Café Atlantico by Cesaria Evora

Café Atlantico by Cesaria Evora

Cesaria Evora, the native of the island of Cape Verde, is known worldwide as the countries’ foremost practitioner of the morna style. Café Atlantico, released in 1999, is a tribute to Evora’s hometown of Mindelo, which is a port on the Cape Verdean Island where sailors from Portugal, Argentina, Brazil and the Caribbean cross-pollinated the music of the island. In other words, this album is an ambitious musical experience where traditional cape-verdean and afro-cuban rhythms are successfully blended.

Evora's singing is a true gift, luckily very appreciated around the globe. Starting with the very first sounds, this album is all soul, all Cesaria. There are moments for dancing as well as moments for contemplating, moments done with a perfect taste. The musicians surrounding Cesaria on this CD are completely in tune with her and represent a great add to the overall success of the music. Atlantic Paradise is one of the best tracks, revealing the most her tone, mood and style.

An Invitation to Inspiration from Peugeot

An Invitation to Inspiration from Peugeot

Peugeot has enjoyed a special relationship with the French people for 200 years, establishing this automobile as a marker of their emotions. To celebrate the 200th anniversary of Peugeot’s industrial adventure, the company invites all Internet users across the Europe to express the emotions inspired by the car of tomorrow and post their feelings on this virtual wall on their recently launched website, from 6th of May till 5th of October 2010.

Using photos, texts and videos, you can choose your own way of expressing the view of the automobile as a true space for living, sharing and feeling. The best entries will win prizes including preview road tests of the 508 or VIP week-ends at the Le Mans 24 hour race. All your desires can be expressed through six emotionally expressive themes: performance (by sharing the strongest sporting moments), environment (presenting the most beautiful feelings inspired by the natural world), emotions (describing memorable emotions inspired by creative design), movement (catching and communicating the vibrations of the city), connectivity (showing how the outside world and its technologies have taken up residence in the car) and vision (bringing on the wall some unusual holiday incidents, or hilarious moments).

A History of Cuban Music

A History of Cuban Music

Since music and dance have always been a way of life in Cuba, all styles and their evolution would fill an entire book. For example, in the urban centers, contradanza, based on the French, salon style contredanse, evolved into the still popular danzon. Urban street music, influenced by African religious rituals, Christian religious carnivals and Caribbean carnival music similar to Brazil’s samba mixed together and gave birth to rumba and conga.

The music of the countryside, known collectively as musica campensina, gave rise to guajira, the lyrical, sweet musical form that extols the virtues of the land and Cuba’s beauty. The trova, another rural style of music from the eastern part of the island, dispersed news and gossip, often through satire. The Cuban bolero, evolving from the trova, is the epitome of the romantic love song. And finally, reflecting influences of all of these earlier musical styles is the heart of Cuban music, the son. As waves of immigrants migrated north to the U.S., Cuban music fused with other musical formats in the urban centers. In the mid-twentieth century, new, popular musical styles were born from this fusion giving us the mambo, cha cha and salsa. In order to download music just for having a little taste of these marvelous styles, you can search for artists like Celia Cruz, Arsenio Rodriguez, Ibrahim Ferrer, Omara Portuondo or Compay Segundo.

Today, it’s difficult to say who invented some of the popular Cuban musical forms: for example, does salsa come from Cuba or from New York? But not this answer is important here. What really matters is the fact that Latin music continues to evolve and to reflect a global heartbeat.

100th Birthday Celebration

100th Birthday Celebration

This two CD set (released in 2007) is celebrating the life and music of the late, great Cuban musician: Compay Segundo. Released on what would have been his 100th birthday, it contains 28 great tracks which definitely worth to be listened.

Long before his star turn on 1997's Buena Vista Social Club album and documentary, guitarist and songwriter Compay Segundo (born Maximo Francisco Repilado Munoz) started out, in the '30s, playing classical clarinet. He later joined the popular El Conjunto Matamoros, where he developed into a world-class guitarist in the Son genre, one of the traditional Afro-Cuban styles that eventually evolved into salsa. By the early '40s, he had formed a duo called Los Compadres where he was able to showcase his songwriting gifts, melodious voice, and guitar chops, and for which he invented a seven-stringed instrument called the armonico. In the mid '50s, when the duo parted ways, he formed his own band, which played together until his death at 96 in 2003.

