ALEX ACUNA Y SU ACUARELA DE TAMBORES
Top Percussions: Rhythms For A New Millennium (DCC)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson

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Alejandro "Alex" Acuna is a percussionist extraordinaire who has been in demand for around twenty years, playing with everyone from Joni Mitchell to Julio Iglesias. His forte is hand percussion, meaning drums and other items that are beaten sans sticks. He had always wanted to do a record where hand percussion was the focus, and when he finally got the chance, he did himself proud. Top Percussion is just that: beautiful performances by a roomful of world-class percussionists accompanied by low-profile bass and occasional guitar. In the Latin tradition there are plenty of calls and chants, as well as some fine ensemble singing. The main attraction, of course, is the percussion, and if you're a fan of Latin percussion -- or Latin music of any sort, for that matter -- you're almost sure to fall in love with Top Percussion from the first minute of track one. It's very nearly a perfect album, which is surprising when you learn that they didn't really know what they were going to do when they went into the studio. The music was composed on the fly. How'd they do that? Dunno. I just know this is the most exciting Latin album I've heard all year, and I've heard some dandies.

© 2000 - DJ Johnson