Tribute to the Cuarteto Patria

Amazon.com's Best of 2000
While poorly produced releases from fellow Buena Vista stars start to sound stale, guitarist Eliades Ochoa is soaring in quality with every new album. Though the folkish Cuban son that Ochoa plays isn't as vibrant, sassy, or romantic as that played by his counterparts, it's still gorgeous in form and reverent toward tradition. A Tribute to Cuarteto Patria finds the tres player crisply recorded and backed by an expert ensemble, playing tunes from Cuarteto Patria's repertoire, whose unique rural flavor grows more potent with each song. --Karen K. Hugg

Amazon.com
Unlike most of the other stars of Buena Vista Social Club, Eliades Ochoa wasn't whiling away his time in retirement when Ry Cooder sought him out. Throughout the 1990s, Ochoa was busy releasing albums of campesino music, the rural cowboy style of eastern Cuba whose potency owes little to the current nostalgic revival. The campesino son never really went out of date, though it's been eclipsed the past half-century by urban big band genres. Ochoa's combination of an incredibly affable voice and stinging tres solos makes for the most exciting guitar ensemble sound around, and the variety and bright arrangements of Tribute to the Cuarteto Patria leave his first post-Social Club release, Sublime Ilusion, in the dust. Highlights include "No Quiero Celos," which develops into a descarga jam session that fades out in the midst of wonderful trumpet work. "Yiri Yiri Bon" marries a memorable short chorus to a slow buildup of intensity in the manner of the Social Club's "El Cuatro de Tula," a song first heard on Ochoa's 1993 CD with Cuarteto Patria, A una Coqueta. "Casa de la Trova," a tribute to a legendary music club in Santiago de Cuba, begins on a pastoral note until Ochoa's fiery solos and an ecstatic chorus blow the lid right off the cloud cover. Take that, city dwellers! --Bob Tarte

Tracks:

Yiri Yiri Bon
A Son For La Casa De La Trova
I Don't Want No Jealousy Around
The Cauldron For Roasting Coffee
If In The End
When You Don't Love Me
If You Know How To Dance My Son
Full Time
Blame It On The Women
Let Them Whisper
I'm Going To Sibanicu
What A Feeling!

Amazon.com's Best of 2000

While poorly produced releases from fellow Buena Vista stars start to sound stale, guitarist Eliades Ochoa is soaring in quality with every new album. Though the folkish Cuban son that Ochoa plays isn't as vibrant, sassy, or romantic as that played by his counterparts, it's still gorgeous in form and reverent toward tradition. A Tribute to Cuarteto Patria finds the tres player crisply recorded and backed by an expert ensemble, playing tunes from Cuarteto Patria's repertoire, whose unique rural flavor grows more potent with each song. --Karen K. Hugg

Amazon.com

Unlike most of the other stars of Buena Vista Social Club, Eliades Ochoa wasn't whiling away his time in retirement when Ry Cooder sought him out. Throughout the 1990s, Ochoa was busy releasing albums of campesino music, the rural cowboy style of eastern Cuba whose potency owes little to the current nostalgic revival. The campesino son never really went out of date, though it's been eclipsed the past half-century by urban big band genres. Ochoa's combination of an incredibly affable voice and stinging tres solos makes for the most exciting guitar ensemble sound around, and the variety and bright arrangements of Tribute to the Cuarteto Patria leave his first post-Social Club release, Sublime Ilusion, in the dust. Highlights include "No Quiero Celos," which develops into a descarga jam session that fades out in the midst of wonderful trumpet work. "Yiri Yiri Bon" marries a memorable short chorus to a slow buildup of intensity in the manner of the Social Club's "El Cuatro de Tula," a song first heard on Ochoa's 1993 CD with Cuarteto Patria, A una Coqueta. "Casa de la Trova," a tribute to a legendary music club in Santiago de Cuba, begins on a pastoral note until Ochoa's fiery solos and an ecstatic chorus blow the lid right off the cloud cover. Take that, city dwellers! --Bob Tarte

Customer Reviews:

Soulful.......2005-02-26

Outstanding. Many records on Amazon are overrated, but here everyone is dead on. Ochoa is a living legend who keeps getting better with every release.

For those unfamiliar with the campesino style, it's not "country" like Garth Brooks is country. It's still Cuban, complete with latin percussion, etc., but it's "country" in the sense that rhythms are more basic than latin jazz, horns are mostly absent, and the guitar is the lead instrument. Sort of like the difference between American Blues and Jazz (aka Urban Blues). And like American blues, there's a certain soulfulness to the rustic style that flashier, urban music can't quite approximate.

This is music that will put a smile on your face from the first listen and get better with time.

Infectious and Irresistable.......2004-01-17

The "country" music of Cuba is well represented in this wonderful CD. This music is difficult to stop listening to once you begin. Fantastic vocals that are emotionally charged and the instrumental accompaniment is first rate. An absolutely beautiful collection of music with a great package as well. Liner notes include all lyrics in both English and Spanish. If you like latin music give this a shot. You will not regret it.

gotta have it.......2002-07-24

Before I get into how flawlessly talented Ochoa is, let me say that the main editorial review for this album really bugged me 1. The artists from Buena Vista Social Club hardly sound "stale," it's more like: that CD is often the only cuban music cd many americans listen to... so, duh...newbies need to move on, discover more 2. Ry Cooder is, however, stale and pretty much on par with an "Indian (goods) Trader" in the Southwest -- profiting from the talent of another culture. Yeah right, until Ry Cooder came along, man, I had never heard of these famous, brilliant, talented artists who had long-st anding careers... uh huh. Give me a break.

As for Ochoa -- he offers the some of the best cuban country boy music around, and this is a flawless album. One of my favorites. You won't be disappointed.

one of the best Cuban CD's.......2001-08-18

I'm somewhat of a Cuban music addict -- even after only listening to this CD twice, I can say without a doubt that it's one of the best releases of the last few years. I loved Sublime Ilusion -- this is rustic, campesino music with exquisite tres playing and great vocals by Ochoa. There's not a bad song on this disc. Most of the songs are son with a few boleros and bolero son thrown in. The documentation is excellent with translations of all the songs included. Whether your a veteran collector of classic Cuban music or a newcomer, you'll enjoy this CD. If you like it, try Sublime Ilusion too.

¡Viva Ochoa! ¡Viva El Cuarteto Patria!.......2001-06-05

Since purchasing the original "Buena Vista Social Club" CD and video, traditional Cuban music has become my main addiction.

In addition, I have Ochoa's Cuarteto Patria CD with Compay Segundo, his CD entitled "Sublime Ilusión", and "Lion is Loose". I give them all FIVE STARS.

Ochoa seems an absolute master of the acoustical guitar, having played since the guitar was taller than he. Truly the man has, in body, mind and soul, become one with the instrument, playing as instinctively as a normal person walks and talks.

His instrumental talent is amazing, his execution clear and precise. His singing voice is unique, powerful and passionate. Here is one of the most outstanding troubadours of our time. Nobody is working harder than Eliades Ochoa to keep Cuba's "sonero" tradition alive.

Eliades Ochoa is an artist worthy of your attention if the acoustical guitar and Cuban rythms are among your passions. You will not be disappointed!

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