Lamento Borincano--Early Puerto Rican Music: 1916-1939

Amazon.com
Lamento Borincano is a wonderful collection of early recordings of Puerto Rican music that cover an astonishingly wide range of styles, from sophisticated danzas, which have a strong European influence, to the earthier sound of the seis jibaro and plena, which were created by farm workers and laborers, to the bolero, son, and guaracha, which were imports from Cuba. All these tracks were recorded in New York between 1916 and 1939, and because most of the musicians were recent immigrants making music for their homesick countrymen, the music still retains a strong island feel. This two-CD set includes a meticulously annotated 56-page booklet that contains biographies of the musicians, lyrics in Spanish and English, and a description of the musical styles. The engineers at Arhoolie have done an excellent job of cleaning up these old records, and even though the recordings were made in the first part of the last century, they are still very easy to listen to and exhibit almost none of the scratchiness that can mar reissues of 78s. Lamento Borincano is a strong reminder that Cuba is not the only Caribbean island that has produced exciting music played by world-class musicians. --Michael Simmons

Tracks:

Heroes De Borinquen - Canario Y Su Grupo
Sara - Quinteto Borinquen
Laura Y Georgina - Orquesta Euterpe
Si Me Quieres - Trio Borinquen
A Mi Madre - Trio Boricua
Purupita - Trio Boricua
Pobre Gaviota - Grupo Quisqueya
Bon Ye - Grupo Borinquen
Mi Patria Tiembla - Trio Borinquen
No Le Llores Miguel - Pleneros Surenos
Las Navidades - Pleneros Surenos
Antiguo Seis Borinqueno - Los Jardineros
Josefina, Josefina - Los Reyes De La Plena
El Nuevo Gobernador - Los Reyes De La Plena
Los Misterios De Lenox - Los Reyes De La Plena
Que Dulces Son Las Canciones - Los Reyes De La Plena
Adios Borinquen - Trio Ponceno
Cusita - Trio Ponceno
Mercedes - Los Jardineros
Anhelos - Trio Boricua
Fuego En La Cantera - Grupo Antillano
Fausto Y Su Ford - Grupo Antillano
A Lolita - Grupo Antillano
Todo Es Mentira - Grupo Antillano
Esperame En El Porton - Los Reyes De La Plena

Tracks:

Lamento Borincano - Canario Y Su Grupo
Quejas Del Ausente - Los Reyes De La Plena
Amor Sin Dolor - Canario Y Su Grupo
Cantares De La Sierra - Canario Y Su Grupo
Suenos De Vestales - Lira Boricua
Mis Amores - Lira Boricua
No Juegues Con Candela - Sexteto Flores
Mamita, Que Frio - Sexteto Flores
Siboney - Sexteto Flores
Polongui - Cuarteto Flores
Consejo A Las Mujeres - Canario
Llanto Del Campesino - Canario
Alegria Boricua - Grupo Aurora
Alma Boricua - Grupo Aurora
Mi Bien Baila El Son - Grupo Aurora
Pepina - Orquesta De Paco Duclerc
Alla Va - Canario Y Su Grupo
Tras La Tempestad - Canario Y Su Grupo
El Home Relief - Canario Y Su Grupo
Estan Tirando Bombas - Canario Y Su Grupo
Que Vivio - Canario Y Su Grupo
El Portal - Quinteto 'La Plata'
La Joven Que Yo Amaba - Quinteto 'La Plata'
El Dia De Los Sorullos - Conjunto Tipico Ladi
Para El Ano Nuevo - Conjunto Tipico Ladi

Amazon.com

Lamento Borincano is a wonderful collection of early recordings of Puerto Rican music that cover an astonishingly wide range of styles, from sophisticated danzas, which have a strong European influence, to the earthier sound of the seis jibaro and plena, which were created by farm workers and laborers, to the bolero, son, and guaracha, which were imports from Cuba. All these tracks were recorded in New York between 1916 and 1939, and because most of the musicians were recent immigrants making music for their homesick countrymen, the music still retains a strong island feel. This two-CD set includes a meticulously annotated 56-page booklet that contains biographies of the musicians, lyrics in Spanish and English, and a description of the musical styles. The engineers at Arhoolie have done an excellent job of cleaning up these old records, and even though the recordings were made in the first part of the last century, they are still very easy to listen to and exhibit almost none of the scratchiness that can mar reissues of 78s. Lamento Borincano is a strong reminder that Cuba is not the only Caribbean island that has produced exciting music played by world-class musicians. --Michael Simmons

Customer Reviews:

True sounds of a musical island........2007-05-21

Unique opportunity to listen to original recordings of Puerto Rico's music. A true valuable and musical document of a true musical island.

Highly Recommended.......2007-03-23

A rare find and a true classic in every sense of the word. If you want to delve deep down into the primorial history of Puerto Rican acoustic music, this collection is pretty hard to beat. Lamento Borincano is a wonderful collection of early recordings of Puerto Rican music that cover an astonishingly wide range of styles. These recordings include some of the oldest examples of the various danzas, plenas and guarachas that immigrant performers brought with them during the interwar exodus to New York City. All these tracks were recorded in New York between 1916 and 1939, and because most of the musicians were recent immigrants making music for their homesick countrymen, the music still retains a strong island feel.

