El Cantante (CD)

The sad, tragic story of late salsa singer H￩ctor Lavoe has been told and retold in various medium, most recently and famously in the film El Cantante, starring Marc Anthony and wife Jennifer Lopez. Anthony is also the lead, so to speak, of the film's soundtrack, a collection of songs popularized by Lavoe, who became one of salsa's most fabled vocalists during his tenure with the Fania AllStars.

The Fania influence is pervasive in this set, where tracks are penned mostly by Ruben Blades, Willie Col￳n and Johnny Pacheco, and new arrangements decidedly hark back to their 1970s and early 1980s origin. Even Anthony admits that in performing these songs -- classics for many salsa fans -- he tried to get into Lavoe's mind, studying his phrasing and interpretations in detail. As a result, this album works both for those who are only discovering Lavoe as well as for those who are die-hard fans and want to hear the songs in new versions. For fans of Anthony alone, it is a departure in interpretation; here, the singer opts for a more sober, matter of fact delivery than the more emotional delivery he is known for.

Although the first single off El Cantante is "Mi Gente," the album kicks off with the title track, which is really Lavoe's letter of introduction. After an intro reminiscent of Ruben Blades' Pl￡stico (Blades wrote this track), Anthony launches into this biographical rumination, a complex melody over dueling strings, percussion and piano. As with "Pl￡stico," there is not a chorus but rather a repetition of verses which later dissolve into lengthy improvisations and soneos (vocal improvisations).

Far more straight-ahead is first single "Mi Gente," a fast-clipped track full of call and response, heavy on soneos and on brash horns. It's unabashedly populist and designed expressly for the dance floor.

It contrasts nicely with the ensuing "Esc￡ndalo," my favorite track here. A slow bolero, sparsely and tastefully arranged, it has Anthony singing beautifully over tempered piano, trumpet and percussion that never break their stride nor their subdued mood. The effect is hypnotic.

Perhaps the best-known dance track here is "Che Che Col￩," a Willie Col￳n composition with multiple layers of percussion and distinctive horn riffs.

Fans of Jennifer L￳pez may want to jump to the end of the album for "Toma de M￭," the track that was used for the film's end credits. It is a pop ballad written expressly for L￳pez, and its genre brings a touch of universality to this collection.

However, listening to this album wouldn't be complete without the challenging "Qu￩ L￭o," a slow, jazzy cha-cha-cha that's equal parts sophistication and catchiness, with piano and trumpet in constant counterpoint.

It was this clever blend of mundane and stylish that made Lavoe so appealing, and that still works today.

By Leila Cobo