Country: Netherlands
Erik Van Diemen, 17 Mar 2009 :
If nothing strange happens, this is already the best Salsa Cd of 2009, and then we're talking about the second album of La Excelencia from NY. This new and awesome album is from the same quality as their debut cd, and it's full of classical Nuyorican 70's salsa music with hard-core trombones, an old-fashion sounding piano and has a truly afro-street feeling, which we used to hear on many fania recordings. This is the true salsa of the streets of NY in 2009, without studio overdubs, "what you hear is what you get" + "in your face". The best salsa band from NY since Spanish Harlem Orchestra! The band has with Edwin Perez and Gilberto Velazquez two excellent lead vocalists, and they are both doing several songs and on "Mi Tumbao Social" they do a duet in "Por Tu Traición". Last year La Excelencia gave an outstanding live performance at the Afro-Latino Festival in Belgium, these young-bloods are the musical heritage of Hector Lavoe and Ray Barretto, and they don't play retro-salsa (like so many salsa bands from NY which do covers) but mainly own (original) compositions with social engaged lyrics. And if they do a cover, like on the Afro-Latino festival, it's a 12 to 15min long, earth wrecking tribute version of Ray Barretto's "Indestructible", on which the sparkles flew from the stage and the sweat was dripping off the congas. I can't recall seeing such an inspiring, motivated salsa band before. La Excelencia will perform at the famous Melkweg in Amsterdam on May 9th.
Country: France
Chabelita , 9 Mar 2009:
If you have not yet heard of LA EXCELENCIA, we will require you to update. This is the salsa band in vogue (style) at the moment. Young New York propel you into the world of their elders: Willie Colon and Hector Lavoe. Like salsa orchestras of 70 years, they use a section of brass dream includes: 3 trumpets and 3 trombones, creating this unique sound universe. They will tap into the roots of salsa even in their original lyrics that speak of immigration, infidelity, or small daily problems of Latinos today. The political and social message is in La Excelencia's albums, so we change other artist albums that have nothing to say for La Excelencia's. This is finally an orchestra that is the real urban salsa. Created and directed by Julian Silva (drums, composition) of Colombian origin and Jose Vazquez-Cofresi (congas, lyrics) of Puerto Rican origin, the orchestra brings to light two very promising young vocalists: Edwin Perez Gilberto Velazquez. Gilberto; who earlier came to the festival Toros y Salsa Dax in September 2008 to accompany the Black Sugar Sextet and charmed by its timbre and its possibilities that are already making him a true Sonero. La Excelencia just released their new album "Mi Tumbao Social" is already qualified for best album of 2009, they also make the front page of the "Latin Beat Magazine" in the month of March 2009. "Salsa Dura" opens with the sounds of the barrio. Sung by Edwin Perez, it sets the tone: strong and DRIVING. The singer has an impressive speed. "aquí todos queremos lo mismo: salsa dura, salsa de verdad yo traigo Sabrosa salsa, salsa que quieres escuchar". The first action of the full brass section will make your hairs stand-up. Y'en not many salsa bands can cause that! The change of pace will delight all experienced dancers. "Ahora Que Te Tengo Aquí" Sung by Gilberto Velazquez is a beautiful love song where the protagonist asks for forgiveness from the woman of his life. "Deja De Criticar" speaks of how some promoters criticize the way La Excelencia dresses. The song includes a spoken dialogue, actually experienced by the group: they refused to climb on stage because the promoter says they insulted their club coming dressed the way they do and not the "required dress" per the club. The chorus says: The chorus says: "Stop criticizing and go dancing"! Indeed, all that matters is their energy and their excellent music. "Por Tu Traición"speaks of infidelity and separation, Gilberto Velazquez emotion grows up to be almost a knot in the throat. You will recognize some known measures by La Excelencia, but the young band have matured. "Aña a mi tambor"is the song tribute to the African roots of