Siembra
| Untitled | |
|---|---|
Siembra (English: Planting) is an album by Rubén Blades and Willie Colón, released by Fania Records in 1978.
Background
Siembra is the second of four collaborative duo albums produced by Rubén Blades and Willie Colón. During its time, it was the best-selling salsa record in history.[1][2] This record was broken with the release of Cuenta Conmigo by Jerry Rivera in the 1990s.[3] It has sold over three million copies worldwide,[4] and almost all of its songs were hits at one time or another in various Latin American countries. With its rousing social commentary and unconventional sound, "Siembra" set the salsa world on fire and remains one of the most original and influential works in that genre.[5] Among Siembra's tracks, Blades' masterpiece is still "Pedro Navaja," a song that he fashioned after Bertolt Brecht's "Threepenny Opera."[6]
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |  [7] |
| Wilson & Alroy's | [8] |
John Bush of Allmusic gave the album a five-star rating, praising the composition of the songs by Blades as well the arrangements by Colón. Bush emphasizes the use of disco arrangements at the beginning of the first track, "Plástico", until Colón's band "slip into a devastating salsa groove". He also praised Blade's vocals, noting his high-tenor voice on "Buscando Guayaba" and tender tones on "Dime".[7] David Wilson of Wilson & Alroy's also gave the album a five-star rating. He praised both the arrangements and the message of "Plástico", referring to "Dime" as "a beautiful love song".[8] The album was inducted into the Latin Grammy Hall of Fame in 2007.[9]
In pop culture
The song "Buscando Guayaba" was featured in the 1988 Disney animated film, Oliver & Company.[10]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Rubén Blades, except where noted
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Plástico" | Rubén Blades | 6:37 |
| 2. | "Buscando Guayaba" | Rubén Blades | 5:43 |
| 3. | "Pedro Navaja" | Rubén Blades | 7:21 |
| 4. | "María Lionza" | Rubén Blades | 5:27 |
| 5. | "Ojos" | Johnny Ortiz | 4:50 |
| 6. | "Dime" | Rubén Blades | 6:59 |
| 7. | "Siembra" | Rubén Blades | 5:21 |
Personnel
- Jerry Masucci: Executive Producer
- Rubén Blades: Composer, Songwriter, Lead Vocals, Chorus Ensemble
- Willie Colón: Album Producer, Music Director, Chorus Ensemble, Trombone
- Jon Fausty: Audio Engineer, Recording Schemes, Mixing
- José Torres: Piano, Fender Rhodes, Electric Piano
- José Mangual Jr: Bongos, Maracas, Chorus Ensemble
- Jimmy Delgado: Timbal
- Adalberto Santiago: Percussion, Chorus Ensemble
- Eddie Montalvo: Tumbadora, Percussion
- Johnny Ortiz: songwriter (Ojos)
- Bryan Brake: Drums (Plástico)
- Salvador Cuevas: Bass
- Eddie Rivera: Bass
References
- ^ Home to the Music. Billboard. July 8, 2006. p. 46. Retrieved 2009-10-25.
- ^ "Music: The Keen Edge of Rub". TIME. July 2, 1984. Retrieved 2009-10-25.
- ^ "La salsa no se ha acabado". Gente Revista: Colombia (re: Jerry Rivera) (in Spanish): 75.
- ^ [1]
- ^ Gurza, Agustin (December 23, 2006). "It's Fania salsa remastered, with a true kick". L.A Times. Retrieved 2009-10-25.
- ^ ""Siembra," by Willie Colón and Rubén Blades, turns 30". Sun Sentinel. Retrieved 2009-10-25.
- ^ a b Bush, John. "Siembra: Review". Allmusic. Rovi. Retrieved 2010-11-24.
- ^ a b Wilson, David. "Willie Colón/Rubén Blades-Siembra". Wilson & Alroy's. Retrieved 2010-11-24.
- ^ "Latin GRAMMY Hall Of Fame". Latin Grammy Award. Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences. 2007. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
- ^ "Oliver & Company OST - 10 - Buscando Guayaba". YouTube.com.