Search - Various Artists :: Rough Guide to the Music of Venezuela

If you think that Venezuelan music is all about the fiery salsa jams of Oscar D'Leon and La Dimension Latina, prepare yourself to be enlightened. As celebrated in this eye opening volume from the Rough Guide series, Venezuela's musical riches cover a wide array of styles and genres, from the lilting joropo and the festive gaita to the South American nation's own brand of calypso. Still, most of the 19 tracks here have a few elements in common: soulful female choruses, earthy touches of African-influenced percussion, and gorgeous cascades of string instruments. Besides uncovering indispensable--though relatively obscure--artists such as Quinto Criollo and Vasallos del Sol, compiler Dan Rosenberg has been wise enough to select lesser-known tunes by the expected favorites. The most charismatic vocalist in contemporary salsa, D'Leon is not represented by one of his many hits, but rather by the brassy "Ariel" and the sinuous "Los Cadetes." The only serious omission? The big-band swing of Billo's Caracas Boys and the rock en espanol lounge of Los Amigos Invisibles are sorely missing from this otherwise perfect disc. --Ernesto Lechner