Mambo Sinuendo is a collaboration between Ry Cooder and Buena Vista alum (and formerly of many other groups as well) Manuel Galbán. The album attempts to catch an old style popularized in Cuba by Galbán, and was, surprisingly, never followed up on by anybody after Galbán. It's a guitar-based romp closely based in the pop/jazz crossovers of the 1950s-1960s (Henry Mancini, Nelson Riddle, etc). There's a touch of exoticism here and there, and a larger touch of a relatively Hawaiian feel throughout the whole via the guitar techniques employed by the pair. It's all somewhere in a form between lounge, mambo, and Esquivel's old space-age-bachelor-pad music. In rare instances, there's even a little bit of a house drum loop added in by the percussionists. Aside from the stray spacey chorus in the title track, it's an entirely instrumental affair, which suits the musicians quite well, giving them a chance to show off their full virtuosity along the way. The musicality these guitarists hold, and the interplay between them, is really the treat of the album. For a nice look at the musical genre that never was, but probably should have been, this makes a good show. Newcomers to Cooder should perhaps dig into some older releases to get a feel before coming to this album, but all others should embrace it quickly. -
by Adam Greenberg, AMGArtist: Ry Cooder & Manuel Galbán
Album: Mambo Sinuendo
Year: 2003
Label: Nonesuch
Runtime: 50:29
Tracks:1. Drume Negrita (Ernesto Grenet) 5:00
2. Monte Adentro (Arsenio Rodriguez) 2:53
3. Los Twangueros (Manuel Galbán/Ry Cooder) 4:42
4. Patricia (Perez Prado) 3:29
5. Caballo Viejo (Simon Diaz) 3:51
6. Mambo Sinuendo (Manuel Galbán/Ry Cooder) 2:31
7. Bodas De Oro (Electo Rosell) 4:40
8. Échale Salsita (Ignacio Pineiro) 4:27
9. La Luna En Tu Mirada (Luis Chanivecky) 4:13
10. Secret Love (Sammy Fain/Paul-Francis Webster) 5:49
11. Bolero Sonámbulo (Manuel Galbán/Ry Cooder) 4:31
12. María La Lo (Ernesto Lecuona) 4:18
Personnel:Manuel Galbán (Guitar)
Ry Cooder (Guitar, Steel Guitar, Trés, Vibes, Electric Piano, Organ, El. Bass)
Orlando "Cachaito" Lopez (Double Bass)
Jim Keltner (Drums) - 1-5,7,8,11
Joachim Cooder (Drums) - 1,4-9,12
Miguel "Angá" Diaz (Congas) - 1-5,7-9,12
Juliette Commagere (Coro) - 2,6
Carla Commagere (Coro) - 2,6
Helb Alpert (Trumpet) - 6
Gregorio Hernandez (Bata Drums) - 3
Maximino Duquesne Martinez (Bata Drums) - 3
Marcos H. Scull (Bata Drums) - 3
Yosvani Diaz (Bata Drums) - 3
