Discografia de Elio & Elito Reve y su Charangon Orquesta Revé cut at least two singles in 1958 (Como Pita El Camión; Se Va Pal Monte), and then the band quit to form Ritmo Oriental and Elio Revé entered a quiet period. Changüí 68 (1968) An EP, entirely written by new bassist Juan Formell. I have two tracks, and both incorporate pop-rock melodicism: the hit El Martes is basically bubblegum in Cuban rhythm, while Qué Bolá Qué Bolón is closer to Revés charanga-powered changüí. (DBW) Tu Amor Y El Sol (Orquesta Revé Changüí 68: 1968) Revés second EP; like the first, everything was written by Formell. Fifí, Teté Y Popó is like El Martes but cheesier (its hard not to picture dancers in white go-go boots); the breathless title track is similar. Tú Ya No Existes, though, is a find: moody and melancholy, showing that Formell was ready to use his composing and arranging skills beyond facile hitmaking. After Formell split, the group put out a few single sides - El Changüí Esta En La Calle; Compay Zenón; Changüí Morena; Yo Me Voy Para La Zafraa - which sound more or less like their earlier charanga incarnation. (DBW) De La Habana A Lima Con La Orquesta Revé (1972) Their first bona fide LP. Im guessing it contains two contemporaneous singles - La Batea backed with Dominga and Todo Es Nuevo backed with La Ultima Canción - though I cant confirm that. (DBW) Charanga Con Funky (1973) Title notwithstanding, the band is mostly still in Changüí 68 mode: Europop changes, electric guitar and bass against old-style flute and violin instrumentation, and either chipper (Muchachita Del Pre) or sappy (Deseandote) love songs. There are snappy tricks - the voices vs. bass breakdown on Estoy Loco Por Tí; the Twist & Shout buildup in Tremendo Vacilón - and at least a little straightforward changüí (Chagüí; the rollicking opener Mamacita), but its not going to blow your mind or anything. Someones selling a downloadable version they claim is digitally remastered, but is clearly just lifted from an old LP; moreover, they swapped Side 1 and Side 2 so every track is misidentified. Not that Im ungrateful: I just thought you should know. (DBW) Selección Cubana (Orquesta Revé/Orquesta de Neno González: 1973) A split LP with Neno González, encompassing some numbers repeated from Funky (Tremendo Vacilón) but also what sounds like earlier work (Chicas De Secundaria). (DBW) Orquesta Revé (1974) From the opening Samá (a remake of a 50s tune), Revé finally started to close the book on the Changui 68 era. There are still some pop traces (skating rink organ on my theme song, Sólo Sé Que Nada Sé), but theyre muted, and better integrated into modern charanga arrangements: Ya Sé Cantar, Ya Sé Bailar is as tuneful as it is exciting, and vice versa. Also, the energy level is higher, so the less melodic material doesnt drag (Oye No Puede Ser) while the best is a blast (No Lo Corras; Sigue Mi Rumbón). Theres some backsliding, though: Este Camino Largo - also recorded by Irakere - has an archaic arrangement and a sappy tune to match. After this LP, Revé took a few years off to fight in Angola - try to picture one of todays pop stars doing that. (DBW) El Ritmo Changüí (1978) A compilation of previously released material stretching back to the 50s, including several tracks not otherwise attested (Yo Soy El Changüí); Im listing it to avoid (additional) confusion. Elio Revé Y Su Ritmo Changüí (1982) This LP captures Revés timeless blending of modern and traditional, rural and urban, as bongo, tres and trombone are added to the typical charanga lineup - soon dubbed the charangón. Largely arranged by pianist Manolo Coipel, who also wrote several songs (new trombonist Ignacio Herrera also contributed arrangements), lead vocals are by Félix Baloy, and the band also includes Elios brother Oderquis on bongo, quito and batá. I dont know who the bass player is, but he seems to be a student of Salvador Cuevas, adding funk slaps and pops to the traditional tumbao vocabulary (Señores Silencio). Its high energy fun (Negra Con Pelo), even the love songs (A Mí), with unstoppable tunes (Matingo; Mi Changüí) and interesting details: the voice-and-percussion breakdown on Oyan Coro; the slippery ARP synth on the slow, romantic Tu Lunar and Tú Eres Mi Ilusión. Perhaps theres nothing as striking as the best songs on the following LP, but its strong top to bottom: its bizarre that none of these tracks have turned up on the many Revé compilations in circulation. (DBW) Rumberos Latinoamericanos (1985) A revamped lineup - led by pianist/arranger Juan Carlos Alfonso and featuring Gonzalo Pipo Noroña on bass and Ricardo Alfonsito Alfonso on vocals - and the sound is richer and more varied (e.g. the R&B turnaround in La Boda En Bicicleta). Another point of interest is the curiously moving voz de vieja - in which the male singer croons in an odd high-pitched whine thats supposed to sound like an old woman - which Revé would incorporate for the rest of the decade. Plus, its a great batch of tunes: Ruñidera, with tasty piano and tres solos in addition to dramatic tempo shifts and a singalong refrain; the title track, with shoutouts to more Latin American music stars than I can count. Even the lesser tunes