Tirso Duarte- Fin del Juego, (review)

Tirso Duarte is the most underestimated talent in modern Cuban music and has given us another opportunity to absorb his distinctive style in his latest release ‘Fin Del Juego’ (Envidia 7193)

We kick off with ‘La Madre Maria’- a catchy opening for the beginning of an album that demonstrates the heavy influence that reggaeton/cubatón will play throughout this release. His unique piano style emerges peeps around the corner and reminds us that not all may be lost in the reggaeton darkness- we have a master before us!

‘Olvida La Pena’ is the second offering. This was a reggaeton hit in 2007 when he was an invitado for the original 0Kopia release and here it has been given a hint of timba which increases throughout the track. Writing credits name Mr Duarte so it’s unclear whether 0Kopia gave it the reggaeton touch, or via versa…”Timba con Aché”? Not quite convinced yet….

‘Fin del Juego’ is the title track and doesn’t fail to disappoint. It starts slow, reminiscent of Adalberto Alvarez or Pachito Alonso (both of whom he’s worked with). It’s slow, well arranged and has beautiful piano parts throughout. It’s also a track dense with so called ‘musical quotes’ and he borrows from Beny More’s ‘Como Fue’ and surprisingly, Dido’s hit ‘Thank You’. The track increases in intensity and develops almost angrily until the coros repeat 'Fin del juego' over and over.

‘Yo Soy Tu Papi’ could be taken straight from a Salsa Mayor release, or that’s how it feels. Maybe it’s the metales arrangement, the trombone style that is especially evident in this release. It’s medium-paced and grows on you with each listen. Turn it up!!! ‘La Niña se va, se va’. There is another interesting musical quote here, this time the theme from ‘Beverly Hills Cop’ in the horns. What has he been listening to lately?

‘Regalame Tu Silla’ was written by Alejandro Sanz, apparently a favourite of Tirso’s. Its rumba introduction gives way to light piano and the sweet voice of Iala Batule in the coro. The track remains like this: haunting and gentle and almost bare until almost 3 minutes through when it’s as if life takes hold, although there is only basic instrumentation until 4 minutes in when the metales come in and we glide away.

‘El Chino Chulo’ is cubatón/reggaeton done á la Tirso. The stepping bassline, electronic drum sounds and occasional rap sections are our link between timba and reggaeton: ‘Esto es timba con reggaeton’… We exit with a great conga/rumba influence and wish all cubaton could be like this!

‘La Cosa Mas Bella’ was written by Eros Ramazzotti and is another track that, once given a Tirso makeover is better than ever and probably the best track on the album. Keyboards, piano then trumpet lead us in to the tight, well-arranged love song. As usual, it breaks into stronger timba. It’s great, great, great and I just want to dance!!

‘El Asesino’ goes almost straight into vocal harmony as our intro. The shadow of reggaeton is again present and piano hiding behind the groove but remains one of the purer timba tracks of the album.

We go on to ‘Maldito Dolor’, which is a collaboration with the great José Luis Cortés of NG La Banda, who Tirso is currently working with, but surprisingly, doesn’t grab me much. That’s not to say it’s a bad track, but doesn’t seem a patch on his usual offerings.

The final track ‘Ceci’ is another track reminiscent of Salsa Mayor and was written by Iala Batule and is a good softer track to end with, especially with Tirso’s trademark racing piano.

The entire album proves what can be done with a drop of reggaeton influence, a huge bag of timba and a monton of talent.Add talented writers and musicans such as Osvaldo Huerta of Salsa Mayor, Pedro Pablo Gutierrez of CH and CF, Ciso Guanche of Adalberto (amongst others far too numerous to mention here) and Ariel Guillot Manzano of Issac Delgado and the Soneros All-Stars and you have a release that is a reflection of the times and one not to miss.
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© Carlota Witts