If you didn’t had so far the chance to listen to Compay Segundo, you can have a little taste by grabbing one of the tracks from the album mentioned above using an MP3 Search Engine, although I recommend buying the CD since it’s a worthy album. Let me know if you enjoyed it…

FIFA 10

FIFA 10

I usually don’t write about games on this blog, but FIFA 10 is the only game I’m playing when I have a little free time. I can’t call myself really a fan of it, but what I like about FIFA 10 is that it gives the players new levels of control in order to experience this beautiful game like never before. So, the idea was to share with you, my way of relaxing in the late evenings when I’m not in the mood of watching a movie or reading a good book. Below, I will give you also some technical data related to the game.

FIFA 10 is the 18th title in EAs' FIFA series of football video games. Developed by EA Canada, it was published by Electronic Arts worldwide under the EA Sports label. The game was to be released on 1 October 2009 in Australia, but, as a result of unknown circumstances, it became available on 30 September. It was released on 2 October 2009 in Europe and 20 October 2009 in North America. It is available for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360 and Wii. Handheld versions of the game were also released for the iPhone and iPod Touch, Nintendo DS, Nokia N-Gage, PlayStation Portable and mobile phones.

And if you didn’t try so far the game, you can grab the demo version via game torrents just to taste it a little bit. Enjoy!

Cuban Heroes

Cuban Heroes

Cuban Heroes is a 2008 release album from one of the last of Cuba's great Afro-Cuban piano players, Ruben Gonzalez. Although he had played and recorded with the band led by Enrique Jorrín, the creator of the cha-cha, he had retired from music by the mid-'80s. Things began to change when González recorded with the Afro-Cuban All Stars in 1996 the album A Toda Cuba Le Gusta which brought González to the attention of a global audience. His performance on the album Buena Vista Social Club made him an international phenomenon, releasing the debut solo album at the age of 78.

One of the veterans of the Buena Vista Social Club recordings, Ry Cooder described Ruben as "a Cuban cross between Thelonious Monk and Felix the Cat". A master of his craft, Ruben was one of the last great pianists of Cuba's golden age. His music is still enjoyed today and is captured on this compilation of his greatest work, which features some of Ruben's finest musical accomplishments including titles like El Vivo, Todo Es Para Tu, Poco Pelo, Estoy Suave and many more. If you didn’t had so far the chance to listen his music, you can have a little taste by grabbing one of the tracks mentioned above using Rapidshare Search Engine, although I recommend buying it since it’s a fine compilation disk to have in your collection. Let me know if you enjoyed it…

Feeling the Rhythm of Cuba

Feeling the Rhythm of Cuba

Cuban music, having its main roots in Spain and West Africa, has been influenced over time by diverse genres from different countries like France, the United States or Puerto Rico. Reciprocally, Cuban music has been an important influence in other countries, contributing not only to the development of jazz and salsa, but also to Argentinean Tango or to Spanish Nuevo Flamenco.

Below, I will try to recommend you some interesting albums which will bear you from the late 70s to the present. For songs that evoke the soul of Cuba wracked by the time, you will have to listen to Buena Vista Social Club album, a recording of veteran Cuban musicians. A contemporary rhythm you will hear on Malembe album of the band Cubanismo, which introduces the modern style in the traditional music. Not least, on A Lo Cubano album released by the group Orishas you will have the opportunity to listen the influence of hip hop music upon the salsa rhythms.

Cantora

Cantora

Being the finest CD that Mercedes Sosa, known as La Negra, produced, Cantora (released in May 2009) is a fundamental project which presents duos with other notable singers and songwriters. In fact, Cantora is a two CDs set. Almost all who appear in this project are already well known artists outside their own countries (some like Shakira being worldwide superstars) and others are raising stars to watch in the future.

