Christmas Latin Albums: Ismael Miranda & Don Perignon
This post is also available in:
Español
This Christmas season is now in full swing and Latinos are playing their favorite Christmas albums. One Salsa album and one Puerto Rican folk album from 2012 have great Christmas Latin music if you missed them last year.
Ismael Miranda: “La Mano Maestra“
A very nice Christmas album of Puerto Rican folk music, Salsa music icon Ismael Miranda delivers positive and spiritual messages in “La Mano Maestra“.
The album includes a couple of songs written by the late Tite Curet Alonso. Apparently, the album was recorded a few years ago but never made it out of the recording studio.
This is a very José Nogueras-type of Christmas music album. It is filled with Aguinaldo, Copla, along with a fusion of Plena and Guaracha. I bet that if someone stripped the voice out of the CD, you would immediately think this is a Nogueras album.
Ismael Mirnanda collaborted with José Nogueras in “Versos de Nuestra Cultura” (1987). That remains one of my favorite Puerto Rican Christmas albums due to José Nogueras’ positive and spiritual messages. It also features catchy folk music along with great singing by both.
If you like José Nogueras Christmas albums, you will surely like Ismael Miranda’s “La Mano Maestra“.
Don Perignón y La Puertorriqueña: “Regalo de Navidad“
If Salsa music is what you prefer, “Regalo de Navidad” is a fantastic Christmas album. With a mix of originals and remakes of classic Christmas Salsa songs, Don Perignón delivers his usual dose of Salsa Dura. This time, he brings guest artists Prodigio Claudio and Máximo Torres on the typical Puerto Rican “cuatro” guitar. He adds Salsa stars Tito Rojas and Victor Manuelle as main singers in a couple of songs.
New original songs like “A Comer Como Loco” and “Rescatemos” (the latter featuring Tito Rojas), provide a good mix with old classics like “Aleluya de los Campos” (the old Cheo Feliciano song), “Aires de Navidad” (from the Willie Colón & Héctor Lavoe Asalto Navideño album), and “Aguinaldo Antillano” (featuring Victor Manuelle).
If you want some more recent but good Salsa Dura Christmas music to spice your Christmas spirit, “Regalo de Navidad” is a sure hit!
New 2013 Christmas Albums
Stay tuned as in upcoming blogs I’ll give you glimpses into new 2013 releases that will help get you into the Christmas season.