Zucchero – La Sesion Cubana (2012)
Zucchero – La Sesion Cubana (2012)
1 Nena 4:39 2 Baila (Sexy Thing) 3:55 3 Un Kilo 3:29 4 Never Is A Moment 3:45 5 Guantanamera (Guajira) 3:49 6 Cuba Libre 3:31 7 L'Urlo 3:06 8 Indaco Dagli Occhi Del Cielo 4:22 9 Love Is All Around 4:04 10 Così Celeste 4:32 11 Pana (Feat. Bebe) 3:47 12 Ave Maria No Morro (Feat. Djavan) 3:37 13 Sabor A Ti 3:15 Acoustic Bass – Jorge Reyes Bass – Michael Fernandez Choir – Ariel Monterecy Loynaz, Arlety Valdes, Maria Karla Vices, Rogelio Ernesto Batell Coto (El Gato), Sexto Sentido, Susana Hernandez Lopez, Yudelkis Lafuente Conductor [Strings, Director] – José Cuatoscto Congas, Bongos, Percussion, Maracas, Guiro, Bells, Shekere, Djembe, Cazacas, Botija, Tumba, Cabasa, Claves – Joaquín Nuñez Hidalgo Drums – Horacio "El Negro" Hernández Electric Guitar, Ukulele, Twelve-String Guitar [Acoustic], Acoustic Guitar – Blake Mills Guitar [Tres], Acoustic Guitar, Flamenco Guitar, Electric Guitar, Mandolin – Elmer Ferrer Keyboards – Peter-John Vettese Piano – Pucho López Saxophone – Carlos Manuel Millares Timbales [Pailas], Maracas – José Luís Quintana (Changuito) Trombone – Antonio Leal Rodriguez Trumpet – Fabrizio Bosso, Roberto Garcia, Roberto Molote Violin [First] – Mónica Betancourt Vocals, Piano, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Organ – Zucchero
The story of Zucchero, the stage name of singer Adelmo Fornaciari, is one of those odd tales. For someone who has sold 40 million records and has collaborated with musical giants like Miles Davis, John Lee Hooker, Solomon Burke and Elvis Costello, as well as superstars like Sting, Pavarotti, Bono and Eric Clapton, he has yet to become an easily-recognized name in rock circles or in the mainstream music press.
Italy’s biggest rock star is back, however, with a new collection of tracks recorded in Havana and produced by Don Was. Seven well-known songs from his repertoire, like Baila (Sexy Thing), have been rearranged with the hope of bringing out some percussive Latin drive and six have never been released before.
The tracks with the most aggressive rhythms are the most successful here, as shown by the brassy boogaloo of opener Nena, the hyperactively funky L’Urlo, with its joyous pumping organ and Pana, a Latin-jazz duet with Spanish singer Bebe that features a contagious montuno section
Too much of the disc, however, is made up of average rockers and ballads that might have Cuban musicians playing on them, but otherwise do not hint at their Havana setting. A remake of Zucchero’s already-unnecessary cover of the Korgis hit Everybody’s Got To Learn Sometime, the thumping, dramatic Love Is All Around (Still) and the generic piano-and-strings ballad Never Is a Moment are among the selections that kill the rhythmic buzz. ---montrealgazette.com
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