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Artists include - Eddie Palmieri, Wayne Gorbea, Los Soneros Del Barrio, Jimmy Delgado, Chino Nuñez, Chico Alvarez, Jimmy Bosch, George Delgado, Las Estrellas Cobo, Ricky González, Joe Quijano&his Conjunto Cachana
"Salsa dura" isn't simply a genre of music. It's a feeling, born of a certain people in a certain time. In this case--the sounds of dancehalls and hotel ballrooms of the Bronx, Spanish Harlem and Brooklyn in the 1970's. The livelyRough Guide to Salsa Dura NYCattempts to encapsulate that energy in an hour's worth of music. A heady task, but the collection does a good job of highlighting the premiere showmen of the genre. It's being kept alive today by all the classic and contemporary artists featured on the disc. Los Soneros Del Barrio, who formed in 1999, showcase tight grooves during "Babaila;" and bandleader Eddie Palmieri, whose career spans more than half a century, offers the sublime "Lo Que Traigo Es Sabroso II." Elsewhere, Jimmy Bosch's appropriately titled "El Embajador" ("The Ambassador") commands respect; and Joe Quijano&His Conjunto Cachana do right by the standard "I Get a Kick Out of You." Horns blare, voices wail and you can practically see the twirls across the dance floor.The only quibble is a common one in the genre: a lack of female voices. Thankfully, Las Estrellas Cobo's "Don Ramon" features the confident swagger of Yousie Barbara.--Joey Guerra
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Artists include: Adriana Varela, La Chicana, Lorena Astudillo, Hugo Diaz, Caceres, Osvaldo Piro, Roberto Grela, Walter Rios Orquesta, Barbara Luna, Carlos Gardel, Astor Piazzolla Y Su Quinteto Tango Nuevo, Anibal Troilo, Cuarteto Almagro, Jaime Torres, Beatriz Pichi Malen, Domingo Cura, Antonio Agri&Ricardo Dominguez, Alberto Rojo and Chango Spasiuk
This Rough Guide's kaleidoscopic musical tour of Argentina begins, appropriately enough, with the husky voice of Adriana Varela--the undisputed queen of contemporary tango. The tango pioneers of the past are also celebrated throughout the disc, from legendary crooner Carlos Gardel ("Tortazos") and bandoneon wizard Anibal Troilo ("El Motivo") to the genre's melancholy innovator Astor Piazzolla (a tense, slightly neurotic live version of "Verano Porteno"). Fortunately, compiler Dan Rosenberg understands that there's much more to this huge South American nation than just tango--devoting a number of tracks to quintessentially Argentine song formats such as the earthy chacarera (with its rustic percussion breaks) and the festive chamame (marked by soulful accordion licks). At its best, the collection showcases lesser- known but equally noteworthy artists such as the exuberant folk group La Chicana and experimental accordion player Chango Spasiuk. A pity that Argentina's substantial contribution to the rock en espanol genre is altogether absent from this otherwise excellent compilation.--Ernesto Lechner
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