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

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Stephan
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AM Foreign World Cup: Round 1 - Northern America (Part 2)

Post by Stephan »

Bracket 2.3.5
XIT - Someday
The Klezmorim - Fidl Volach on Spotify for the selected version and Fidl Volach on YouTube for an alternative version

Bracket 2.3.6
Valerio Longoria - El Canoero
Rubén Blades - Pedro Navaja

Bracket 2.3.7
Tito Puente - A Gozar este rico mambo
Juan García Esquivel - Latin-Esque

Bracket 2.3.8
Harmonium - Vert
Caifanes - La Célula Que Explota
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Re: AM Foreign World Cup: Round 1 - Northern America (Part 2

Post by nicolas »

Stephan wrote:Bracket 2.3.5

The Klezmorim - Fidl Volach Is this the correct song nicolas?
It is not exactly the same version, but it's the same melody. I'm not sure this sis the Klezmorim playing. The version I heve is livelier I think;
So I suggest you post the link I gave you (in addition to the link to the video
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Re: AM Foreign World Cup: Round 1 - Northern America (Part 2

Post by Greg »

Bracket 2.3.5
The Klezmorim - Fidl Volach Is this the correct song nicolas?

Bracket 2.3.6
Rubén Blades - Pedro Navaja

Bracket 2.3.7
Juan García Esquivel - Latin-Esque

Bracket 2.3.8
Caifanes - La Célula Que Explota
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Re: AM Foreign World Cup: Round 1 - Northern America (Part 2

Post by Kingoftonga »

Stephan wrote:Tito Puente - A Gozar este rico mambo - KingofTonga, is this the correct version? It's titled differently, but it sounds the same as the only videos for A gozar este rico mambo I can find which are bad quality dance videos.
Yes, sounds like the correct version to me!
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Re: AM Foreign World Cup: Round 1 - Northern America (Part 2

Post by Honorio »

The Spotify playlist without The Klezmorim song but with "Pedro Navaja" full version.
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Re: AM Foreign World Cup: Round 1 - Northern America (Part 2

Post by nicolas »

But Honorio the Klezmorim song is on Spotify (check the link above), it's from a compilation called "The Soul of klezmer"
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Re: AM Foreign World Cup: Round 1 - Northern America (Part 2

Post by Stephan »

Bracket 2.3.5
XIT - Someday
The Klezmorim - Fidl Volach
XIT is pretty cool, although perhaps a bit too Anglophone in hindsight, but the Klezmorim take the fiddle to unseen heights. It's still just a fiddle of course, but it's pretty good.

Bracket 2.3.6
Valerio Longoria - El Canoero
Rubén Blades - Pedro Navaja
Blades already has a song through, so I was tempted to vote for El Canoero, but in the end Pedro Navaja is simply the better song.

Bracket 2.3.7
Tito Puente - A Gozar este rico mambo
Juan García Esquivel - Latin-Esque
A Gozar este rico mambo is one of those songs I'd already heard many times but had no idea what it was, and I really enjoy it. With Latin-Esque I kept waiting for the song to go somewhere, and it only does so in the last 20 seconds; too little, too late.

Bracket 2.3.8
Harmonium - Vert
Caifanes - La Célula Que Explota
Very tough choice, but I enjoy Vert just a little bit more.
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Re: AM Foreign World Cup: Round 1 - Northern America (Part 2

Post by nicolas »

XIT - Someday 2.5
The Klezmorim - Fidl Volach 5
Fidl Volach is a real pleasure, klezmer with a touch of jazz (the doublebass, the theme/chorus sequence), and so fresh with a great melody and musicianship. XIT, well it's not my thing

Bracket 2.3.6
Valerio Longoria - El Canoero 4.5
Rubén Blades - Pedro Navaja 4.5
Very tough. El canoero was my choice and I still love this Tex-Mex cumbia, but Rubén & Willie just rule. Incredible.

Bracket 2.3.7
Tito Puente - A Gozar este rico mambo 4
Juan García Esquivel - Latin-Esque 2.5
A Gozar is NY mambo just the way I like it. Latinesque lacks everything A Gozar boasts

Bracket 2.3.8
Harmonium - Vert 4
Caifanes - La Célula Que Explota 2.5
70's prog rock from Québec wins hand down against digital-mainstream-mariachis.
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Re: AM Foreign World Cup: Round 1 - Northern America (Part 2

Post by Honorio »

Bracket 2.3.5
XIT - Someday (USA, 1972)
The Klezmorim - Fidl Volach (USA, 1977)
The decision of not allowing English language for this poll created a tremendous bias against the USA (well, not that bad for a change), leaving out the whole black and white music communities. But this was no problem for the brilliant minds on our forum. Apart of nominating some song from the US Latin community, Dan and nicolas found excellent music samples from the American Indians and Jews communities. I would have liked to vote for "Fidl Volach" but since I haven't been able to listen to it (no, it's not on Spotify, at least in Spain) my vote goes to XIT.


