Songs from a Little Blue House

Songs from a Little Blue House

Expatriate Cuban singer-songwriter and guitarist Juan-Carlos Formell's debut album packs a political wallop amid its lush romantic imagery and subtly cooking folk-jazz sound. "When the dictatorship ends," he sings, "I'm going to have a party...Â /Â And if it doesn't end, this song will knock it down." Although he's the son of Juan Formell, founder of Cuba's best-known dance band, Los Van Van, Juan-Carlos is more sit-down innovator than dance-floor shaker. He reinvigorates the lyrical potential of acoustic country son in songs that veil the political in the everyday. "Cangrejo (Crab)" discusses the dangerous choices of Cuba's boat people in lively call-and-response verses, and "Vaquito (Cow)" praises the simple things--a cow, a rooster, a cat--the embargoed island's poor can no longer afford. Formell's guitar playing, which shines in a trio of instrumentals, is equally elegant. Whether you agree with his politics or not, Formell is asking the right questions in a new and thoroughly captivating manner. --Richard Gehr
Country USA
Manufacturer Sony Legacy
Binding Audio CD
ReleaseDate 1999-06-01
UnitCount 1
UPCs 090266345229
EANs 0090266345229