Mercedes Sosa was not just a great singer, she was a fundamental character in Latin American music. About the music itself, Sosa collaborated with her long time pianist and musical director Popi Spatocco. He dealt with a wide range of musical styles creating something very well rounded, traditional without being cheesy. One of the greatest songs from the first CD is "Sabiéndose De Los Descalzos" sung by Mercedes and well known Mexican star Julieta Venegas, who is also the composer of the song. Shakira also did a nice thing with Mercedes on the great version of Silvio Rodriguez's "La Maza", exploiting the subtleties of this song and adding her own middle-eastern touch. This CD includes some very unusual styles for Mercedes Sosa such as the argentine cumbia, in Leon Gieco's wonderful song "El ángel de la bicicleta" sung by the legendary Gustavo Cordera from Bersuit, who is comfortable with such rhythms. Another jewel here is the traditional zamba arrangement of argentine rocker-legend L.A. Spinetta's "Barro tal vez", sung by both Spinetta and Sosa. Something else to be mentioned is the wonderful mother-son relationship that Sosa had with a whole generation of legendary rock stars like Spinetta, García or Gieco who went to sing with her with the most utter respect and affection. She was for them like a connection with their elders and with the rich world of traditions that is fast disappearing.

In conclusion, Cantora is a great studio album and it is sad that in just a few months from its release she passed away.

“You Gotta See This” Video Contest

“You Gotta See This” Video Contest

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Incendia Health. All opinions are 100% mine.

Recently launched, "You Gotta See This" Video Contest invites all interested people to make a video showing the impact of improved vision, for a chance to win the $ 5,000 grand prize. So, if you don’t want to miss your chance to win, create a video up to 90 seconds and submit it to http://www.gottaseethisnow.com/. The video can be practically what you want it to be (i.e. music video, boxing, swimming or other sports video, or simply videos showing your regular life), but must be applicable to one of the following categories:
- "My prescription lenses are getting in the way of my good time."
- "My favorite sport or activity would be so much cooler with better vision."
- "You should see life after the iLASIK Procedure."

The beautiful thing is that once you have submitted your video, you can request all your friends or colleagues to vote for it, votes being very important for winning this contest. The contest, launched by Abbott Medical Optics Inc. (AMO) which is a global leader in laser vision correction, is aimed to attract thousands of video submissions wanting to find out how better vision could improve people’s lives.

iLASIK Video Contest is a 12-week contest running until December 10, 2009, winners being chosen a month later (on January 10, 2010). All entries will be judged on their creativity, association with the topic for which they are submitted and votes received. The Grand Prize will be $ 5,000, which is the approximate market value for the iLASIK Procedure (the world's most modern form of LASIK surgery where two lasers, instead of one, are used to deliver the most advanced and personalized vision correction available today).

If you miss the chance to win the grand prize, you will have also a chance to win:
- three first prizes consisting in an HDTV package (having a $ 2,500 value) - one per each video category;
- three second prize consisting in a Flip UltraHD camcorder (having a $ 199.99 value) - one per each video category.

Gracias from Omara Portuondo

Gracias from Omara Portuondo

With Gracias album (released in December 2008), Omara Portuondo wanted to revisit the songs that she has found most moving and to work with the songwriters she most admires, such as Silvio Rodríguez, Pablo Milanés and Jorge Drexler. But these are not the only star guests on this recording, as if the list was not already impressive enough (other great names being Chucho Valdés, the African musician Richard Bona and the Brazilian maestro Chico Buarque). Some striking collaborations present on this project, must be mentioned, starting with O que será in duet with Chico Buarque and finishing with Ámame como soy with Pablo Milanés, a song with lyrics that could stand as a metaphor for the whole album.

Speaking about the album, Omara says: "I selected these tracks because they are very popular and people know them in Cuba. I like all of these songs and I wanted to work with younger people who play modern music which is still rooted in tradition". Indeed, the backing band for this 13-track disc features the likes of jazz bass virtuoso Avishai Cohen and rising Cuban star Roberto Fonseca on piano. From cabaret dancer in decadent pre-Castro Cuba to vocalist of intimacy and passion in the world-famous Buena Vista phenomenon, Omara has been a performer and entertainer for six decades. This album marks out her territory of sweet, sentimental nostalgia in favorite songs from all the eras she's lived through. Simply, this CD can be played over and over just to discover what it must have been like to be Omara Portuondo at every beautiful age.

