Artist: Yusa (www.yusa.co.uk)
Title: Yusa
Label: Tumi Music (www.tumimusic.com)
She was born in the Buena Vista district of what today is Playa; she grew up in modern
Alamar, a community of east Havana. Yusa began with the guitar, and continued on with
piano and bass as well. Along the way she developed a sultry diva's voice that is quite
hypnotizing if you allow yourself a good 56 minutes worth, which this debut cd just
happens to provide.
To me, there's nothing better than 'A las doce' with its Very jazzy sax in a co-starring
role. The coolness of the seemingly haphazard arrangements blend in comfortably with
Yusa's steamy steerage of this 5 minute meltdown. It's just a beautiful piece of music,
especially the last minute, before and after the backing vocal crew screech to life*
But to digress, the album begins with a simple acoustic guitar and that loving Yusa
voice, soon picked up by shakers and an overdub or backing vocals, showing those
deep Cuban roots that keep growing. The words, translated, go 'Oh, I don't know how to
get rid of / This blow inside / When I look at the night it ends / And you fasten yourself to
the centre / Bury the events / Because stones will grow in the road.'
1. Tomando El Centro
2. A Los Doce
3. La Fabula
4. Tienta Paredes
5. Cuestion De Angulo
6. La Partida
7. La Numero 2
8. Mares De Inocencia
9. Todo O Casi Nada
10. Cancion En Cuna Para Freya
11. En Todas Las Esquinas
12. Involucion
13. Momentos
14. Chiquichaca
15. Flash
All but #12 where written by this talented young lady. To call the music sophisticated is
necessary. She's worked hard to capture these lilting refrains full of spirit and
spiritualism. While I don't speak the language of 'Tienta Paredes' I can still say that the
music itself is soulful, voice close to the microphone, and very accessible to today's US
market.
Yusa trained at the Amadeo Roldan Conservatory where she met Roberto Carcasses
who now arranges many of these songs. A superb job is done on them - no two sound
alike, and it's rather impossible to guess any formulas that Yusa is using in fitting these
personal songs together. She's a poet, and a player, and it's just nice to see an album
handled well enough to accentuate these simple gifts.
top