have ear-catching details, like the echoey breakdown on Changüí Campanero and the forest of strings on 21 De Mayo. Generally the tunes are written by either Revé or Juan Carlos Alfonso plus one vocalist, either Alfonsito (the incredibly catchy Sé Que Tú Sabes Que Yo Sé) or Héctor Valentín (Qué Lastima Me Da Contigo Mi Amor). (DBW) La Explosión Del Momento (1987) Not to be confused with the compilation of the same name. The lineup and approach are exactly the same as on the prior disc, but the compositions fall far short. Theres only one truly great song, El Ron Pa Despue, with a sly groove and a slithering funk bass line - the rest is passable (Changüí Clave, with a jazzy, slowed-down middle) to middling (El Palo De Anon) but rarely if ever striking. Valentíns last LP with the group; he left to join Adalberto Alvarez. (DBW) De Nuevo (1987) Not exactly: there are two remakes (No Me Cojan and Changüí Clave) and two re-released recordings (Changüí Campanero). Then theres a side-long medley of eight tunes by Cuban vice president Juan Almeida, two of which theyd recorded previously (Tu Lunar). I dont know what prompted them to record the material, but it takes them into territory the band rarely visited, with an extended trombone solo early on, and some fast sections recalling Ritmo Oriental (an upbeat remake of Este Camino Largo). Also, some of the romantic troubadouring (Lo Que Dice Un Guajiro) and harmonically complex vamping indicate the direction Alfonso would pursue with Dan Den. Thats not a compelling reason to get the disc unless youre a fanatic, but then if you werent a fanatic you probably wouldnt have read this far. (DBW) ¡Que Cuento Es Ese! (1989) The last album directed by Juan Carlos Alfonso, who contributed La Gente No Se Puede Aguantar and Más Viejo Que Ayer Má Joven Que Mañana; Valentín again has several co-writes, and Almeida scores a couple as well (the aptly titled Aquí Te Traigo Un Merengue Son). The voz de vieja is present and accounted for (Rodolfo Vaillants Yo No Quiero Que Seas Celosa, which also has an unforgettable refrain and killer bass solo), as are the rest of Revés standard operating procedures. Highlights include the title track and ¡Que Te Importa A Tí! (DBW) Suave Suave (1990) Alfonso had left to form Dan Den by this point, replaced by pianist/arranger Antonio Gómez. Most of the tunes are by Revé, though two are by Gómez (Respétame), and its basically in the same style as Que Cuento: voz de vieja, changüí and all. The batch of tunes is superior, particularly the title track and Anda Y Recógela, with an amusing use of an R&B audience involvement tactic. However, the three CD-only bonus tracks - including the theme song from the 1991 Pan American Games (Tocopan) - are nothing spectacular. (DBW) Mi Salsa Tiene Sandunga (1991) I dont know if this is available on CD, but its worth looking for thanks to the amazing title track, which contains as many killer riffs as your average Led Zeppelin record. El Secreto De Mi Charangón and Llego El Changúí are almost as much fun, in the vein of Los Van Vans steady-rolling, smile-inducing songo. However, theres no respite from the changúí - no love songs or experiments - and the similarity of all the tracks may get to you after a while (Cualquier Cantidad). Revé wrote half the tunes, the rest come from pros like Lázaro Rizo and Rodolfo Cárdenas (El Ibiano). Around this time, Noroña was replaced by Roberto Flores. (DBW) Papá Eleguá (1993) Did every Cuban musician really practice santería in the 1990s, or was it just some kind of trend to reference its deities in song? Atypically, though, the title track opens with a brief a capella Ave Maria rather than a Yoruba chant. At this point, Gómez left, and arranging duties were split between Flores and new arrival Reyner Ardiles while Elio Revé Jr. joined on piano. In a way the result reminds me of Explosión, in that the usual bases are covered but the compositions arent top shelf: Changüí Maria is an exception, with a cute synchronized horn and string riff. Admittedly, though, the uniform high quality of the presentation - including a snappy Revé Jr. solo on his Pupú Chan Chan - does make it easy on the ears. (DBW) Arriba Las Manos (Elio Revé Y Su Charangon: 1996) Five Revés for the price of one, with Elio Jr. on piano and Elio Sr., Oderquis, Leonides and Fernando all playing percussion. Noroña also returned to the fold. I dont know if thats why the excitement level is up, but it is, from the opening En La Calle No hay Casualidad (with a wonderful twisting bass line from Pipo). The full grab-bag of musical styles is on display - Esa Mujer is straight-up romantic salsa - and nothings run of the mill: Juniors Carola has a clever break; Te La Quitaron slips in an unexpected trombone solo, while the extended tres exploration on Changüí Original is lengthy and worth every second. (DBW) Changüí En La Casa De Nora (Elio Revé Jr Y Su Charangón: 1999) After the accidental death of Elio Sr., Elio Jr. put together a new version of the band while Oderquis left to form his own combo. Giovanni Cofiño is on bass while most of the tunes are arranged by Raúl Frómeta. The opening title track - traditional to the max - reassures the