Cigar Music: Tobacco Songs from Old Havana

Amazon.com
This is a true curiosity of the Cuban music boom of the '90s. In a conscious attempt to cash in on the cigar fad, a group of songs about tobacco was assembled by a good instrumental group and over-layered by a Cuban version of the Swingle Singers, with lush, over the top vocals wholly out of place with the subject matter and the music. If you adore Manhattan Transfer and don't love Cuban songs enough to be offended, you'll enjoy puffing a stogie while this disc spins in the background. --Louis Gibson

Tracks:

Un Buen Tabaco Con Ron
Dejame Volver A Ti
Tabaco Con Melao
Nuestra Cobardia
La Negra Tomasa
Tabaco Verde
Lagrimas Negras
Habana Puro
Senor Tiempo
Manisero
Sabrason Sabrason
Se Te Cayo El Tabaco
Noche Cubana
Oyeme Cachita
Decidete
De Cigarro En Cigarro

Amazon.com

This is a true curiosity of the Cuban music boom of the '90s. In a conscious attempt to cash in on the cigar fad, a group of songs about tobacco was assembled by a good instrumental group and over-layered by a Cuban version of the Swingle Singers, with lush, over the top vocals wholly out of place with the subject matter and the music. If you adore Manhattan Transfer and don't love Cuban songs enough to be offended, you'll enjoy puffing a stogie while this disc spins in the background. --Louis Gibson

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful Vocal Harmony.......2002-12-30

First of all I like to tell you that - I DO NOT SMOKE CIGARS... yet the beautiful vocal harmonies of the "Cuarteto Tiempo" in their interpretation of timeless popular cuban songs in this excellent recording is better than any Cohiba Cigar or any of those famous cigars from Cuba.

"Cigar Music" truly captures the sound and voices of a timeless Havana through the various musical styles found in this excellent musical work including Bolero, Son, Cha-Cha-Cha and Rumba from the pre-revolutionary island nation of Cuba. The style of harmonic vocal sounds from the US became very popular in Cuba as well from the 1950's to the 60's (remember, Cuba was the playground of America for the first half of the twentieth century). But rather than the "Rock and Roll" counterpart, the cuban version became known as "Feeling" and noted for it's romantic and melodic lyrics of their quartets.

Miami still hosts a great nightclub in Calle Ocho that is known for "feeling": "El Rincon del Feeling". This establishment features one of it's original and most popular interpreters, pianist and vocalist Luis García. Luis sang in Cuba with a group which included the voice and piano of Meme Solis and the voice of the late cuban diva Elena Burke.

Within the last five years Luis Garcia was part of a recording entitled "A Solas Contigo" (this was the name of a Radio Program in Havana on Radio Progreso that lasted over eight years in the air) and featuring once more the great Meme Solis and the beautiful voice of Malena Burke (daughter of the late Elena) and it is a beautiful expression of the same type of melodies that "Cigar Music" features. I truly recomend "Cigar Music, Tobacco Songs from Old Havana" to all who enjoy great vocal quartets and the timeless songs from Cuba... you will never regret it!

Guitar, Cigar, Unplugged.......1999-11-09

Can't understand most of the words, but one gets the idea quickly. Tobacco and rum! The guitar work is fantastic!

Rock Music: