Un Gran Dia en el Barrio

Spanish Harlem Orchestra

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 17, 2002)
• Original Release Date: September 17, 2002
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Rope a Dope
• ASIN: B00006IZNW
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #48,839 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
We all know that Harlem was the home of the fabled African-American renaissance of the '20s and the birthplace of bebop in the '40s. But it was also the spawning ground for Latin jazz, the boogalo, and the Hispanic musical lingua franca also known as salsa. The title of this CD, which translates as "A Great Day in the Neighborhood," was inspired by the famous '50s jazz portrait by photographer Art Kane. It aurally illustrates the overlooked contributions of the Puerto Rican musicians from Spanish Harlem who created salsa and kept Cuban music alive in America during the early years of the Cuban embargo. With the talented Rubén Blades pianist Oscar Hernandez serving as musical director, this band of NYC's top Latin musicians (featuring bongo drummer Bobby Allende, bassist Rubén Rodriguez, singers Jimmy Sabater and Herman Oliveira, and trumpeter Ray Vega) lay down some serious, no-nonsense salsa dura grooves. This clave-powered crash course features some heavyweight selections, including Tito Puente's "Mama Guela," the enchanting Pedro Flores bolero "Obsesión," and the Willie Colón/Hector Lavoe classic "La Llego la Banda." The mambo, cha-cha-cha rumba, and guajira are blended together in a zesty musical dish by these Puerto Ricans in the Big Apple, and it's a dish best served on the dance floor. --Eugene Holley, Jr.

Product Description
This record is Spanish Harlem's answer to Cuba's Buena Vista Social Club. Slipcase. Ropeadope Records. 2002.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Nuyorican vs Cuban - There is a difference, July 3, 2004

By	Daniel Fernandez (Sydney, New South Wales Australia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

First of all, on the record, it's a decent album. But the new album - Across 110 st - is better. But the bolero "Obsesion" is done perfectly and is worth the CD just for that. Further "Vale Mas Un Guaguanco" is slamming. Again though, the new album is better, if only it has Ruben Blades on 4 tracks.

Also, comparing Buena Vista Social Club (BVSC) to Spanish Harlem orchestra is like comparing Apples to Oranges. BVSC are firmly rooted in the Cuban "salsa" tradition, whereas SHO are rooted in the Nuyorican tradition. There is a distinct difference (read below). Also complaining about the voices of Ferrer and Portuondo is silly because they are both elderly and there best days are behind them. There is no way they could sound as good as younger singers in their prime.

Now, on this Puerto Rican - Cuban feud. I think I can speak ojectively because my father is Spanish, my mother Peruvian, and I was born in Australia. I have no alegiance to either side (except that I do prefer Nuyorican-salsa dura to Cuban salsa-guaguanco, etc) . Also I am 27 but am a lover of Latin American music in general and I devour it.

So here it is. The Cubans no doubt invented forms that would lead and formed the base of salsa - for example Guaguanco, Montuno, etc - but they did not invent salsa. Salsa is the music that came out of New York in the late 60's and 70's (and indeed the term didn't even get used to describe the music until mid 70's). Nobody was calling Cuban music "salsa" prior to the 70's. Salsa was used to describe the music coming from New York (and the Puerto Rican community) and the Fania label as well as the stuff on the Tico and Inca labels. Then it got adopted by every other music with a clave and is even used to describe certain manufactured pop artists (whom I won't name).

On the music itself, listen to a Sonora Matancera record and then compare it to Sonora Poncena. They are different forms of music. It's like comparing Benny Goodman to Count Basie. The fact is the "salsa" music coming out of New York/Puerto Rico in the 70's was a hybrid of Cuban music, funk, jazz, and soul. It was much more open to influence and is much more dynamic - Nuyorican salsa is disco whereas Cuban is ballroom. Willie Colon even chopped up the sacred clave so that it was almost unrecognizable, a Cuban would never have done that.

One last gripe, I keep hearing how Salsa Timba is so fresh and new and how they are mixing R&B and jazz with salsa (they don't even do it very well). What's so new about it? Wasn't this what salsa was in the 70's from New York. I challenge anyone to listen to Hector Lavoe's La Voz album (as well as countless of Colon, Barretto, Palmieri, Blades tracks) from the mid 70's and tell me that the album isn't littered with funk, soul, and jazz references from the beginning to the end.

I give love to both salsa communities (Puerto Rica and Cuba) but its about time Cubans stopped saying that Nuyorican salsa is just a badly made version of Cuban music. The Nuyoricans took Cuban music to a whole new level of experimentation and energy and created a new form that should be recognised.

Finally, it's amazing how little recognition is given to the Latino community of New York for creating salsa. It is a forgotten story and a little known fact (even amongst some latinos). I speak to Australian's (even some latino-Autralians) who wouldn't have the first clue about how important New York Puerto Ricans were to salsa history. They just assume its all from Cuba and its all the same music. From what I understand its a similar issue in the US where latino contribution to music and culture is not understood or acknowledged. When pop artists get called salsa you know there is a problem.

Buy the album

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A documentary of Spanish Harlems music traditions, February 26, 2003

By	Mariela Perez (North Carolina) - See all my reviews

Composed of 13 New York Salsa pioneers The Spanish Harlem Orchestra had one main goal when they set up to record Un Gran Día en el Barrio- to freshen up the invigorating sounds of 60's and 70's salsa. Oscar Hernandez (who's credit list goes from creating the theme song from HBO's "Sex and the City" to working with Tito Puente and Paul Simon) directed this group of musicians who had never before worked together, but whom innately shared the powerful history of the rhythm.

The album opens with Tito Rodriguez' "Mama Guela," and also includes tracks such as Willie Colon and Hector Lavoe's "Llegó la Banda," the popular bolero "Obsesión," and the well-known "Somos Iguales." Un Gran Día en el Barrio might be a lively danceable album that everyone can enjoy, but above all, Un Gran Día en el Barrio is a documentary of Spanish Harlem's music traditions where the true soul of salsa is captured.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 70 style renewed, January 25, 2004

By	"vitin110" (Southern Cali) - See all my reviews

As a musician,I lived and played in the clubs of New York. The Corso on 86th St, Roseland, Arethema's in Queens and the Music was kicking.. What we have here are the cream of the crop rejuvinating that sound of the 70's in this recording..I have had the honor of performing with Oscar Hernandez who has done work with just about everybody and must give the man his props..If you are tired of that Salsa romantica, get yourself a good dance partner some comfortable shoes and get ready to dance baby..