One Love from David Guetta

One Love from David Guetta

One Love is the title of the fourth studio album signed by French DJ, David Guetta. Officially released on August 25, 2009 it is in fact a double disc, the second one containing extended/club mixes of album tracks plus 2 bonuses. The reviews for this album were generally favorable.

With guest appearances from Akon, Will.I.Am, Estelle, Kid Cudi, Ne-Yo, Novel or Kelly Rowland, the album is an ambitious project, in fact a manifesto for the global pop and dance audience, blurring the lines between urban and electronic styles along the way. Fans will get well-done music that can, definitely, get a party started. It must be mentioned that One Love features also an exclusive David Guetta remix edit of the Black Eyed Peas number one hit called I Gotta Feeling.

Something great to listen to: Cesaria Evora

Something great to listen to: Cesaria Evora

Cesaria Evora (born 27 August 1941 in Cape Verde) is, in my opinion, one of the most distinguished singers of world music around. With her amazing voice and rhythms, makes you feel as you were on one of those magnificent beaches of Cape Verde.

These days, I bought this audio CD signed by Evora: The Very Best of Cesaria Evora. This “best of” album, released in September 2002, represents simply a terrific introduction to a woman who not only masters each style she sings, but obviously loves every moment of it, and her enthusiasm for what she is singing is contagious. With songs like Angola, Carnaval De Sao Vicente or Bondade E Maldade, this compilation it’s a worthy buy and I recommend it as a wonderful way of getting to know great singing.

The Ultimate Ray Charles Collection

The Ultimate Ray Charles Collection

Genius: The Ultimate Ray Charles Collection features all original hit recordings and performances, digitally remastered from the original tapes. Housed in a handsome embossed digipack and presented with a 24 page collectors' book of rare photos and extensive notes by celebrated music journalist Don Heckman, this collection brings together Ray Charles' most memorable music from his classic era. A must for music fans of all ages.

The set, released on April 7, 2009, includes four tracks from Charles' time on Atlantic, reaching back as early as 1955 for "I've Got a Woman." The bulk of the set is drawn from 1960 through 1967, starting with Charles' first pop chart topper, 1960's "Georgia on My Mind" and winding along to 1967's "Here We Go Again" and "Yesterday". The disc closes with Charles' last single for ABC, 1976's "America the Beautiful." Throughout the twenty-one selections you can hear Charles' develop his seminal brand of soul from roots in gospel, blues, R&B, and jazz.

Classic Sinatra II

Classic Sinatra II

During his lifetime, Frank Sinatra won 10 Grammy Awards, appeared in 58 films and won three Academy Awards, including an honorary Oscar for The House I Live In. He performed thousands of tour dates around the world, starred in his own television show and numerous specials, earning Emmys and a Peabody Award. Sinatra was saluted by The Kennedy Center Honors (1983) as a cultural icon and was awarded the Presidential Medal Of Honor (1985) and the Congressional Gold Medal (1995), Congress' highest civilian award.

Born Francis Albert Sinatra on December 12, 1915, Frank Sinatra was a titan of 20th Century entertainment, with record-breaking successes in both music and film. With a legendary career spanning more than six decades, Sinatra was truly "The Entertainer of the 20th Century." Also known as "Ol' Blue Eyes," "The Chairman of the Board" and "The Voice," Sinatra has sold more than more than 150 million albums around the world, and racked up 31 gold and nine platinum albums (including three that went multi-platinum), one gold single, and two gold and platinum videos in the United States alone. He is the only artist to chart in Billboard's Top Ten for seven consecutive decades.

The present collection release in June 2009 under the name Classic Sinatra II, features 21 tracks, including 15 from the legendary concept albums Sinatra recorded for Capitol between 1954 and 1961, various singles and a previously unreleased recording. Classic Sinatra II showcases a selection of Sinatras' most loved recordings including "Moonlight In Vermont," "Pennies From Heaven," "Something's Gotta Give," and "All Of Me." In addition, the set feature four 1950s singles: "Love And Marriage," "(Love Is) The Tender Trap," "Learnin' The Blues," and "High Hopes." Plus a 1956 recording of "Memories Of You" and a previously unreleased recording, "This Can't Be Love".