Maña (not to be mistaken with the latin rock group Maná ) is a salsa band based in New York
City which was formed in 2001 by best friends and co-leaders Ramón Rosado (pianist) and Víctor Maldonado (timbalero). '¡Por
Fin...Maña! Comenzó La Fiesta' is their excellent debut album.
As soon as I heard the original opening track 'Azucare' written
by band leader and pianist Ramón Rosado I knew I was in for a treat - it's a fantastic salsa track, my toes were tapping straight
away and the album had already grabbed my attention. It's an upbeat salsa dura track, the percussion, horns and piano are
swinging, the vocals of Fernando Fernández are very powerful and backed by a strong coro which includes two fantastic female
vocalists Cathy López and Ada Chabrier (who's name has been popping up on album credits for a while now).
I'm a huge Wayne Gorbea fan and Ramón Rosadohas a long history
with Gorbea - as an arranger, composer, chorus singer and percussionist. The salsa tracks on this cd very much remind me of
Wayne Gorbea and Salsa Picante which is probably why I liked it so much straight away. The influences are apparent in tracks like 'Azucare',
'Con Maña Se Puede' and '¿Y Yo?' among others but that's not to say this cd isn't anything new or original, far from it,
six tracks out of the eleven are original songs composed by Ramón Rosado. In addition to the 4 excellent original salsa compositions,
there is also a Bomba - 'Donde Está La Conciencia' and a Plena - 'Por Fín Llegó La Hora' which are also great upbeat tracks.
Other tracks on the album include a fresh and interesting version
of Eddie Palmieri's 'No Hay Mal Que Por Bien No Venga', a wonderful remake of Joe Cuba's Cha Cha Cha - Tu Bombón (written
by Hector Rivera) and also (staying with Joe Cuba) a brilliant version of 'Tremendo Coco' (written by Genaro "Heny" Álvarez).
The final track 'Con Maña Se Puede' brings the album to it's
swinging grand finale and by the end of it I just wanted to go back to the beginning and enjoy it all over again.
Credits: Ramón "Ray" Rosado Leader/Piano/Producer/Arrangements;
Victor M. Maldonado Co-Leader/Timbales; Carmelo Berríos Bongo; Marcos González Bass; Willie Andino Conga; Christian Kollar
Trombone; Fernando Fernández, Ada Chabrier, Nodál Hernádez & Alex Casanova Vocals; Jorge Maldonado, Ada Chabrier, Fernando
Fernández, Cathy López, Frank Otero, Victor Maldonado & Ramón Rosado, Coros.
Guest Artists: Tomer Levy Trumpet; Carl Corwin Tenor Sax; Pete
Nater Trumpet; Carlos Ordúz Tenor Sax; Carmelo Rivera Tenor Sax; Maribell Vocal; Luis A. Cruz Güiro, Maracas; Louie Cruz (2
tracks) & Héctor Rivera (1 track) Arrangements.
A very highly recommended album. - (by Gillian Heaton).