The engineers at Arhoolie have done an excellent job of cleaning up these old records, and even though the recordings were made in the first part of the last century, they are still very easy to listen to. The fidelity of these recordings are surprisingly clear and exhibit almost none of the scratchiness that can mar reissues of 78s. Lamento Borincano is a strong reminder that Cuba is not the only Caribbean island that has produced exciting music played by world-class musicians. Of note are the rigorously PC liner notes, includes a meticulously annotated 56-page booklet that contains biographies of the musicians, lyrics in Spanish and English, and a description of the musical styles. The booklet touches (briefly but detailed) the development of Puerto Rican popular music in reference to American colonization and cultural cooptation... Politics aside, this is a outstanding collection, ideal for casual and/or serious student of PR musical culture. This two-CD set Recommended.

1. Heroes De Borinquen - Canario Y Su Grupo
2. Sara - Quinteto Borinquen
3. Laura Y Georgina - Orquesta Euterpe
4. Si Me Quieres - Trio Borinquen
5. A Mi Madre - Trio Boricua
6. Purupita - Trio Boricua
7. Pobre Gaviota - Grupo Quisqueya
8. Bon Ye - Grupo Borinquen
9. Mi Patria Tiembla - Trio Borinquen
10. No Le Llores Miguel - Pleneros Surenos
11. Las Navidades - Pleneros Surenos
12. Antiguo Seis Borinqueno - Los Jardineros
13. Josefina, Josefina - Los Reyes De La Plena
14. El Nuevo Gobernador - Los Reyes De La Plena
15. Los Misterios De Lenox - Los Reyes De La Plena
16. Que Dulces Son Las Canciones - Los Reyes De La Plena
17. Adios Borinquen - Trio Ponceno
18. Cusita - Trio Ponceno
19. Mercedes - Los Jardineros
20. Anhelos - Trio Boricua
21. Fuego En La Cantera - Grupo Antillano
22. Fausto Y Su Ford - Grupo Antillano
23. Lolita, A - Grupo Antillano
24. Todo Es Mentira - Grupo Antillano
25. Esperame En El Porton - Los Reyes De La Plena

1. Lamento Borincano - Canariou Y Su Grupo
2. Quejas Del Ausente - Los Reyes De La Plena
3. Amor Sin Dolor - Canario Y Su Grupo
4. Cantares De La Sierra - Canario Y Su Grupo
5. Suenos De Vestales - Lira Boricua
6. Mis Amores - Lira Boricua
7. No Juegues Con Candela - Sexteto Flores
8. Mamita, Que Frio - Sexteto Flores
9. Siboney - Sexteto Flores
10. Polongui - Cuarteto Flores
11. Consejo A Las Mujeres - Canario
12. Llanto Del Campesino - Canario
13. Alegria Boricua - Grupo Aurora
14. Alma Boricua - Grupo Aurora
15. Mi Bien Baila El Son - Grupo Aurora
16. Pepina - Orquesta De Paco Duclerc
17. Alla Va - Canario Y Su Grupo
18. Tras La Tempestad - Canrio Y Su Grupo
19. El Home Relief - Canario Y Su Grupo
20. Estan Tirando Bombas - Canario Y Su Grupo
21. Que Vivio - Canario Y Su Grupo
22. El Portal - Quinteto La Plata
23. La Joven Que Yo Amaba - Quinteto La Plata
24. El Dia De Los Sorullos - Conjunto Tipico Ladi
25. Para El Ano Nuevo - Conjunto Tipico Ladi

Great compiation!!!.......2003-01-09

Received this 2-CD set as a Christmas present and I have been enjoying it since. It is a great compilation with a lot of history. There are groups that I have never heard off and interpretations of rythms that are very different from the way they are played now. But it is a very good representation of the music played in New York for the Puerto Ricans inmigrants there. I know very well they enjoyed that music at the time, the very same way we present time inmigrants enjoy the modern salsa and the "jibaro" music. VIVA PUERTO RICO!!!!

Old, rare recordings from off the beaten track.......2003-01-04

If you want to delve deep down into the primorial history of Puerto Rican acoustic music, this collection is pretty hard to beat. These recordings include some of the oldest examples of the various danzas, plenas and guarachas that immigrant performers brought with them during the interwar exodus to New York City... On the whole, this 2-CD set may be a bit too stark for all but the most dedicated fans, but it's certainly an amazing collection, drawing on dozens of rare 78s by bands such as Canario Y Su Grupo, Los Reyes De La Plena and the Sexteto Flores... Also of note are the rigorously PC liner notes, which see the development of Puerto Rican pop strictly in terms of cultural colonization and commercial cooptation... Politics aside, this is a mighty fine collection, ideal for any serious student of PR musical culture.

Homesick!.......2002-03-10

I was captivated by this CD set. Cannot put it down. As part of the process of teaching my kids about Puerto Rican culture and history, this music is an invaluable treat. AY Bendito! what memories. Highly recommended for its historical content.

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