Roberto Roena Y Su Apollo Sound 3 International/Fania Records (FSLP-413) There are no mega hits in this tight little album of tasty Puerto Rican salsa. Apollo Sound 3 is devoid of radio smashes like Cui Cui or El Que Se Fue - the kind of tropical anthems that would eventually establish Roberto Roena as one of the key figures in the salsa explosion of the 70s. If anything, the third installment in the glorious Apollo Sound saga demonstrates Roenas dexterity when it came to tackling an eclectic repertoire of Afro-Caribbean tunes. Theres the impeccable swing of the opening track Te Vas A Acordar De Mi - a dance floor stomper - but also the delicate textures of Que Enganada Estas , an exquisite bolero marked by its sophisticated combination of flute, trumpets & a jazzy piano. Ignore the misogynynistic lyrics typical of the salsa aesthetic of the time & enjoy an expertly crafted ballad that, musically at least, burns with romanticism. If theres one passage that best defines the effortless musicality of this album, that would probably be the Afro-Cuban piano tumbao at the end of Hagan Silencio, framed by the vocal harmonies of the coro singing hagan silencio/mucho silencio. A priceless moment. Roenas significance within the Fania empire cannot be underestimated. Together with pianist Papo Lucca & his Sonora Poncena, the bongocero proved that the salsa movement was not just a New York phenomenon. The majority of music fans may think Ray Barretto, Johnny Pacheco & Hector Lavoe when the word Fania comes up, but the string of LPs produced by both Roena & Lucca between the early 70s & the mid-80s rival their Nuyorican counterparts in spirit & imagination. Unlike Papo Lucca, however, Roena was far from a virtuoso instrumentalist. He lacked academic training & could not read music. How did a solid percussionist with no schooling become one of the most daring bandleaders in the Latin music industry? Credit Roena for his serious work ethics & an eclectic palate that inspired him to shatter conventions & add touches of junk, jazz, romantic pop & Brazilian bossa nova into his music. Roena was at times criticized for his lack of a proper musical education - but his output vindicated him, & today he is one of the islands most respected names. Roenas solos on the bongo are memorable - and he was eventually asked to join the Fania All Stars. But the one element of his artistry that boasted virtuoso elements was his dancing. In fact, Roena was a dancer first & a musician l8ter. Together with his brother, the late Francisco Jose a Roena would dance at a television show called La Tavema India. Legendary bandleader Cortijo performed at that program together with his choice vocalist Ismael Rivera. Cortijo hired Roena as a dancer, gave him percussion lessons & then enlisted him as the orchestras official bongocero. Roena would eventually join El Gran Combo , which he would leave in 1969 in order to follow a solo career. Following the release of Apollo Sound 3, Roena would enjoy a big hit with Con Los Pobre Estoy, the opening track of his following album. In 1974, he would release Roberto Roena y su Apollo Sound 6, the one- of-a-kind album that is considered by most salsa aficionados (and Roena himself) as the apex of his artistic career. Enjoy! Side A 1. Te Vas A Acordar De Mi 2. Yo Soy Chambelon 3. Que Enganada Estas 4. Que Siga Pascual 5. Soy El Terror Side B 1. Hagan Silencio 2. El Traqueteo 3. Se Pone Bueno 4. Soy 5. Ilumina Mi Camino Personnel: Roberto Roena: Leader, Bongo, Cowbell, Guiro Elias Lopes: Trumpet Mario Cora Alvarez: Trumpet Ray Coen: Acoustic Grand Piano Freddie Miranda: Tenor Saxophone, Flute Cuchon Nunez: Trombone Vitito Rivera: Ampeg Baby Bass Gole Fernandez: Timbales Papo Clemente: Conga Lead Vocals: Piro Mantilla Dino Casiano Frankie Calderon Coro: Piro Mantilla Dino Casiano Frankie Calderon Musical Arrangements by: Elias Lopes Ray Coen Mario Ortiz Produced by: Jerry Masucci Executive Producer: Jerry Masucci Recording Directors: Johnny Pacheco & Larry Harlow Musical Director: Elias Lopes Album Cover & Liner Photos: Len Bauman Album Cover Design: Izzy Sanabria Recording Engineer: Irv Greenbaum Recorded @: Belltone Recording Studios, NYC INTERNATIONAL/FANIA RECORDS, 1971 A FANIA RECORDS PRODUCTION
Posted on: Thu, 29 May 2014 22:00:27 +0000
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