Bracket 2.3.6
Valerio Longoria - El Canoero (Mexico, 1989)
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades - Pedro Navaja (Panama/USA, 1978)
Again my choice faces a very strong opponent. I like a lot the Longoria song (another Arhoolie artist, isn't it nicolas?). This accordion is gorgeous and oddly it sounds now very contemporary, many smash hits of today are based on similar accordion grooves (like Michel Teló's "Ai se eu te pego" or Don Omar's "Danza Kuduro", I refuse to post the clips).
But "Pedro Navaja" is simply my favourite song ever in Spanish and it's on my Top 3 songs not sung in English (on my list of Top 50 favourite songs of all-time I put "Das Modell" on #17, "Pedro Navaja" on #31 and "Garota de Ipanema" on #48). Rubén Blades and Willie Colón made a gorgeous reworking of Bertolt Brecht & Kurt Weill’s "Mack the Knife" where one not only can hear the sounds, but even feel the flavours, the smells, the lights and the shadows of the mean streets. At the end of the post you can find my own translation of the lyrics that I posted on the forum some years ago (but probably you could prefer the more accurate official translation).


Bracket 2.3.7
Tito Puente and His Orchestra - Mambo Gozón (USA, 1958)
Esquivel and His Orchestra - Latin-Esque (Mexico, 1962)
Two wonderful "vintage" choices. I go with Tito for his superb timbal playing, his lively refrains and his irresistible grooves (by the way "Mambo Gozón" is the correct name of the song, "a gozar este rico mambo" is the refrain of the song). On the other side, "Latin-Esque" is a delicious sample of the trademark bizarre-easy-listening of Esquivel.


Bracket 2.3.8
Harmonium - Vert (Canada, 1975)
Caifanes - La Célula Que Explota (Mexico, 1990)
The Caifanes song is quite good (with some mariachi touches like nicolas said) but Harmonium is the discovery of the week for me (the whole album "Si on avait besoin d'une cinquième saison" is outstanding, some parts like the last two minutes of "En plein face" are like a preview of the sound of Fleet Foxes).


Image

PEDRO NAVAJA
Composer: Rubén Blades
Performer: WILLIE COLÓN & RUBÉN BLADES
First release: 1978


I saw him walking by the corner of the old hood
With the swing of the handsome men.
His hands always inside the pockets of his overcoat
So no one knows in which of them carries the knife.

He uses a half sided wide wing hat
And slippers for running away if there’s some troubles.
Dark glasses so no one knows what’s looking at
And a golden tooth that shines when he laughs.

Three blocks of that corner a woman
Goes travelling the entire sidewalk for the fifth time.
She walks into a hallway and has a drink to forget
That it’s a limp day and there are no customers for working.

A car passes very slowly by the avenue
Doesn’t have any mark but everyone knows that’s the police.
Pedro the Knife, the hands always inside the coat,
Looks and smiles and the golden tooth shine again.

While he walks he looks from one corner to the other
Not a soul is seen, the whole avenue is deserted.
When suddenly that woman leaves the hallway
And Pedro the Knife squeezes his fist inside the coat.

He sights from side to side and he doesn’t see anyone
And on the run but without a sound he crosses the street.
Meanwhile that woman walks on the other sidewalk
Grumbling cause she couldn’t get money enough to eat.

While she walks, that women takes a revolver from her old coat
To keep it in her handbag for not to bother.
A Thirty-Eight Smith and Wesson Special
That carries to protect her of all the evil.

And Pedro the Knife, dagger in hand, jumped on her.
The golden tooth lighted the whole avenue (easy cook!).
And while he laughed, he stuck the knife without pity
When suddenly a shot sounded as loud as a cannonball.

And Pedro the Knife fell on the sidewalk seeing that woman
That, revolver in hand and injured to death, told to him:
“Just what I was thinking, today is not my day, I’m over.
But Pedro the Knife, you are worse, you’ve become nothing”.

And, believe me people, although there was noise nobody showed up.
There were no curious, there were no questions, nobody cried.
Only a drunkard bumped with the two dead people.
He took the revolver, the knife, the money and he moved out.

And stumbling he went singing out of tune
The chorus I bring to you that takes the message of my song:
“Life is full of surprises, of surprises life is full, oh Lord”.

(Life is full of surprises, of surprises life is full, oh Lord)
Pedro the Knife, street-corner gangster, he who lives by the sword dies by the sword.
(Life is full of surprises, of surprises life is full, oh Lord)
Criminal fisherman, you threw a badly hook,
Instead a sardine you hooked a shark.

(La, la, la, la, la, la, la, laa
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, laa
I like to live in America)
(Life is full of surprises, of surprises life is full, oh Lord)
Eight millions tales has the city of New York.
(Life is full of surprises, of surprises life is full, oh Lord)
Like my grandmother said: He who laughs last, laughs best.

