eMusic Review 0
“Echando Pa’Lante” begins with a sharply-articulated horn exclamation, announcing that Orlando Watussi is about to get down to business. And during the seven tunes that make up Como Nunca, that’s exactly what he does. Blessed with a flexible voice, Watussi effortlessly slips around the catchy brass charts, driving percussion ensembles and intense coros. This is Salsa at its most accessible — pop music with bite and substance. “Cuidala Bien,” combines smoothly blended voices with rich trombone backing (a la Willie Colon), providing Watusi a plush carpet over which he improvises agilely. “Son Caleno” is a guaguancó with plenty of muscle. Watussi is more unadorned on “La Verdad,” letting his voice dominate this rumba (although again there is a solid coro behind him.) Oscar Hernandez, longtime musical director for Ruben Blades, plays a typically impressive solo; he’s able to pack a lot of momentum into one chorus. “Si Te Tuviera” is the closest Como Nunca comes to a ballad. Here Watussi adds some weight to his voice, and then lets the trombones and coro propel the tune to its conclusion. “Barrio” is a paean to cultural solidarity in the world-wide Latin American community, sung straightforwardly with great emotion. The final… read more »
