Candido Camero Inolvidable CD - Import

This is a hybrid Super Audio CD playable on both regular and Super Audio CD players.
Personnel: Candido Camero (congas); Graciela (vocals); Xiomara Laugart (vocals); Nelson Gonzalez (tres); Frederico Britos Ruiz (violin); Eddie Perales (flute); Sonny Bravo (piano); Andrew Gonzales (double bass); Manny Oquendo (percussion).
In Spanish, the word "inolvidable" means "unforgettable." A title as lofty as Inolvidable would, in many cases, be an example of excessive hype, but when the artists in question are percussionist Candido Camero and singer Graciela Perez, the word "unforgettable" is definitely appropriate -- their contributions to Afro-Cuban jazz music are exactly that. Camero and Perez go back a long way; they first met in the '40s, when Perez was a featured vocalist for Machito's band (a gig that lasted into the '70s). Perez retired from performing in 1993, but Camero managed to lure her back into the studio for this 2004 release. Both of them were octogenarians when Inolvidable came out; Camero was 82, while Perez was 88. Produced by Nelson Gonzalez and David Chesky (with Charles Carlini serving as associate producer), Inolvidable finds Camero and Perez turning their attention to classic Latin gems like "Cesar Portillo de la Luz," "Tu Mi Delirio" and Rafael Hernandez' "Desvelo" -- and the octogenarians happily recreate the spirit of jazz-influenced Afro-Cuban dance music as it sounded in the '40s and '50s (but with the digital technology of the 21st century). Despite Perez' physical limitations -- she has been plagued by debilitating arthritis -- the veteran singer brings a great deal of enthusiasm to this project. And for 88, Perez still sounds surprisingly good; she doesn't have the vocal stamina of her youth, but she gets her points across nonetheless -- and being reunited with Camero seems to really inspire her on the album's up-tempo selections as well as romantic boleros such as Hernandez' "Amor Ciego," and Arsenio Rodriguez' "La Vida Es Un Sueńo." For Afro-Cuban enthusiasts, a Camero/Perez reunion is truly an historic event -- one that yields consistently enjoyable results on Inolvidable. ~ Alex Henderson
INOLVIDABLE is a collaboration between two old friends, who just happen to be legendary figures in Afro-Cuban jazz. The project was spearheaded by conguero Candido Camero, who lured vocalist Graciela out of retirement for the session. One of the essential artists of the genre, Graciela was the lead vocalist for Machito and his Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra for the duration of the group's greatest popularity (from the 1940s to the '70s). Candido's alternately subtle and raucous rhythms on his triple congas have defined numerous bands, and here he leads a crack ensemble of piano, violin, bass, flute, tres, and additional percussionists and backing vocalists.
Though both artists were in their 80s at the time of recording, this set of classic Cubop is imbued with a sense of youthful vitality and ease, with percolating polyrhythms intersecting jazzy instrumental passages. Though Graciela's pipes have weathered considerably, she still sings with the assurance of a master, and sounds especially fine on slower tunes, particularly the ballroom takes on Rafael Hernandez's "Amor Ciego" and Arsenio Rodriguez's "La Vida Es Un Sueno." In fact, save a few numbers (the sprightly "Chachita"), the set is relaxed and lushly romantic throughout, making for a sweet and charming listen.