BEBO & CIGALA «LAGRIMAS NEGRAS» Tenth Anniversary Edition

The recording, designed by Mariscal, comes as 2CD+2DVD and a 64-page booklet.

It’s been 10 years and a million records since Bebo & Cigala revolutionized musical mixing with their record Lágrimas Negras.  That communion of Caribbean rhythms and flamenco singing will be remembered in Spain as one of the great musical accomplishments of the era, winning a number of prizes, unprecedented sales, international recognition and creating the feeling of the dawn of a new era.  To celebrate the anniversary, a luxury edition of that unforgettable work will go on sale November 18th.

“Lágrimas Negras. Edición 10º Aniversario” has the format of a double CD and double DVD, accompanied by a 64-page book designed by Mariscal with nine photos, the words to the songs and texts in English and Spanish.  The work includes the CD Lágrimas Negras and the CD and DVD versions of the live concert Black and White, originally recorded in audiovisual form.  The package is completed with La Cocina de Bebo, a thrilling documentary that takes us to the historic collaboration of Bebo Valdés and Diego del Cigala with images that capture their first work session, the day they met, the rehearsals and the actual recording of the historic album.

With Lágrimas Negras a new musical concept was born.  The title of the famous bolero of Cuban Miguel Matamoros, interpreted as a duet by pianist Bebo Valdés who recently passed away, and singer Diego del Cigala, became the symbol of a type of fusion previously unknown.  Put out by Calle 54 Records of Fernando Trueba and Nat Chediak, and distributed by Sony, that record faithfully reflected the musical love-at-first-sight between the veteran pianist, then 84, and a singer 50 years his junior.  As documented by the late poet Angel González in a text written for the occasion, it was “an extraordinary combination in which tropical music sounded like flamenco, and vice versa”.

The original album, released in the spring of 2003, includes nine classic pieces interpreted by Valdés, Cigala and first-class musicians.  Upright bass player Javier Colina and percussionist Piraña leave their mark on nearly all the songs, but on the title piece Paquito D’Rivera on sax, and the percussion of Tata Güines, Changuito and Pancho Terry are important as well.  There are also boleros such as Inolvidable, Se me Olvidó Que Te Olvidé and Corazón Loco, made popular in its day by Antonio Machín and recreated on Lágrimas Negras with Niño Josele on flamenco guitar.  Caetano Veloso recites Coraçao Vagabundo, one of his first songs, and Eu Sei Que Vou Te Amar, de Vinicius de Moraes and Antonio Carlos Jobin.  Among other pieces, the repertoire incorporates the song La Bien Pagá with a Cuban chorus, tributes to Bola de Nieve (Vete de Mi) and Recuerdos de Argentina (Niebla del Riachuelo).

The time has passed very quickly, but the memory of that revolutionary collaboration is carved in stone in the imagination of music fans the world over.  This tenth anniversary is the perfect occasion to rediscover it.

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