(La, la, la, la, la, la, la, laa
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, laa
I like to live in America)
(Life is full of surprises, of surprises life is full, oh Lord)
When fate rules even the bravest one can’t change it,
If you’re born as a hammer heaven sends you the nails.
(Life is full of surprises, of surprises life is full, oh Lord)
Tough guy’s neighborhood, be careful on the streets,
Be careful my friend, he who hesitates gets lost.
(Life is full of surprises, of surprises life is full, oh Lord)
As in a novel by Kafka, the drunk goes out by the alley
(Life is full...)

(Voice from the radio): In New York City two people were found dead. At dawn the lifeless bodies of Pedro Barrios and Josefina Wilson were found...
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Re: AM Foreign World Cup: Round 1 - Northern America (Part 2

Post by Dan »

Bracket 2.3.5
XIT - Someday
The Klezmorim – Fidl Volach

I was determined to find a Native American song I liked enough to nominate for this game, but it proved more difficult than I had thought it would be. I was just about to give up but then I heard this XIT song. Despite the obvious Western influences, I like the song’s message and the backdrop of American Indian drums and chanting. Klezmer is a genre I enjoy listening to. I’m sure the Klezmorim song is better than XIT’s Someday but it’s not available on Spotify here in the UK either and the YouTube version doesn’t do it for me.

Bracket 2.3.6
Valerio Longoria - El Canoero
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades - Pedro Navaja

The Valerio Longoria song is a lot of fun, and halfway into it I was sure I was going to vote for it. Then I listened to Pedro Navaja and it became my favourite song of this Northern American part of the game.

Bracket 2.3.7
Tito Puente - Mambo Gozón
Juan García Esquivel - Latin-Esque

The Tito Puente song makes me want to learn how to dance the mambo. The slightly zany easy listening of Latin-Esque is nice too.

Bracket 2.3.8
Harmonium - Vert
Caifanes - La Célula Que Explota

Stunning folky prog rock from Harmonium. I’m looking forward to checking out their albums.
...will keep us together.
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Re: AM Foreign World Cup: Round 1 - Northern America (Part 2

Post by Michel »

Bracket 2.3.5
The Klezmorim - Fidl Volach on Spotify for the selected version and Fidl Volach on YouTube for an alternative version

Bracket 2.3.6
Valerio Longoria - El Canoero

Bracket 2.3.7
Tito Puente - A Gozar este rico mambo

Bracket 2.3.8
Harmonium - Vert
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Re: AM Foreign World Cup: Round 1 - Northern America (Part 2

Post by Jirin »

XIT - Someday 8/10
Fidl Voldach - Youtube version 6/10

XIT - Nice King Crimson vibe, but isn't Anglophone music ineligible?
I listened to Fidl Voldach based on the Youtube version because whenever I click on the link it tries to open it as a local file, and then can't find it. Do US subscribers not have access to the European library?

El Canoero - Valerio Longoroa 6/10
Ruben Blades - Pedro Navaja 7/10

Both of these are a little kitschy and latino-loungy with sort of shallow instrumentals.

Tito Puenta - A Gozar este rico mambo 6/10
Juan Garcia Esquivel - Latin-esque 6/10

Harmonium - Vert 7/10
Caifanes - Le Celula Que Explota 8/10
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Re: AM Foreign World Cup: Round 1 - Northern America (Part 2

Post by Kingoftonga »

Bracket 2.3.5
The Klezmorim - Fidl Volach

Bracket 2.3.6
Rubén Blades - Pedro Navaja

Bracket 2.3.7
Tito Puente - A Gozar este rico mambo

Bracket 2.3.8
Harmonium - Vert
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Re: AM Foreign World Cup: Round 1 - Northern America (Part 2

Post by nicolas »

It's a shame about klezmorim. i should have made a youtube vid myself with the right version, it's fantastic !
It's not fair : the first time a song is not available to some voters
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Re: AM Foreign World Cup: Round 1 - Northern America (Part 2

Post by Miguel »

Bracket 2.3.5
The Klezmorim - Fidl Volach

Bracket 2.3.6
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades - Pedro Navaja

Bracket 2.3.7
Esquivel and His Orchestra - Latin-Esque

Bracket 2.3.8
Harmonium - Vert
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Re: AM Foreign World Cup: Round 1 - Northern America (Part 2

Post by Stephan »

And the results!

Bracket 2.3.5
XIT - Someday - 3
The Klezmorim - Fidl Volach - 6
Let me know if you decide to upload a YouTube video for the correct version of Fidl Volach nicolas, and I'll use it in the next round.

Bracket 2.3.6
Valerio Longoria - El Canoero - 1
Rubén Blades - Pedro Navaja - 8

Bracket 2.3.7
Tito Puente - A Gozar este rico mambo - 6
Juan García Esquivel - Latin-Esque - 3

Bracket 2.3.8
Harmonium - Vert - 7
Caifanes - La Célula Que Explota - 2
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