Pacho Alonso is one of those unforgettable artists whose style sneaks in whenever we remove the cracks of nostalgia.
For some time, the need to honor the work of a lifetime was evident, so this project was born from a family conversation. Given the possibility, Christian, Rey and Pachito Alonso, descendants of this great musician who have followed his path, embarked on a musical journey to give us what today can feel like a heartfelt tribute, hand in hand with countless stars. Cuban women magnificently integrated into the project.
Thus, you can enjoy boleros that Pacho immortalized as Llorar es de hombre, Niebla de riachuelo or Imagens, in the same way that you can guarachea with songs like Rico Pilón, Pepe Cabecita or Que me din feo, mixing a nostalgic and vintage sound with a contemporary perspective. A balance between feeling and playfulness make up this tribute, in its fair measure: a whole gathering of stars to celebrate Pacho’s work.
With the production of Emilio Vega and Christian himself, together with the arranger Saúl Valdés, this colossal work concentrated the presence of figures such as Miguel Núñez, Manolito Simonet, César “Pupy” Pedroso, Emilio Morales, Haila María Mompié, Beatriz Márquez, Vania Borges , Isaac Delgado, Paulo FG, the Orquesta Aragón and José Luis Arango, or as they know him: El Galeón de los Kini Kini, in addition to the entourage of talented instrumentalists who accompany these voices.
Pacho Alonso was a Cuban singer of boleros and they are also the director of an orchestra and of several musical groups. One of his hallmarks was interpreting Creole-sounding songs related to characters and circumstances of his hometown, Santiago de Cuba. Pacho worked closely with Enrique Bonne, Faustino Oramas, Ibrahim Ferrer and Carlos Querol. One of his greatest distinctions has undoubtedly been tackling the pylon rhythm, together with Bonne. This modality, with antecedents in the oriental organ, took its name from the rustic instrument used by peasants to grind coffee and marked the pinnacle of the success of the Alonso-Bonne duet. Pacho based his performances on rhythmic elements inspired by the music of the southern fringe of Oriente, revolutionizing sonority and dance forever.
As a way of bringing his work and his figure to the present, the project also includes a video clip of the song Rico Pilón and a live concert with some of the guests, which will soon be released. Both audiovisuals were made by Yeandro Tamayo.
How do I feel you? will be available on digital music platforms from March 4.
