Cheo

Feliciano, Cheo

album cover

The First and Best Expression of Salsa Romántica

Salsa romántica was celebrated as a major development when it broke out in the late 1980s. But those who'd been following Latin dance music for decades saw past the hype: Those smooth rhythms and nonthreatening loverman melodies—the tropical equivalent of bedroom soul—had been a part of the music forever. Or at least since this first solo album by sonero Cheo Feliciano, the Puerto Rican master who is the patron saint of suave, low-key salsa.

The first lure is Feliciano's magnificent voice—a wine connoisseur might describe it as having a rich mahogany core, with traces of cotton candy around the edges. But this velvety album, made with the A-list musicians of Fania Records, showcases other skills, among them Feliciano's ability to knit together a story through short, often ad-libbed phrases. Where other salsa singers strive for rhythmic exactitude, Feliciano can seem deceptively lazy. Cue up "Anacaona," the dance floor classic that begins the album, to hear him singing in a casual way, willfully disregarding the beat. He tugs against the forward surging salsa rhythm introducing an unexpected tension into the lines.

Every instrumental sound serves to cradle and enhance Feliciano's delivery. There are no horns—instead, the counterpoint comes in the form of clean unisons by vibraphonist Louie Ramirez and electric guitarist Vinnie Bell, with pianist Larry Harlow (see p. 343) sneaking jazz-influenced subversions into the margins.

Feliciano had just finished heroin rehab when he recorded Cheo, one of the most consistent albums in the Fania catalog. It became a hit, and was followed by a series of gaudier musical experiments. Those who fall under Feliciano's gentle spell should investigate the string-heavy Sentimiento, tu, which contains his huge bolero hit "Amada mia." Like all of this record, it's plenty romantic, even if it's not considered salsa romántica.

Genre: World, Puerto Rico
Released: 1972, Fania (Reissued 2006)
Key Tracks: "Anacaona," "Piensa en ti," "Mi triste problema," "Medianoche y sol"
Catalog Choice: Sentimiento, tu; Estampas.
Next Stop: Roberto Roena y Su Apollo Sound: 4
After That: Marc Anthony: Contra la corriente.
Book Page: 274