Susana Baca [ORIGINAL RECORDING REISSUED]

Susana Baca

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 28, 2000)
• Original Release Date: 1997
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording reissued
• Label: Luaka Bop
• ASIN: B00004RD0K
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #325,534 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Track Listings

1. Negra Presuntuosa

2. Molino Molero (Crushing Mill)

3. Heces (Sediment)

4. Tu Mirada y Mi Voz (Your Gaze and My Voice)

5. Zamba Malató

6. Luna Llena (Full Moon)

7. Caras Lindas (Beautiful Faces)

8. Se Me Van los Pies (My Feet Go)

9. Enciéndete Candela (Light the Flame)

10. Señor de los Milagros (Lord of Miracles)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Two years ago David Byrne's Luaka Bop label released Afro-Peruvian Classics: The Soul of Black Peru, a compilation album that shone a light on the overlooked music of the descendants of African slaves on South America's West Coast. Because Peru's black communities are smaller and less self-contained than those in, say, Brazil or Cuba, the African beats are more integrated with Spanish guitar and Andean melodies. The result is a music of rippling rhythms and lilting lyricism, and no one sings it more convincingly than Susana Baca, who led off the anthology. Now she has released her first U.S. album, Susana Baca. The 10 songs, all sung in Spanish with English translations in the CD booklet, are a mix of traditional Afro-Peruvian numbers and new compositions; there's even a Cesar Vallejo poem set to music. The newer songs reflect the literary ambitions and nuanced harmonies of Latin America's "nueva cancion" movement. On Simon Diaz's "Luna Llena," Andean panpipes set up Baca's dreamy musing, "I saw a dark heron struggling in a river; that's how your heart falls in love with mine." On Tite Curet Alonso's "Caras Lindas," the "cajon," the rhythm box, creates the push-and-pull beat that propels Baca's assertion that "My black people are a parade of molasses in bloom." No matter what the song, she sings with a seductive, smoky tone that camouflages her highly disciplined control of phrasing. --Geoffrey Himes

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Exciting, Simple, August 3, 2001

By A Customer

One of the best CDs I've bought in a long time. The grace and sophistication of Baca's voice are allowed to shine on this one. Many of her recordings have been marked by over-production or color-by-number arrangements that blunted the beauty of her voice. Not this one. Baca's voice is sexy, even more so because of the restraint she shows. Where most vocalists would cut loose with vocal aerobatics Baca teases you with simple and deliberate control. The band is clean, imaginitive and simple. Top quality arrangements don't allow the band to hide. Lesser musicians would have fallen flat. These guys offer shifts and solos that are so clean they cause you to grin.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Best CDs of the Year!, July 16, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Susana Baca (Audio CD)

I stumbled upon this CD while shopping at one of the major music stores in NYC. It was being played over the PA system. The music stopped me dead in my tracks! I ran and bought it on the spot. This should be listed as one of the best CDs of the year. All beautifully sung melodies by Ms. Baca harks back to a place and time when black Peruvian slaves and their descendants sang about their joys, hopes and desires to each other. Every song on ths CD will either move you to tears or make you dance the "lando." If you love afro-latino based musical traditions (salsa, samba, afro-cuban jazz, merengue, plenea or yoruban-type music) then I suggest that you make this a MUST in your CD collection! You won't regret it.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome; her best work, February 1, 2003

By	S (Boston, MA USA) - See all my reviews

This is, in my opinion, Susana Baca's best work, and one of my favorite recordings PERIOD. It is her best both compositionally and vocally, as well as the quality of the arrangements and the percussion section and the passion of the music. This recording has also quickly become a classic of afroperuvian music, with stunning traditional percussion backing up hauntingly beautiful melodies. You will not be disappointed.