''Azúcar'' is an album by the Cuban band

Los Van Van Los Van Van is one of the leading musical groups of post-revolutionary Cuba. It was founded in 1969 by bassist Juan Formell, who directed the band until his death in 2014. Formell and former band members Changuito and Pupy are some of the most im ...

. It was released in the United States in 1994, the band's first album in eight years to be widely distributed. Due to the U.S. embargo, the band did not tour behind the album until 1996.

Production

The album was recorded in 1992. Los Van Van constituted 15 members, including three trombonists and three violinists. Piano player

César Pedroso César "Pupy" Pedroso (born César de las Mercedes Pedroso Fernández; 24 September 1946 – 17 July 2022)

contributed to the songwriting.

Critical reception

The Gazette The Gazette (stylized as the GazettE), formerly known as , is a Japanese visual kei Rock music, rock band, formed in Kanagawa Prefecture, Kanagawa in early 2002.''Shoxx'' Vol 106 June 2007 pg 40-45 The band is currently signed to Sony Music Recor ...

'' called the album "vibrant dance music, a furious stew of trombones and violins, timbales, congas, keyboards and rousing vocals." ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...

'' deemed it "old-fashioned, high class, salsa from Cuba's foremost band." ''

The Boston Globe ''The Boston Globe'' is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes, and has a total circulation of close to 300,000 print and digital subscribers. ''The Boston Glob ...

'' praised the "bright, hot dance tunes, played with extraordinary verve, punchy horns jumping out from a powerhouse rhythm section." ''

The Americas The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North America, North and South America. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World. ...

'' determined that Los Van Van "takes the humble son into another dimension through splashes of modem influences and highly charged, energetic performances." The ''

Boston Herald The ''Boston Herald'' is an American daily newspaper whose primary market is Boston, Massachusetts, and its surrounding area. It was founded in 1846 and is one of the oldest daily newspapers in the United States. It has been awarded eight Pulit ...

'' stated that the sound "hinges on the interplay between charismatic singer Pedro Clavo and the chorus, an explosive percussion battery and the driving electric bass lines of band founder Juan Formell."

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

wrote that "most of the CD consists of straight-ahead Afro-Cuban salsa; however, it also contains a few cuts that are essentially Latin pop with Afro-Cuban elements." ''

The Nation ''The Nation'' is an American liberal biweekly magazine that covers political and cultural news, opinion, and analysis. It was founded on July 6, 1865, as a successor to William Lloyd Garrison's '' The Liberator'', an abolitionist newspaper tha ...

'' included the album in its article on 1994's notable releases.

Track listing

References

{{reflist 1992 albums Albums by Cuban artists