies, who taught her the traditional "cante" flamenco. She likes to mix styles -flamenco and coplas with jazz, rumba, soul. Her smoky voiced vocals ring with emotion and she moves around the rhythm like a good jazz singer does. In this album she is backed by a killer group led by Cuban piano virtuoso Chucho Valdes. (Valdes first came to US attention when Dizzy Gillespie came back from a jazz tour to Cuba and raved about the Cuban jazz ensemble, Irakere, which was fronted by Valdes, trumpeter Arturo Sandoval and saxophonist-clarinetist Paquito D'Rivera. This is an excellent album and easily accessible. It's great music to listen to on a long drive.

This is the most recent album of Concha Buika. Her voice is amazing and very distinctive. A flamenco voice with a jazzy trail, the combination is great. On top of that Chucho Valdez with his talent!!!

I cannot begin to describe the beauty of this album. Buika provides immaculate emotion to each song, reviving what has been lost over the years. If you grew up with these songs you'll love this album, and if you just love the old latin music of the 50s and 60s, this album is perfect. In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with this album, it is perfect in every way, although I don't get the album cover? Overall, the choice of songs is amazing, the arrangments and performances are haunting and beautiful, and this is a fine album of latin music overall. If you buy one latin album this year, make sure it is this one.

Soledad: 9/10
Sombras: 9/10
Las Cuidades: 9/10
Cruz de Olvido: 10/10
El Andariego: 10/10
En el Último Trago: 10/10
Se Me Hizo Facil: 10/10
Un Mundo Raro: 10/10
Las Simples Cosas: 9/10
Somos: 9/10
Luz de Luna: 10/10
Vamonos: 10/10

115/120= 96= 96/20= 4.8= 5 STARS (or a ridiculuosly perfect album)

As a Mariza devotee it was an obligation for me to buy this album. Concha Buika sings on Mariza's "Terra" album. The producer of "Terra", Javier Limon, plays beautiful guitar here. And, Chucho Valdes played piano for Mariza. I was not disappointed. Concha's raspy voice required a little adjustment for my ears. Her voice lacks the obvious beauty heard in Mariza or Toni Childs. Concha proves it's not what you have, but how you use it that matters. This album has a rich textured feel that rewards repeated listening. I love it.

Buika has a voice and a vocal style that are so unique and mesmerizing that once heard it is next to impossible not to collect all her recordings. This latest recording was made with Choco Valdes on piano and the two together seem to sail into a realm of misterioso that keeps the listener returning for more. Very much in the 'cante jondo' style of flamenco music Buika creates an illusion of magical spiritual seances with her sound. Her gypsy background in Mallorca is strongly evident in this CD called EL ULTIMO TRAGO ('the last mouthful'). Sultry, sexy, dangerous, and sensual.

Listening to Buika sing make this listener want to pair her with the enormously gifted Spanish artist - Lita Cabellut - who likewise came from a background of gypsy life, living in the streets, soaking up the underbelly of life yet pulling those beginnings into her huge canvases - portraits of Frida Kahlo, prostitutes, Don Quixote/Sancho Panza/Dulcinea. Coupling these tow giant artists would be a spectacular event! Grady Harp, June 11

I love this DC. The combination of Chucho Valdez and Buika was an excellent choice!

This album is just a triumph! it is not only a great bolero standards album but also thanks to Buika's soulful interpretation, a great latin jazz album, she is able to walk between the two worlds enriching both styles instead of diluting them. The other great thing for me personally is that it transports me to my childhood when my mother used to listen to and sing many of these songs. The arrangements by Chucho Valdes are also masterful, this is I hope the first of many other collaborations between these two artists. Buika proves again that she has no musical limits.

This CD was everything I heard it was. Great collaboration and as usual Buika soars to another level. A great way for someone to become familiar with a very specific gendre of latin music.

We are really enjoying this beautiful collection. The collaboration of Buika with Chucho Valdez is enchantingly atmospheric.