Track Listing
Click tracks with speaker icon to listen| 1 | Tíbiri Tábara (Pablo Cairo, arr. Juan de Marcos González) | 3:35 |
| 2 | ¿Dónde va Chichi? (Bienvenido Julían Gutiérrez, arr. Juan de Marcos González) | 5:10 |
| 3 | Yo soy Tiburón (Arsenio Rodríguez, arr. Juan de Marcos González) | 4:01 |
| 4 | Marieta (Faustino ‘El Guayabero’ Oramas, arr. Nick Gold) | 2:00 |
| 5 | Son para tí (José Ordáz, arr. Eduardo Himley) | 5:16 |
| 6 | Felipe Blanco (Eliseo Grenet, arr. Eduardo Himley) | 3:53 |
| 7 | En el silencio de la noche (Eliseo Grenet, arr. Sierra Maestra) | 4:27 |
| 8 | El guararey de Pastora (Mario Baute, arr. Eduardo Himley) | 3:07 |
| 9 | Con la Espuela (Lorenzo Hierrezuelo, arr. Eduardo Himley) | 4:45 |
| 10 | Anabacoa (J. Ramírez, arr. Sierra Maestra) | 5:07 |
About this Album
Formed in Havana in the late 1970s, Sierra Maestra is arguably Cuba’s finest nine-piece son band. It was the first modern group to play with the classic son line-up of the 1920s and '30s, which features tres, guitar, trumpet, bongos, güiro, maracas, clave, and vocals.
With Tíbiri Tábara, Sierra Maestra celebrates its 21st anniversary. Recorded in London in 1997, this collection of songs from the son tradition employs the classic son line-up, augmented on some tracks by piano and trumpet section. The nine-piece group’s four lead vocalists cover a repertoire ranging from 19th-century traditional changí and son, through earthy guarjira, up-tempo big band guaracha and sucu-sucu, powerful son-montuno and riffing descarga style Afro-Cuban jazz.
Together for over 20 years, Sierra Maestra’s experience shows in the subtle dynamics, shifts of gear, and uncannily tight "breaks" in their music. The group is joined on Tíbiri Tábara by maestro Orlando "Cachaíto" Lopez on double bass and the young Portuguese pianist Bernardo Sassetti. Tíbiri Tábara also features tresero and musical arranger Juan de Marcos González, also known for his work on the Grammy-winning Buena Vista Social Club recording and as musical director of the Afro-Cuban All Star’s Grammy-nominated debut A Toda Cuba le Gusta.
Credits
MUSICIANS
Alejandro Suárez, musical director, cata, claves
Eduardo Himley, musical production, bass, guitar, marímbula
Juan de Marcos González, tres, lead vocals (10), vocals
Carlos González, bongos, congas
Bábaro Teuntor García, trumpet, lead vocals (8), vocals
Carlos Puisseaux, guiro
Alberto ‘Virgilio’ Valdés, lead vocals (2, 5), maracas
José Antonio ‘Maceo’ Rodríguez, lead vocals (3, 4, 7, 9), vocals, guitar
Luis Barzaga, lead vocals (1, 6), vocals, claves
Additional Musicians:
Orlando ‘Cachaíto’ López, double bass
Bernardo Sassetti, piano
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Musical production: Eduardo Himley
Recorded and mixed by Jerry Boys at Livingston Studios, London July 1997
Mastered by Steve Shin at Whitfield Street Studios
Design by Cog Design Ltd.
FORMAT AVAILABILITY
This album is available from Nonesuch in the United States and Canada only.