Los Pleneros De La 21 Para Todos Ustedes CD

Para Todos Ustedes is a successful fusion of some traditional elements of Puerto Rican music with more contemporary influences. Specifically, it draws heavily from the bomba rhythmic and percussive style, and the call-and-response-oriented plena topical song form, though it also bears the marks of salsa and jazz. It's a lengthy (75 minutes) album, which gives the musicians a chance to offer considerable variety within their loose ensemble format, though a good-natured, upbeat mood is maintained throughout. The shifting percussive rhythms might be the most distinctive feature, while call-and-response vocals also take central position on songs like "Angelito (Little Angel)." Combined with the quick, roving, jazzy guitar patterns, this might sound to some ears like a somewhat Latinized version of some contemporary African music, though such similarities are attributable to both styles having evolved from similar sources. At times the jazz aspects come more to the fore, while the more traditional aspects are accented on an update of a bomba chant, "Campo (Land)/Yo Cantare Esta Boma, (I Shall Sing This Bomba)." There's a little bit of both English and Spanish rap in "Chiviriquiton," but that's the only such interjection in an album that's very much grounded in Puerto Rican styles. ~ Richie Unterberger

Audio Mixers: John Santos; Pete Reiniger.

Recording information: Freddie Mac Studios, Englewood, NJ; Private Ear Recording, Hyattsville, MD; Skylight, Belleville, NJ.

Photographer: Marlow Palleja.

Translator: Carolina Santamaría.

Arrangers: Ricardo S. Pons; Edgardo Miranda.

Personnel: Hector "Tito" Matos (vocals, requinto, sound effects); Angel Vazquez (vocals, trombone); Jose Lantigua (vocals, piano, synthesizer); Miriam Felix, Herman Olivera, Nellie Tanco (vocals); Edgardo Miranda (cuatro); Roberto Cepeda (guiro, maracas); John Santos (shekere, percussion).

Additional personnel: Papo Vasquez (trombone); John Santos.