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In These Shoes

by

Arturo O'Farrill & Claudia Acuna

 
In These Shoes
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Avg: 4.0 (11 ratings)

This freewheeling, sexy record is O'Farrill's first to feel free from his father's towering legacy.

  • We Say...

    Stylish and sexy, yet light-hearted and free-wheeling, In These Shoes feels like the first Arturo O'Farrill record where the pianist isn't beholden to his straight-ahead jazz bona fides or the towering legacy of his father, Chico O'Farrill. Instead, abetted by the game and versatile Chilean vocalist Claudia Acuña, O'Farrill provides marvelous Latin arrangements for such mainstream fare as Van Morrison's "Moondance" and the standard (here sped-up) ballad "Willow Weep For Me." He nods toward the dance floor on a cover of Batacumbele's "Jibarito" and the salsa groove of Ruben Blades' "Dime" and folds three-ply percussion and a rubbery bass line in with Acuña's vocalese on "Agua." Acuña also vamps it up on the campy title track, rolls her Spanish "r's" with a purr and a snarl on "Vida Sin Miel," and shimmers on the understated power ballad "Paciencia." Throw in the sunnyside-up, African-style guitar line on "California" and O'Farrill's spry, crisp-noted keyboard lines on most every track and you've got a wide-ranging, deep-seated collection of enjoyable tunes.

  • They Say...

    A collaboration between an Afro-Cuban jazz band led by pianist/arranger Arturo O'Farrill and vocalist Claudia Acuña sounds like it should be a rewarding session. Yet in spite of the strong cast of musicians, including guitarist Adam Rogers, trumpeter Michael Mossman, saxophonist Yosvany Terry, and drummer/composer Dafnis Prieto, the CD is slow to get underway, with initially more of a pop emphasis than jazz for the first few tracks. Acuña proves seductive in the playful opener "In These Shoes," though songs like "Paciencia" and "Cuando Cuando" end up sounding like little more than middle of the road Latin pop. Part of the problem is due to the lack of instrumental breaks in the first few songs, while the vocals are sometimes over-engineered. Oddly enough, it is Van Morrison's tiresome "Moondance" that helps the CD come alive with a perky Cuban chart, Rogers' crisp acoustic guitar and the leader's inventive piano backing Acuña's magical vocal. The funky cha cha setting of the standard "Willow Weep for Me" is also a lively affair. The invigorating workout of Rubén Blades' salsa "Dime" would get any audience up dancing. This is still a valuable release, though it falls somewhat short of its potential.

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