listener that therell be continuity, and Junior makes the message explicit on Soy Revé. Whats more welcome is the high quality of the tunes and arrangements - Muévete Pa Qui is a powerhouse - and though there are plenty of also-rans (El Trompo), there are enough indications that the Revé brand was determined to roll on. (DBW) El Changüí Soy Yo (Oderquis Revé Y Su Changüí: 2002) Oderquis went out on his own at this point, writing much of the material but otherwise sticking close to his brothers template. No Habla Mal Del Nadie, by Pedro Luis Calmona, is a blast, and some of the same sense of humor is at play on Como Se Te Ocurre, which opens with a nod to The Banana Boat Song. And although many of the lesser songs are predictable, theyre still pleasing (Una Flor Para Tí; A Que Vienes). Im having a hard time identifying the players, but the bassist has a fine understated touch and melodicism to match. (DBW) Changüí Homenaje 45 Años (Elio Revé Jr Y Su Charangón: 2003) A step up, with more style differentiation (the funky Amor Es Un Día Intercalado)... Upping the contrast makes the standard-issue changüí sound fresher (Lo Que Tu Esperabas; the ultra-traditional Carlito Buey). Not to mention a better batch of hooks (Entre La Espada Y La Pared). Surprisingly, the driving, dancefloor-ready Uyuyuyi Que Veo - recorded around the same time - was left off the album. (DBW) Changüisero De Cepa (Oderquis Revé Y Su Changüí: 2005) Leonides and Fernando went with their uncle; Im curious about this one but havent found a reasonably priced copy. (DBW) Con La Mano En La Masa (Elio Revé Jr.: 2005) A professional if unsurprising live album, drawing mostly on 80s and 90s hits (La Ruñidera) with a couple of new songs (the swaggering Se Fue De Jonrón; the bachata Todo Es Bello En Tí). None of the songs are transformed or extended, so while its always fun to hear Suave Suave or Pupú Chan Chan Id place this down the list of recommended purchases. (DBW) Se Sigue Comentando (Elio Revé Jr Y Su Charangón: 2005) Mostly arranged by Cofiño, who takes the band in a few novel directions: Mi Vecina has the sort of hilarious slice of life lyrics Los Van Van is so adept at. Si Tú Superias Corazón is a NY salsa love song Marc Anthony would kill for. At times the imitations are transparent (1999 is a copy of Te Pone La Cabeza Mala), but theyre always brightly rendered. And theres still room for some changüí dance epics (A Mi Lo Mismo Me Da). The best effort yet from Elio Jr.s version of the band, and nearly as enjoyable as any single album his dad put together. (DBW) Homenaje 50 Years (Elio Revé Jr. Y Su Charangón: 2006) A greatest hits; the one new song ended up as the title track of the following release. (DBW) Fresquecito (Elio Revé Jr Y Su Charangón:: 2007) If anyone out there cares why I feel let down by so much recent timba, the key is on this disc. Highly anticipated after the title track became a hit single, the full release surpassed expectations among both the timba faithful and the broader public, winning a spate of awards. The professionalism, sincerity and affability of the project are beyond dispute (La Viuda, by new musical director/bassist Aisar Hernández). However, none of the melodies capture my imagination like the forty-year-old El Martes faithfully remade herein, and the bigger issue is that - apart from the pulse-quickening A Sanochar Boniato - the charts are too safe, too smooth... I was drawn to timba initially because it combined the adventurous harmonics of jazz with the fiery dynamics of Caribbean dance music - NGs ensemble virtuosity was the cheddar on the cracker - and I dont get much of either anymore. To put it another way, timbas teeth have been filed down so far theres no bite to it. (DBW) En Concierto (Elio Revé Y Su Charangón: 2007) A DVD with a cavalcade of superstar guests - Juan Formell and César Pedroso, Alfonso (who leads a medley of 80s smashes), Yumurí, and so on - joining Elitos band. Two bonus clips show a similarly augmented version of Elios Orquesta Revé with Pedrito Calvo, Issac Delgado, conguero Tata Güines, Calixto Oviedo, Pancho Amat and more. We dont review DVDs, but this is well worth your time and trouble. (DBW) ¿De Qué Estamos Hablando? (Elito Revé Y Su Charangón: 2010) After the recognition the previous release achieved, this is something of a fan valentine crossed with a history lesson. The continuing recognition of Elio Sr. is heartwarming, with remakes of Ya Sé Cantar, Ya Sé Bailar and La Boda En Bicicleta, plus the new Elegia A Elio Revé Matos. Guests include vocalists Kola Loka on Mi Amiga Chichi and both Chucho Valdés (piano) and Amat (tres) on the well named acoustic throwback Reclamación Del Changüí. On the new material, songwriting credits are spread out: two each from Hernández (Open De Door) and Elito (title track), and the groups four lead vocalists each get their turn (though Susel Orietta Gómez Péz, La China, is most striking). Professional and well intentioned as it all is, it does strike me as a bit underdone, not as exciting as the best work of father or son. https://youtube/watch?v=ba-DSSO5zEE
Posted on: Wed, 10 Dec 2014 03:11:47 +0000
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