Ibrahim Ferrer

For a good few years I was married to a Cuban. As a result, I have a great love and interest in Cuban culture and, in particular, the music. I had quite a collection of CDs and albums from this genre which all (unfortunately) were a casualty of my rather expensive divorce settlement. It's taken me some time to build the collection back up again and it was only recently I got hold of the debut self titled album from Ibrahim Ferrer. I'd been meaning to buy more of the Buena Vista Social Club series for some time, but this was top of my list.

This album, with the smooth, almost perfect voice of the old man sums up the 1940s and 1950s era of Cuban music so well. And if you've seen the man perform you'll know that he is a real Cuban, with a unique interpretive style. Ferrer is one of those men I would dearly loved to have met and listened to his tales of the old days and the struggles during the tough times is Cuba. Ry Cooder and the production team have done a great job with the production. The music has a certain raw, almost live, edge to it which is so refreshing in comparison with the over produced plastic music churned out by the mainstream labels.

The highlight of the album for me is the semi-popular Aquellos Ojos Verdes - Green Eyes - which would be a candidate for one of my desert island disks.

This album is an easy to listen to introduction to the lighter romantic ballads and boleros of the Cuban style. But it's not Easy Listening. It'll make the hairs on your neck stand up - Go listen.