Presentation of the CD Como una alondra by singer and actress Gretel Cazón
Once again, the opera singer Gretel Cazón surprises us with an exquisite selection of songs gathered in her CD Como la alondra, presented this Tuesday by Sello Unicornio de Producciones Abdala, in collaboration with the National Center of Pop Music.
Accompanied by renowned Cuban instrumentalists, this second album by the singer and actress aims to introduce the public to the work of the greatest composers of the Latin American songbook, such as Agustín Lara and Cubans César Portillo de la Luz and José Antonio Méndez.
With arrangements by bassist Gastón Joya, who brings a contemporary sound and freshness to each song, the album also features Barbarito Torres on lute; Héctor Quintana and Nam Sam on electric guitar; Julito Padrón on trumpet; César Hechavarría on tres, clave and maraca; Carlos Ernesto Varona on guitar; and Marlene Martínez and Javier Valladares on backing vocals.
Gastón Joya and the trio Los Embajadores participated as guests, adding a special sound to the album, which has been nominated for the 2023 Cubadisco Award in the song category.
Thirteen songs make up the album: La Alondra, Amor mis amores, Alma llanera, Recuerdos de Ypacaraí: La Alondra, Amor de mis amores, Alma llanera, Recuerdos de Ypacaraí, Yo vendo unos ojos negros, La Paloma, Toda una vida, Uno, Noche cubana, Y decídete mi amor, Alma mía, Solamente una vez and Soy tan feliz.
Gretel’s timbre and melodious voice manage to enrich this material, which she manages to make her own without renouncing her essence, showing an increasingly mature performer who has shared the stage with renowned local and foreign artists, while she has successfully ventured into international stages.
Also participating in Como una alondra were Javier Valladares in recording, editing, and mixing; Víctor Rodríguez in general production; Jorge Rodríguez in production and repertoire; Ofelia Quesada in production assistance, Ricardo Monnar in graphic design, Alejandro Fernández in photography and José Luis González in costume design.
The words of the album were in charge of the poet, essayist, and ethnographer Miguel Barnet who pointed out: «The rich musical cartography of Latin America is embellished with the ductile voice of Cuban singer Gretel Cazón. Accompanied by the rich diversity of the plucked string, the song rises to the romantic, sensual and intimate plane that takes us to the memory of the unfading. Love and nostalgia meet in a dialogue that expresses the purest of a continent that returns to us, like a mirror, the image of a soul full of melodies and full moons.
«This is an album to be enjoyed alone or in the company of someone who will forever embrace a shared illusion,» he added.
Once again, the Unicornio label of Abdala Productions dresses with a luxury material that reserves surprises in each of the 13 tracks carefully selected and eager to hear much more.
Available at: https://links.altafonte.com/4aqdyx
Source: Producciones Abdala
Translated by Luis E. Amador Dominguez
