Eco de Sombras: Echo of Shadows

Susana Baca

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 29, 2000)
• Original Release Date: February 29, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Luaka Bop
• ASIN: B00004LMKW
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #179,385 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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  Music > World Music > South & Central America > Peru

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com's Best of 2000
Eco de Sombras, Peruvian diva Susana Baca's second album for the David Byrne-helmed Luaka Bop label, both lives up to the mystical implications of its title ("Echo of Shadows") and places her exquisite voice in the center of ancient-to-the-future acoustic grooves that make it an instant beyond-category classic. Watching her try to top this one will be a great pleasure for music fans! --Rickey Wright

Amazon.com
In her Spanish-language songs about love, heritage, and slavery days, Susana Baca elevates the nearly extinct Afro-Peruvian blues--its sambas, landos, and alcatraz rhythms--to high art. Like Bahia diva Virginia Rodrigues or Cape Verde morna singer Cesaria Evora, Baca is part of a new generation of international female vocalists who take an almost chamber-music approach to their respective styles. On this album, that means augmenting her usual band with such musical guests as keyboardist John Medeski (of Medeski Martin & Wood) and electric guitarist Marc Ribot (Los Cubanos Postizos), who add almost imperceptible instrumental shimmers to her band's understated yet undeniably robust (and often Cuban-flavored) grooves. Like the blues, Baca's resonant lamentations, sung in a voice reminiscent of antique bamboo, transcend sadness with deeper and subtler emotional flavors. --Richard Gehr

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Poetry, Music and Emotions, August 7, 2000

By	Rob (Sydney, Australia) - See all my reviews

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.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Peruvian Makeba, March 13, 2000

By	inoncia - See all my reviews

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.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Relaxing and Evocative Poetry, July 5, 2000

By	Mike (North Carolina, USA) - See all my reviews

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.