Ibrahim Ferrer
(Nonesuch Records)
Septuagenarian Ibrahim Ferrer was born at a social club dance in Santiago, 1927. It is no surprise that this man, at the ripe age of 74, remains an amazing son musician. Ferrer had his humble start in the streets of Santiago, Cuba with various local groups. But it wasn't until 1997 and the production of Buena Vista Social Club that his musical excellence shone through to the rest of the international world.
Now he shows no sign of slowing and his new album lives up to his critical acclaim. \Buenos Hermanos"" is nothing short of a brilliant display of Afro-Cuban rhythms. The album transports you to the streets of Santiago in the 40s and 50s. It takes the listener back to a place about which they have only heard stories. The sounds put you in Ferrer's shoes during all those years in Santiago. The hard work and struggle that this stunning musician went through in trying to make ends meet by shining shoes by day and playing local clubs by night, tells his story though the music and captures you. As Ferrer graces you with the lax tempo of hand percussion and Afro-Cuban rhythm of his boleros, you feel the music and how it flows through the veins of this great man. The faster pieces inspire you to get up and move with the music as it resonates through you.
Despite more up-tempo tracks such as ""Musica Cubana,"" the album doesn't reach our contemporary notions of dance rhythms. The album entrances you with its slow, melodic aura, creating a soothing pace for studying and just lounging. This becomes especially true in tracks such as ""Perfume de gardenias"" and ""Fuiste cruel,"" which transport you to another time and place.
The album's sultry sounds and laid-back tempo make this a great album to listen to whether you are a seasoned fan of the son genre or just listening for the first time. This album lets you forget about the cold weather in Madison and injects you into Santiago de Cuba in the '40s and '50s. If you know nothing about Cuba during this time period, this album can definitely show you the way to Santiago.
