AM Foreign World Cup: Round 1 - Caribbean (Part 2)

[Stephan]

Bracket 2.2.5
Pablo Milanés - Yo no te pido
Gregory Isaacs - Motherless Children

Bracket 2.2.6
Growling Tiger - Money Is King
Trio Matamoros - Son de la Loma

Bracket 2.2.7
Orlando "Cachaito" Lopez - Tumbanga
Don Azpiazu - El Manicero

Bracket 2.2.8
The Young Tiger - Calypso Be - Was submitted as Calypso Bebop but this must be the correct song, right?
Les Frères Déjean - Experience

[Honorio]

The Spotify playlist, for the first time with the eight songs.

[Greg]

Bracket 2.2.5
Pablo Milanés - Yo no te pido

Bracket 2.2.6
Trio Matamoros - Son de la Loma

Bracket 2.2.7
Orlando "Cachaito" Lopez - Tumbanga

Bracket 2.2.8
Les Frères Déjean - Experience

[nicolas]

The Spotify playlist, for the first time with the eight songs.

Attention : the version of "Money Is King" in the Spotify playlist is not exactly the one I have nominated. The one in the video (the most recent one) is IMO much better

[Honorio]

Wow, what a week! And last week was fantastic too! I told you before about the great songs on the Western Africa part but probably the Caribbean ones are even better. They are pleasant songs, easy to listen (and I do not mean "easy listening"), songs that put you in a good mood. I've already listened to the songs on the next two weeks (Pakistan, India, …) and, believe me, they are much more "difficult listening", despite the many jewels on it


Bracket 2.2.5
Pablo Milanés - Yo no te pido (Cuba, 1977)
Gregory Isaacs - Motherless Children (Jamaica, 1980)
Excellent reggae song from Gregory Isaacs but I'm going to vote for Pablo Milanés, the most important singer-songwriter of the "Nueva Trova Cubana" along with Silvio Rodríguez. His song more known outside Cuba is probably "Yolanda" because of the cover by Robert Wyatt but I agree with Miguel, my favourite is this one, an hyperbolic love song: "I don't ask you / to bring me a blue star / I only ask you to fill / my space with your light".


Bracket 2.2.6
Growling Tiger - Money Is King (Trinidad & Tobago, 1935)
Trío Matamoros - Son de la loma (Cuba, 1928)
Two terrific and groundbreaking songs, early samples of Trinidanian calypso and Cuban son (in fact I though that it was the first son ever until I just learned from Wikipedia that the first one was the "Son de la Ma' Teodora"). I like a lot both songs but I'm afraid I'm going to vote strategically, we have already a Trío Matamoros song (the beautiful "Lágrimas negras") so I prefer to have at least a calypso piece. And (sorry nicolas) I prefer the original from the 1930s, it carries the perfum of old times.


Bracket 2.2.7
Orlando 'Cachaíto' López - Tumbanga (Cuba, 2001)
Don Azpiazu and His Havana Casino Orchestra - The Peanut Vender (El Manicero) (Cuba, 1930)
Another difficult decision. "El Manicero" is another groundbreaking song, the first Latin song that achieved international recognition while staying true to its roots, moreover it features superb vocals by Antonio Machín. But I love the dub sound of the Cachaíto track, one of the big guys of Buena Vista Social Club that released his debut in 2001 after decades of career.


Bracket 2.2.8
The Young Tiger - Calypso Be (Trinidad & Tobago, 1953)
Les Frères Déjean – Expérience (Haiti, 1979)
Another excellent calypso pick but I prefer the exciting 1970s sound of Les Frères Déjean, one of the most pleasant surprises on this game for me (and there were quite a lot!). Please everyone listen to the studio version on the Spotify link!

[Miguel]

Bracket 2.2.5
Pablo Milanés - Yo no te pido

Bracket 2.2.6
Trío Matamoros - Son de la Loma

Bracket 2.2.7
Don Azpiazu - El manisero

Bracket 2.2.8
Les Frères Déjean - Experience

[nicolas]

Bracket 2.2.5
Pablo Milanés - Yo no te pido 4
Gregory Isaacs - Motherless Children 3.5
The Pablo Milanes song is OK, a good melody. I'm afraid there will be no reggae in the next round. I really prefered the Max Romeo song to this Isaacs, but reggae is not a favorite genre on AM. A pity... (I'm also afraid for the tiger on bracket 2)

Bracket 2.2.6
Growling Tiger - Money Is King 5
Trio Matamoros - Son de la Loma 4.5
"Money Is King" is one of my very favorite songs and in my personal all time top 100 or 200. Both versions are great Honorio but the 1979 recording is the first I've heard. Everything is great : melody, instrumentation, and those fantastic lyrics. I really have to hear more of Trio Matamoros, they are simply incredible; A direct influence to Compay y sus compadres de Buena VSC.


