Search - Cachao :: Ahora Si (Bonus Dvd)

Nothing new here, but the Power is Undeniable.

MusicFreak | FL | 09/25/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Alright. Cachao has a new one. I have loved his music since I first heard him around 10 years ago. On this album, he is doing what he has always done - nothing really out of the ordinary. It has been done before, and just as good. But, for some reason, I do not get tired of it. The power, the swing of the music is still as compelling as ever. And, as opposed to the other reviewer, I don't think the production is bad at all. Cachao's previous CD, "Cuba Linda" sounded great, and so does this one. If you like Cachao, you will like this album. While it offers nothing new, it is still worth a try, especially because of the DVD. I found it to be quite good in offering an inside look at the conception of the music, and the performances are great. Cachao may not be breaking new ground, but no one can deny he is still the master of Afro-Cuban styles he helped create. Cachao is the uncle of Orlando "Cachaito" Lopez, who made quite a unique CD you should check out. As for Cachao,Sr., he is still making what he does best, and I am grateful for that."

Chucho El Cubano

Chucho El Cubano | California | 05/29/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have been listening to Cachao for years and I have all his music. I think this is his best album to date. Yes, I love Master Sessions I and II, but this album gets the most playing time at my house, my car, and my office. Cachao's rendition of "Si me pudieras querer" is just plain beautiful, and "Una Descarga a Cachao" gets my wife and me dancing every time. This is a great album of Cuban music, so enjoy it!"

There is much better Cachao available

J. Axtell | Los Angeles | 07/03/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This is another production with the ever ubiquitous Andy Garcia, this time with Andy appearing all over the accompanying DVD as well. It even contains a descarga track written by Andy, which, without surprise, is the worst track on the CD. I dislike Andy Garcia's musicianship so much I never even listened to the conga track on Cachao's Master's Session Volume I CD because it has a spoken intro by Andy "emotionally declaiming" poetry in tribute to his father. (But Andy's rain stick solo on Master Sessions Volume I is like the standout of the CD though.) Okay, okay, somebody stop me, enough with the Andy Garcia bashing. Two things I can say I like about Andy Garcia are that there would be no Cachao renaissance and no Master Sessions Volume I and II without Andy Garcia making it happen, and, his movie set in Cuba was absolutely wonderful.

The problem with this CD is that it is sloppy, lacks the great musicianship on display in Master Sessions Volume I and II, and suffers from poor song selection. There are a few pretty good tracks, but a lot of it consists of the mambos, son monuntos, and rumba/congas that we have already heard everyone else do, and heard Cachao himself do way better. I would save your money on this one, Master Sessions Volumes I and II are way better, as is Cachao's original late 50's descarga sessions."