The words to these tunes aren't always poetry, but the music's pretty darn good. The harmonies and acoustic guitars get a little too sweet at times, but the duo mostly keeps things real and rough around the edges. Philip Quint's high-powered reading would be easy to recommend even if there were competition. What began as a social club is now a full-fledged industry, with the Buena Vista brand as a trademark of Cuban quality. Still, fans who have made best-sellers of pianist Ruben Gonzalez and vocalists Ibrahim Ferrer and Omara Portuondo may be taken aback by this eclectic and innovative set by bassist Lopez, the only musician who contributed to every track of the original Buena Vista session.
Energy levels are high here, and the electric guitars soar and roar.
But the excitement feels more manufactured than genuine. All content copyright 2001 Detroit Free Press and may not be republished without permission.