This album is the product of Cubanismo’s self-professed love of New Orleans, also the city in which the band held its first concert. Jesus Alemany arranges the works here for his band in conjunction with a number of New Orleans resident players and singers. The result is often good, though it can be seemingly plagued by competition between the two major rhythmic thoughts, with the Cubans occasionally overpowering the residents or vice versa. In general, the best works are the ones written specifically for this project, with some of the more standard numbers falling by the wayside. The rap number also fails to some degree, with perhaps too many styles represented in a single work. Overall though, almost anything coming from Alemany’s musical genius is worth listening to, and this is worthwhile as such, though perhaps mildly inferior to the purely Cuban album. (by Adam Greenberg)
Personnel:
Jesús Alemañy (trumpet)
Carlos Alvarez (trombone)
Rafael Duany (vocals)
Carlos Godinez (percussion)
Alberto Herandez (percussion)
Nachito Herrera (piano)
José Jerez (trumpet)
Rolo Martinez (vocals)
Emilio Del Mone (timbales)
Jorge Maza (flute)
Tomas “Panga” Ramos (percussion)
Efraín Ríos (guitar, background vocals)
Roberto Riveron (bass)
+
Mark Bingham (background vocals)
Emma Black (cello)
John Boutté (vocals)
Wendell Brunious (trumpet)
Duchess Nell Catchpole (violin)
Topsy Chapman (vocals)
Tony Dagradi (background vocals)
Kaye Dorian (background vocals)
Tim Green (saxophone)
Donald Harrison (saxophone)
Cayetano Hingle (drums)
Reggie Houston (saxophone)
Craig Klein (trombone)
Jacqueline Norrie (violin)
Fredy Omar (background vocals)
Glenn Patscha (piano)
Herlin Riley (drums)
Michael Skinkus (drums)
Yosvany Terry (saxophone, vocals)
Tracklist:
01. Marie Laveau (Bingham/Patscha) 4.47
02. Mother-In-Law (Toussaint) 5.16
03. Paso en Tampa (Rodriguez-Scull) 3.23
04. Shallow Water Suite: Shallow Water/Iko Iko/Shallow Water Rumba (J.Jones/M.Jones/Traditional) 6.17
05. Mardi Gras Mambo (Adams/Elliott/Welsch) 4.12
06. Monteorlines (Terry) 0.25
07. It Do Me Good (Smith) 5.19
08. Alemañy’s Boogaloo (Alemañy) 6.16
09. Rampart Street Rumba (Bingham/Patscha) 4.35
10. Nothing Up My Sleeve (Bingham/McLean) 4.04
11. Gumbo Son (Alemañy)) 4.59
12. Cuborleans (Terry) 6.39
ManyFantasticColors 