Salsa: Alberto Alberto

Again thanks to Billy Bryans, a Cuban CD made the way to my mailbox. This time it's salsa, and it goes by the name of Alberto Alberto. Traigo de Todo is his first solo album, but he has an impressive background in several Cuban and Canadian salsa orchestras (read his bio at Mister Bryans' blog).

The title (meaning "I'm bringing it all") quite captures the album: Alberto does the singing, the composing, the improvising, and the gathering of a perfect-pitch band. Whether salsa, timba or ballad, you can hear this is a professional at work. Maybe the Grammy-winning producer Joaquin Betancourt has something to do with it, maybe it's Alberto's experience (both in legendary Cuban bands and in Toronto), but a fact is: this album sounds perfect.

Exactly that is my (only) point of criticism: it's too perfect, if you know what I mean. Especially the ballads lack a certain amount of fire and soul. If all tracks would be like "Tu Canción" - fiery, intense, energetic - this album would definitely be the best of 2007. More tips: "Concedeme un Milagrito", "Traigo de Todo" (the title track), and "Toronto". Still, Traigo de Todo is a promising album by a star in the making.

Alberto Alberto - Tu Canción mp3