PEDRO LUIS FERRER

LA BUNGA

Dot Time Records

Pedro Luis Ferrer, Lead & background vocals/batá drums/timbales/keyboards/Lute/tres/guitar/ bass guitar/strings/brass/piano/composer; Lena Ferrer, Harmony background vocals/marimbula/Cajón/ piano/hand and pedal claves/gϋiro/gϋirón/maracas/keyboards.

From the first guitar strokes, chord changes, and percussive beats, I find myself captivated by the music of Pedro Luis Ferrer and his daughter, Lena Ferrer.  Together, their rich, Latin sound fills my listening room with joy. One tune is titled “Celebracion” and it definitely makes me want to celebrate. When Pedro breaks into song, his mellow baritone voice sooths, Spanish words tumble out of his mouth, captivating my ears with wise words.

“Celebrate the chosen day. A feast among our friends. Fill our home with family, with kin and sacred blessings,” he sings.

Accompanied by his musical daughter, Lena Ferrer, these two troubadours bring us Cuban culture, lyrics that are both honest and poetic, that paint pictures with their multi-instrumental talents, offering voices with messages that are positive and uplifting.

There are fourteen songs on this album, featuring this incredibly talented duo.  “Consciente” is another one of their original songs that sings, “Aware of the lies, aware of the truth, aware of the greed, aware of justice.” Their voices blend like raw honey and hot tea, sweetly singing the lyrics of the ‘hook’ in harmony.  It’s a beautiful melody. The rhythm draws me in, even though the Spanish lyrics are revolutionary and thought-provoking.

Most of the music is full of good vibes and happy energy.  Tunes like “San Sucé” will tickle your feet and make you want to dance. You don’t have to speak Spanish to love and embrace this world music. It touches the spirit with infectious melodies and poetic lyrics.  Sometimes a bit of humor is added to spice up a tune.  For example, “La Mandonga” refers to tripe, or the wall of the intestines.  In his lyric, Pedro Luis Ferrer asks the listener, “Before the Conga, go wash your Mandongo, so when the wind goes swirling, it scatters something sweeter than a stink.”  That made me laugh outloud.

The Spanish words are translated inside a CD booklet with all these unique lyrics inside. Pedro Luis Ferrer has composed all the songs.The only challenge is that whoever designed the book made the font way too small.  I had to get a magnifying glass to read the words.  Next time, make your font bigger for public consumption.

Reviewed by Dee Dee McNeil

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