Sometimes you’ll hear
a new CD that stops you cold. When I put Bésame
Mucho on for the first time I had an extreme reaction. I swore out
loud. “Sweet Mother of Jesus,” I said, “What in the hell was that!” My hair stood on end, my teeth
chattered, and my head started pounding in time with the music. I’ve heard
a lot of music in my life, but nothing like this before. There have been so
many wonderful CDs preceding Bésame Mucho, music
that lulls you to peaceful relaxation, music that makes you want to jump up
and dance, music that brings serenity, music with songs that make you burst
out in joyous singing, music that fills up your soul and overwhelms your
senses. But this music, this CD, this collection of songs is something
entirely different. Beésame
Mucho makes you want to get up and run! ...Run and run and run and shout, “Bésame
Mucho!”
What makes Bésame
Mucho different is not the songs that are played. Most of them are
traditional old-time or novelty songs that have been handed down for
decades and played by numerous musicians, sung by countless wonderful
singers. What makes Bésame
Mucho different…is the way
these songs are played. John
Donoghue, Hershel Olmsted, John Simonds, and Ted Tom play this collection
of songs uniquely. Each of these songs can be counted as a national
treasure, part of a folkloric heritage, which has been handed down from
generation to generation like grandmother’s fine recipe for her famous
chocolate chip cookies. But Bésame
Mucho reorganizes grandmother’s recipe, rearranging the ingredients
with a vengeance, and then bakes a cookie that reminds of you of nothing
you’ve ever tasted before.
The way these musicians play is incomparable.
Uncommon phrasing, unusual timing, and eccentric vocal harmonies form the
backbone of Bésame
Mucho. Forget how you have defined music in the past. Throw aside your
ingrained concepts of rhythm and harmony, and be ready to redefine your
listening pleasure. Just put on your running shoes, brace yourself, listen
in amazement, and then run! Run, run, run, and tell your friends all about Bésame Mucho and the Wild Hog in the Woods.
Parlando Rubato The critic’s critic.
