Editorial Product Review: essential recording:Cuban pianist Rubén González has lived through this century's greatest musical windstorms, from the emergence of son to salsa to Latin Jazz and more. Born in 1919, González also retired from playing professionally years before this, his debut CD, was even recorded. He reemerged in 1996 when World Circuit stopped in Cuba to record for several days. He ended up making a thrilling debut. This impromptu CD was cut in a day, and its limber vibe ...
Editorial Product Review: essential recording:After their hit remake of 'La Bamba,' Los Lobos could easily have settled into the lazy, provincial groove of hometown heroes. But with producer Mitchell Froom's encouragement, the pride of East L.A. exploded all conventions on their one true masterwork. Their Latin roots are obvious, and so is their encyclopedic knowledge of American blues, rock, and soul. But they don't stop there, tossing South African mbaqanga into the mix of 'Wake Up Delores,' and fearlessly experimenting ...
Editorial Product Review: :This eclectic compilation shows the syncopated and seductive evolution of the African-derived Brazilian samba and its offspring, the bossa nova. The CD features a new-wave series of moods and grooves tailor-made for the 21st century. There's angel-voiced Rosa Passos and her silky version of the Ary Barroso/Luiz Peixoto song 'E Luxo So.' Guitarist-vocalist Márcio Faraco's remake of Noel Rosa's samba-canção 'Feitiço da Vila' is just as tasteful. The elegant, classically tinged Quarteto Jobim-Morelenbaum, led by cellist Jacques Morelenbaum, ...
Editorial Product Review: :Chicha is the name of a corn-based liquor the Incas distilled in the days before The Conquest, and the word's mysterious, boozy etymology makes it perfect for the musical style that bears its name. Chicha - the music - was spontaneously distilled during the culture clash of the '60s when the Indian population of the Peruvian Amazon blended Columbian cumbias with American rock & roll, particularly the twang heavy sound of surf music. With cheap electric instruments, ...
Editorial Product Review: :Bachata Roja is the first ever international release of classic Dominican Bachata. From the early 1960's to the late 1980's the legendary voices of Eladio Romero Santos, Leonardo Paniagua and Blas Duran spoke to the hearts of a generation. The dizzying guitar accompaniment of pioneers like Edilio Paredes and Augusto Santos charted the course of bachata s rise, and for three decades theirs was the sound of the streets of Santo Domingo. iASO has selected here some ...
Editorial Product Review: : Viento a Favor is Mexican superstar Alejandro Fernandez's 15th studio disc in as many years as a singer. But he still approaches each project with the urgency and earnestness of a newbie singer. That's what makes each tune a small celebration, an intimate moment of discovery. There are no wasted moments amid the sterling arrangements, some of the best in Fernandez's lush pop repertoire. (He's an equally heralded ranchera singer.) Viento a Favor features tunes written by ...
Editorial Product Review: :Colombian singer-songwriter Juanes's second solo album is many things: poetic, lyrical, heartfelt, and intelligent. Ordinary, however, would not be among the list of adjectives. The humble title, Un Dia Normal, is more a description of the album's overall themes. It's a slicker and catchier collection than Juanes's politically minded 2000 album Fijate Bien, which earned seven Latin Grammy nominations and tons of critical attention. Un Dia Normal finds the former member of rock outfit Ekhymosis contemplating an array ...
Editorial Product Review: essential recording:Astor Piazzolla lived and died as tango's bad boy, having almost single handedly invented the music's vanguard, the form known as tango nuevo. It took Piazzolla decades to reach his unequivocal apex, which is captured flawlessly on Tango Zero Hour. When this recording was cut in 1986, some of the compositions Piazzolla and his quintet cued up were standards for the band. Whether it was an epiphanic period or not, the recording captures an ensemble alchemically ...
Editorial Product Review: :In the early 70 s a new sound grew out of the booming cities of the Peruvian Amazon. Chicha, as it came to be known, modeled itself on Colombian Cumbia music but replaced the accordion with surf guitars, and incorporated the psychedelic sounds of Farfisa organs and Moog synthesizers as well as Cuban Guajira,and the distinctive pentatonic scales of Andean melodies. Unlike other modern hybrids, such as Ska or Brazillian Tropicalia, the music never crossed international borders. ...
On paper, the Mio DigiWalker P550 looks to be an attractive gadget for the mobile professional, combining the capabilities of a PDA and GPS into one device. However, its poor battery life and subpar navigation skills tell a different story.
Though it won't appeal to the masses quite yet, the Nokia N800 Internet Tablet is a nice, portable device for on-the-go Web browsing, and it has some worthy upgrades.
Though it's expensive, the Sony VAIO VGN-TX670P delivers a great combination of business and entertainment features, long battery life, and unparalleled connectivity in an incredibly ultraportable package.