salsa. After a minute of introduction dedicated to percussion, loud perched Edwin Perez has given a fillip to the orchestra, before the drum solo by Jose Vazquez Cofresi (congas), Charles Dilon (bongo), Julian Silva (drums). A true delight that this song / descarga. This puts the water at the mouth and want to see them on stage. "American Sueño" begins with a solo piano Willy Rodriguez before leaving on a cha-cha-cha. This speaks of uncertain future, starting a family that leaves behind ... you understand: the Latin American migrants, prosecuted as a thief. Who does not understand why he is suffering even in the countries of the "American dream". This song is the banner waved by the orchestra. "Duelo bongo" is the story of a bongo player solos are well punctuated and well-felt. "Caminando" sounds like a familiar song, but mixed with some new features unique to the group. It can be taken by the throbbing rhythm. "Vendió su corazon" an introduction to the clave and shekeres, and the velvet voice of Gilberto Velazquez describing a lost love. "Unidad" talks about leaving a future for our children. The message is hammered no matter the differences, only what matters is Unity. A song dedicated to the people of Latin America. The voices of Gilberto Velazquez leaves room for a solo piano Willy Rodriguez, followed by Jose Vazquez Cofresi (congas), which paves the way for the brass section. A hyper DRIVING salsa, as they know so well done. "Por Tu Traición" ends the album on the bolero version of the 4th track on the disc for fans of the bolero genre. The band begins a European tour in the summer for "Mi Tumbao Social" and "Salsa Con Conciencia" on stage live. La Excelencia is a band to follow...
Country: USA
Ana FLores, 8 Mar 2009:
La Excelencia just released their second, eleven-track CD, MI TUMBAO SOCIAL. Their second CD has a much more evolved, mature, cohesive sound, never losing their very distinct sound: The driving brass section that is La Excelencia. One of the tracks is a bolero – “Por Tu Tración – and this same song is in a Salsa version on this CD! By 9:30 p.m. the band was on stage ready to play but not before Edwin Pérez (one of the lead vocalists of the band) is on stage proudly displaying the cover of this month’s Latin Beat magazine (starting on page 21, you can read an excellent article and an in-depth interview written by Pablo Yglesias). The cover cleverly depicts the guys tearing each other’s tuxedos off; suggesting it just never was (and never will be) this very fast up and coming urban band’s flavor to perform anywhere “uniformed”. La Excelencia is so adamant about it that a song was written about this very issue entitled “Deja De Criticar”, (click on the song title to see video) included in MI TUMBAO SOCIAL. Edwin announces that there have been people (and I am betting some old- school bands and musicians, especially) that question whether this fairly new band should even be on the cover of Latin Beat. “Hey, whether or not they like it”, argues Edwin, “it doesn’t matter -- we’re ON it!” La Excelencia promptly starts to perform, offering a good evening by starting with “Salsa Dura”, the first track from their newest CD: MI TUMBAO SOCIAL. By the second song, I could see impressed expressions from quite a few faces in the crowd. You can tell that they had never seen nor heard of this band, yet this crowd was enjoyably affected by La Excelencia’s energetic performance, deeply involved in listening to the lyrics, and moving to the band’s overall sound. La Excelencia is one of the very few bands today, if any, offering two CDs, both with original compositions and arrangements. This band of young men exclusively handles ALL of their financial, promoting, scheduling, and managing. WOW, and all this achieved in a very short time by what many consider these guys to be -- neophytes within the industry. This totally independent band’s achievement is something some “old school” musicians, bandleaders, even some DJ’s and journalists -- los “criticones” -- should proudly commend and respect this band for. Following are more video clips I filmed of their performance at DROM (click on the song title to see video).
UNIDAD, AMERICAN SUENO (PART 1),
AMERICAN SUENO (PART 2),
SENTENCIA.
