The cover blurb claims that the late Celia Cruz “is to salsa music what Ella Fitzgerald is to jazz.” That's a matter of opinion, but Cruz certainly earned her “Queen of Salsa” sobriquet, and this 1999 show, recorded in Hartford, Connecticut, that hotbed of Latin music (?!), is a joy from start to finish. The salsa vibe is absolutely infectious, powered by the relentless rhythms of timbales and congas and the insistent pulse of the piano, colored by blaring horn lines (heavy on trumpet and trombone), and accented by the almost-chanted background vocals accompanying Cruz's lead. It's an inimitable sound (presented here in crisp Dolby Digital surround), and the show is a celebration--a nonstop, irresistible burst of energy that has the audience literally dancing in the aisles. Cruz herself is a trip, decked out in a flamboyant polka dot dress, half-turban headgear, and earrings bigger than the ears that support them (and that's only her first outfit). Hard to single any particular tune out from the 13 presented here; the inevitable “Guantanamera” is Cruz's signature song (she sang it over a decade ago in the film The Mambo Kings), but all have a hypnotic groove that just won't quit (“Bemba Colora” is nearly trancelike over its nearly 10-minute span; at one point the singers simply repeat Cruz's name as she riffs on top). Also noteworthy are the guest appearances of late percussion virtuoso Tito Puente (who's not only a master musician but a joy to watch as well, what with his array of clownish facial expressions), Puerto Rican singer La India, and flautist Johnny Pacheco. But this is Cruz's show, and while her trademark cry is “Azucar!” (“Sugar!”), this is some spicy brew. Highly recommended. Aud: P. (S. Graham)
Celia Cruz & Friends: A Night of Salsa
(2000) 80 min. DVD: $19.99. Paramount Home Entertainment (avail. from most distributors). Color cover. ISBN: 1-4157-0237-3. Volume 20, Issue 1
Celia Cruz & Friends: A Night of Salsa
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