Puerto Rican Sylvia Rexach (1922-1961) gained cult status as a passionate bohemian who produced some riveting boleros in both instrument and voice. Singer Reinaldo Alvarea and pianist/arranger Marlysse Simmons-Argandona have taken her songs and delivered them in an Old World atmosphere of patient paces, longing refrains and lonely hearts. Music for travelling to worlds gone by!
The instruments of strings, organ and percussion with drums have an old school romance and schmaltz that reaches to your inner soul. “Tus Pasos” and “Alma Adentro” linger with outstretched arms, while guitars and piano prance the table with melded voices on “Sin Ti.” Hearts are on sleeve and every word drips like wax from a candle on “Di Corazon” with sepia tones on “Como Tu Eres” feeling like a photograph from another century.
If you have relatives from another country, this album will remind you of them, as a completely different culture is represented here. One without irony and “hipness” which replaced things like deep emotion expressed with dignity .
Barbes Records