Country: USA
Tijana Ilich, 14 Jan 2009:
Here's a real treat for salsa dura fans. La Excelencia's sophomore album, Mi Tumbao Social bundles all the energy and innovation that makes good salsa so irresistable into one musically bright, tight package. Hard-driving, raw, rhythmic and contemporary, this album is sure to be one of the highlights of 2009. When I first heard La Excelencia’s 2006 debut album Salsa Con Conciencia I remember feeling as if I had been struck on the head with a pair of clave and thinking: “Yes! This is what salsa is all about.” Now New York’s La Excelencia is back with their sophomore album Mi Tumbao Social. After the recent trend of Latin music artists rehashing older material and releasing compilations, I turned up the volume and felt both eager and fearful. Could they do it again? Would they? La Excelencia sure could and did. Mi Tumbao Social is hard driving, raw and innovative, with pounding rhythms, lyrics that tell a contemporary story sung by 2 wonderful soneros and so hot that you can work up a sweat just sitting in a chair and listening to this album. The album offers all new tracks, most with music and lyrics by La Excelencia co-founders Julian Silva (music) and Jose Vazquez-Cofresi (lyrics). There’s a nice variation in dance tempos to the tracks while the vocals on “Caminando” are glorious. “American Sueno” tells an immigrant’s story to a sensuous rhythm and “Duelo De Bongo” is a masterpiece of percussion. I’ve seen La Excelencia’s music compared to early Fania but there’s nothing retro or derivative about this group. The similarity is in contemporary musical and thematic sensibility translated to a gritty, intrepid and always danceable salsa. Pros
Salsa dura from New York that reminds you why you fell in love with salsa Cons
None Description
11 tracks of innovative New York style salsa dura
All new 50/50 written by Julian Silva & José Vázquez-Cofresi
Released January 2009 by Handle With Care
Country: USA
Pablo Yglesias, 11 Jan 2009:
Unless something completely loco happens in the coming months to prove me wrong, I can honesty say this is the best salsa release of 2009, and I actually heard it first in 2008! It’s like when The Spanish Harlem Orchestra first burst on the scene – I ‘m feeling the same sense of discovery and excitement at hearing a recording with such loving attention to detail, realism, lack of attitude, and just enough rough edges and grit to give you those chills that only classic Latin music gives. There is a lot of classic 70s retro Nuyorican feeling here in the hard-core trombones, acoustic piano, and diversity of traditional dance genres (remember when albums used to list the styles of each song on the back of the LP?). Their rhythm section has that essential ‘fundamento’ – the African foundation – that is missing from most recordings these days. Just listen to “Aña Pa Mi Tambor” and you will know what I am talking about. What is revolutionary about La Excelencia is their almost punk rock attitude – they don’t gloss things over, they play hard, they feel with all their hearts, and they don’t put on airs. Everything they play on the album is exactly what they play live – no sweetening, no guest spots from a famous artist, no extra instrumentation, no pop remixes. They are a diverse group of different personalities (some even come from a rock background – “Duelo De Bongo” was inspired by “The Devil Went Down To Georgia”). And yet they are unified in their vision for the band. Theirs is a style that mixes Cuban, Colombian, and Puerto Rican traditions in a thoroughly organic way. Each song is a mini-movie, flowing into a concept album like the best of Willie Colon, Ruben Blades, and ‘Tite’ Curet Alonso. In today’s market, that makes La Excelencia original, even revolutionary, and that is their strength. This gem should go a long way to getting salsa back on track this year – so join the party and dig their ‘tumbao social.’ Major DJ alert.
Very, very highly recommended.
Mi Tumbao Social by La Excelencia is the hottest CD to hit the streets in 2009!! Buy your own copy now!
As the success of La Excelencia grows so does the orchestras fan base which is quickly making La Excelencia one of the most sought out salsa orchestras in the world. These young salsa ambassadors our bringing the sounds straight from the streets of New York City to the world.
Mi Tumbao Social by La Excelencia is the hottest CD to hit the streets in 2009!! Buy your own copy now!