Bracket 2.2.7
Orlando "Cachaito" Lopez - Tumbanga 4
Don Azpiazu - El Manicero 4
very tight bracket but my vote goes to the oldie here.

Bracket 2.2.8
The Young Tiger - Calypso Be 4
Les Frères Déjean - Experience 4.5
I love calypso but the Frères Dejean song is my discovery of the week. Everything that I love in caribbean music

[Michel]

Bracket 2.2.5
Gregory Isaacs - Motherless Children

Bracket 2.2.6
Trio Matamoros - Son de la Loma

Bracket 2.2.7
Orlando "Cachaito" Lopez - Tumbanga

Bracket 2.2.8
Les Frères Déjean - Experience

[Kingoftonga]

Winners in red!

Bracket 2.2.5
Pablo Milanés - ‪Yo no te pido‬
Gregory Isaacs - ‪Motherless Children‬

Bracket 2.2.6
Growling Tiger - ‪Money Is King‬
Trio Matamoros - ‪Son de la Loma‬

Bracket 2.2.7
Orlando "Cachaito" Lopez - ‪Tumbanga‬
Don Azpiazu - ‪El Manicero‬

Bracket 2.2.8
The Young Tiger - ‪Calypso Be‬
Les Frères Déjean - ‪Experience‬

[Dan]

Bracket 2.2.5
Pablo Milanés - Yo no te pido
Gregory Isaacs - Motherless Children

Bracket 2.2.6
Growling Tiger - Money Is King
Trio Matamoros - Son de la Loma

Bracket 2.2.7
Orlando "Cachaito" Lopez - Tumbanga
Don Azpiazu - El Manicero

The only difficult decision for me this week. Engaging Afro-Cuban jazz vs. Big Band, Cuban style. In the end the more vintage sound of Don Azpiazu won me over.

Bracket 2.2.8
The Young Tiger - Calypso Be - Was submitted as Calypso Bebop but this must be the correct song, right?
Les Frères Déjean - Experience

Discovery of the week for me too.

[nicolas]

So sad for Money is king
Why do reggae & calypso get no love on this forum ?

[Stephan]

Bracket 2.2.5
Pablo Milanés - Yo no te pido
Gregory Isaacs - Motherless Children
Motherless Children is decent reggae, but Yo no te pido is absolutely gorgeous.

Bracket 2.2.6
Growling Tiger - Money Is King
Trio Matamoros - Son de la Loma
Two great oldies, but Growling Tiger is magical.

Bracket 2.2.7
Orlando "Cachaito" Lopez - Tumbanga
Don Azpiazu - El Manicero
I'll echo the sentiment that this is a tough bracket, in what is a very tough week. Solid stuff all across the board. El Manicero, however, gets even my Dutch rhythm-lacking hips going.

Bracket 2.2.8
The Young Tiger - Calypso Be
Les Frères Déjean - Experience
The strongest bracket of the week, fantastic Calypso by The Young Tiger (Take it back, Mr. Gillespie!) versus the even greater Haitian music by the Déjean brothers.

[Jirin]

Pablo Milans - Yo No Te Pido 7
Gregory Isaacs - Motherless Children 6

Growling Tiger - Money Is King 8
Tri Matamoros - Son de la Loma 7

Orlando Cachaito Lopez - Tumbanga 8
Don Azpiazu & His Havana Casino Orchestra - El Manisero 7

The Young Tiger - Calypso Be 8
Les Freres Dejean - Experience 7

One of those weeks where everything is pretty good but nothing blows me away.

[Henrik]

Bracket 2.2.5
Gregory Isaacs - Motherless Children

Bracket 2.2.6
Trio Matamoros - Son de la Loma
My nomination, and I slightly prefer this over "Lagrimas Negras". So sorry nicolas, but no strategic vote for (the charming) "Money Is King" from me.

Bracket 2.2.7
Don Azpiazu - El Manicero
I don't know if this was also my nomination. Could have been. I was surprised about the modern sound of "Tumbanga" but great song wins over great sound.

Bracket 2.2.8
Les Frères Déjean - Experience

[Stephan]

Bracket 2.2.5
Pablo Milanés - Yo no te pido - 8
Gregory Isaacs - Motherless Children - 2

Bracket 2.2.6
Growling Tiger - Money Is King - 4
Trio Matamoros - Son de la Loma - 6

Bracket 2.2.7
Orlando "Cachaito" Lopez - Tumbanga - 4
Don Azpiazu - El Manicero - 6
And no Henrik, it was Andre's nomination.

Bracket 2.2.8
The Young Tiger - Calypso Be - 1
Les Frères Déjean - Experience - 9