Spanish Harlem Orchestra – Viva la Tradicón
I have been enjoying the music of Spanish Harlem Orchestra for several years. I first saw them burning up the Main Stage at the San Jose Jazz Festival. They were spectacular. They got the audience dancing on their feet. Their musicianship was superb and their vocals and dance moves were tight.
Spanish Harlem Orchestra’s new release Viva la Tradicón is their fourth album and their debut on the Concord Picante label. This album continues the fine tradition of wonderful music that the Spanish Harlem Orchestra has been making for the past ten years.
Viva la Tradicón opens the album with the spicy salsa number “La Salsa Dura” and “Mi Herencia Latina” (“My Latino Heritage”) celebrates the rich Spanish heritage. The 12-track collection is comprised largely of original compositions and arrangements of classic salsa tunes by bandleader/founder Oscar Hernandez. “Nuestra Cancion” (“Our Song”) is a beautiful ballad which makes you feel like you are dancing under the stars on a warm mid-summer night. It is one of the three songs arranged and composed by veteran composer and arranger Gil Lopez (“Son De Corazon,†“Nuestra Cancion,†and “Regala De Dios.”) “Rumba Urbana” is a swinging instrumental salsa and the album closes with “El Negro Tiene Tumbao” which features special guest Isaac Delgado on lead vocals.
Viva la Tradicón preserves the rich legacy of salsa music and will definitely bring new fans to Spanish Harlem Orchestra for years to come. “Preserving that legacy and introducing it to new audiences in a new century,†says Hernandez, “is more important than being the musical flavor of the month.â€
Track Listing:
1. La Salsa Dura 5:56
2. Mi Herencia Latina 5:31
3. Son De Corazon 6:27
4. Como Baila Mi Mulata 5:41
5. Si Me Quieres Te Quiero 5:22
6. Baila Latino 5:41
7. La Fiesta Empezo 5:04
8. Nuestra Cancion 5:22
9. Linda 4:47
10. Regalo De Dios 5:28
11. Rumba Urbana 6:35
12. El Negro Tiene Tumbao 6:24
