10/31/2022 0 Comments Carlos cuevas boleros del almaThe chart sets the ebullient tone for the whole record. And because Ochoa has such a brilliant sense of time and expression this track, “El Carbonero (The Charcoal Maker)” is right on the money. What a sensational start to the record! To begin with a song in coro-pregon form and that too a chart made famous by Felix Chapotin. In fact there are times when he can conjure up the memory of Beny More here. He is a wonderful singer with a powerful voice, a fine technique and a near-perfect sense of timing, not the least because the dynamics of his expression is flawless. With Momentos Cubanos you can never get enough of the infectious ebullience of Ochoa. Call it salsa or whatever is expedient, the fact remains that the unique exuberance of his music is the only thing that is constant and all that matters when listening to Luis Mario Ochoa. Ochoa has developed a unique sound that melded almost all forms of music – traditional and modern – into a breathtaking sonic adventure. This is Luis Mario Ochoa’s fourth record and a slight departure from earlier records, which featured this extremely talented artist in a larger setting. Even better, brought up to date by Ochoa’s voice, guitar and sincerity. A joy to hear the music of this once-celebrated and prolific composer. Best of all, the songs are stylish but as soothing as long, slow strokes on the back. Sadly, I don’t speak Spanish but I love Cuban music, and my heart understands everything Ochoa sings about on the album. Ochoa’s taste is superb, and the music pays respect to the original masterpieces with a bright, contemporary feel. I could detail the individual songs but there’s really no need. His vocal power and tone are sensational, and the arrangements are modern with earthy intensity and purpose. Ochoa arranges 10 of Lecuona’s love songs with passion, favoring a bed of Afro-Cuban jazz rhythms and traditional Havana seasoning. White Christmas, from Holiday Inn, won instead. One of his songs, Always in My Heart ( Siempre en mi Corazón), was written for the 1942 film of the same name and was a contender for an Academy Award for Best Song in 1943. His father was from the Canary Islands and his mother was Cuban. Lecuona (1896-1963) was a Cuban-American composer and pianist who wrote more than 600 songs, several of which were for Hollywood movies. On his new and fifth album, Forever Lecuona, out today, Ochoa’s guitar and singing voice on songs by legendary Cuban composer Ernesto Lecuona are gorgeous and spirited. In 2014, he moved to Miami where the idea to pay homage to Lecuona began. So we’re clear, Ochoa may have moved north but he has retained all of his Cuban soul and sound. His first album A La Cubana (1995) was among the first to be released in Canada by a Cuban-born musician. In Canada, he expanded his musical career as a vocalist, composer, arranger and leader. He emigrated to Canada in 1990, after completing an undergraduate degree in classical guitar at the University of Havana’s Instituto Superior de Artes. Born in Cuba, Luis Mario Ochoa today lives in Toronto.
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