Although Tego Calderón is largely credited with putting reggaetón on the map with his 2004 album "El Abayarde," the song that seemed to break the genre into the mainstream was the melodious "Oye Mi Canto" by New York-based rapper N.O.R.E (nee Victor Santiago Jr.). Teaming up with the photogenic and sweet-voiced twins known as Nina Sky, the half-Puerto Rican, half-African-American MC led a chorus that encouraged all Latino nationalities and the greater urban world into the party.
This week, N.O.R.E. returns with "Ya Tu Sabe" (Roc La Familia), bridging the worlds of reggaetón and hip-hop, heavily accented with gangsta Spanglish designed to appeal to Washington Heights and Spanish Harlem as well as the housing projects of San Juan's tropical urban sprawl. The latest album from Jay-Z's urban Latin label, "Ya Tu Sabe" follows in the footsteps of reggaetón veteran Héctor Bambino's "Los Rompe
Discotekas." The formula here is lots of big-name guest rappers (few albums can boast both Diddy and Daddy Yankee) and a strong dose of the New York school of rhyming.
Still, N.O.R.E. does venture into creative salsa-meets-reggaetón mixes like "Habla de Amor," which stars salsa idol Frankie Negrón and interestingly focuses on guitar and electric keyboards rather than stressing the rhythm section. The quirkily plucked guitar licks that characterize bachata make their appearance on "Más Maíz," as well as the typical leering "gata" female chorus on the lurid but fun "Cuchi," which oddly enough features Ja Rule.
In the typical reggaetón album style, a couple of songs tacked on at the end ("Oye Mi Canto" and "Reggaetón Latino") are remixes of songs that have already been remixed to death. In this case, it can be explained as part of N.O.R.E.'s strategy, right down to his pose with a Puerto Rican flag on the cover of the album, to finally marry the intersecting words of New York hip-hop and San Juan reggaetón. And although the album's signature track "Soy un Gangsta" doesn't seem like a smash hit, "Ya Tu Sabe" successfully brings two regions of Planet Urban much closer together.
CRUCIAL SONIDOS. Seen around town: rapper Don Omar in a Midtown studio rehearsing a crew of dancers in preparation for a nationwide tour that will culminate in New York in November. About living in New York, he says: "It challenges me a lot; my musical ear is much more open." ...
"Mi Mambo!," a film by Pat Jaffe, Molly McBride & Juan Barrera, will premiere on WNET Sunday at 7 p.m. The documentary follows the lives of students at East Harlem's Harbor Conservatory of the Performing Arts as well as director Ramón Rodríguez and teachers such as Louis Bauzó, Johnny Almendra and Jimmy Bosch. The students' stories are the most captivating, transcending the usual Latin-music doc narrative. ...
Jazz pianist Michel Camilo and flamenco guitarist Tomatito have a new album "Spain Again" out on Universal Music. The album, filled with brilliant performances, contains a famous Carlos Gardel bolero, "El Día Que Me Quieras," and several pieces written by tango genius Astor Piazzolla. Singer-songwriter Juan Luis Guerra makes an appearance on the song "Amor de Conuco." Camilo and Tomatito will be playing the Blue Note (212-475-8592) Monday through Wednesday. ... Obie Bermúdez plays S.O.B.'s (212-243-4940) Friday. ...
The Rodriguez Brothers appear with trumpeter Brian Lynch at Joe's Pub (212-539- 8770) Friday.
E-mail Ed Morales at sonidoslatinos@nyc.rr.com.
