PRICE:
$18.50
IN STOCK
ARTIST
TITLE
Elixir
FORMAT
LP

LABEL
CATALOG #
PEACE 001LP PEACE 001LP
GENRE
RELEASE DATE
6/24/2016

2015 release. Weaving musical bridges that connect traditional and modern Cuban dance music with salsa, funk, and world beat rhythms, Ola Fresca have evolved a swinging, fearless tropical sound. Through the creative energy and leadership of Brooklyn-based musician, composer and singer Jose Conde, Ola Fresca has gone from strength to strength over the last 10 years, with two previous acclaimed, award-winning albums under their belt. From the rustic Cuban roots-inspired debut Ay! Que Rico (2004), to their playfully funky and eclectic sophomore effort (R)Evolución (named Best Latin Album in the 2008 Independent Music Awards), the band traveled through diverse spectrums of Latin roots and Diaspora styles before settling as a trombone led octet. Praised by the New York Times for making music with an "emphasis on songs with characters, wordplay and...social ideas...good for dancing and thinking," Ola Fresca garnered support from fans worldwide in a successful 2014 Kickstarter campaign to produce their album Elixir. The record is their lyrical antidote to factional bickering everywhere in the world, an album that skillfully blends Cuban son, rumba, and timba, with Puerto Rican-style salsa (and a dash of bomba), for a fresh sound that embraces the best of New York's Latin scene. Amidst the backdrop of the opening of relations between Cuba and USA, evoking Afro-Cuban mestizo culture, drumming and dance in a musical celebration that transcends boundaries, Ola Fresca's Cuban roots perspective, as seen through the prism of Brooklyn, New York (and Miami), is a vital contribution to the burgeoning roster of independent salsa recordings on the market today. A treat for audiophiles, the record boasts an all analogue production, start to finish. Produced by Jose Conde and Andy Taub. Cover art by Yuri Shimojo. Originally released on CD in 2015 Brooklyn-based Pipiki Records, this is a deluxe 180 gram collector-friendly and DJ-ready wax version, limited to 500 copies worldwide, complete with 4-panel insert featuring bilingual lyrics and informative liner notes.