Siembra

Siembra (English: Planting) is an album by Rubén Blades and Willie Colón, released by Fania Records in 1978. It is considered the best selling salsa album in the history of salsa music and Latin music.

Siembra
Studio album by
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
Released1978
RecordedLa Tierra Sound Studios
New York City
GenreSalsa
Length43:45
LabelFania Records JM 537
NYC
ProducerWillie Colón
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades chronology
Metiendo Mano!
(1977)		 Siembra
(1978)		 Canciones del Solar de los Aburridos
(1981)

Background

Siembra is the second of four collaborative duo albums produced by Rubén Blades and Willie Colón. During its time, it was the best-selling salsa record in history.[1][2] It has sold over three million copies worldwide,[3] and almost all of its songs were hits at one time or another in various Latin American countries. With its rousing social commentary and unconventional sound, "Siembra" set the salsa world on fire and remains one of the most original and influential works in that genre.[4] Among Siembra's tracks, Blades' masterpiece is still "Pedro Navaja," a song that he fashioned after Bertolt Brecht's "Threepenny Opera."[5]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[6]

John Bush of Allmusic gave the album a five-star rating, praising the composition of the songs by Blades as well the arrangements by Colón. Bush emphasizes the use of disco arrangements at the beginning of the first track, "Plástico", until Colón's band "slip into a devastating salsa groove". He also praised Blade's vocals, noting his high-tenor voice on "Buscando Guayaba" and tender tones on "Dime".[6] The album was inducted into the Latin Grammy Hall of Fame in 2007.[7]

In pop culture

The song "Buscando Guayaba" was featured in the 1988 Disney animated film Oliver & Company.[8]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Rubén Blades, except where noted.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Plástico"Rubén Blades6:37
2."Buscando Guayaba"Rubén Blades5:43
3."Pedro Navaja"Rubén Blades7:21
4."María Lionza"Rubén Blades5:27
5."Ojos"Johnny Ortiz4:50
6."Dime"Rubén Blades6:59
7."Siembra"Rubén Blades5:21

Personnel
  • Willie Colón: Album Producer, Music Director, Chorus Ensemble, Trombone
  • Rubén Blades: Composer, Songwriter, Lead Vocals, Chorus Ensemble
  • Jon Fausty: Audio Engineer, Recording Schemes, Mixing
  • Kevin Zambrana: Asst. Audio Engineer
  • José Torres: Piano, Fender Rhodes, Electric Piano
  • José Mangual Jr: Bongos, Maracas, Chorus Ensemble
  • Jimmy Delgado: Timbal
  • Adalberto Santiago: Percussion, Chorus Ensemble
  • Eddie Montalvo: Tumbadora, Percussion
  • Johnny Ortiz: songwriter (Ojos)
  • Bryan Brake: Drums (Plástico)
  • Salvador Cuevas: Bass
  • Eddie Rivera: Bass
  • Jerry Masucci: Executive Producer

References
  1. Home to the Music. Billboard. July 8, 2006. p. 46. Retrieved 2009-10-25.
  2. "Music: The Keen Edge of Rub". TIME. July 2, 1984. Retrieved 2009-10-25.
  3. Ribke, Nahuel (2015). "The Harvard Lawyer vs the Bad Boy from the Bronx: Explaining the Political Performance Gaps between Rubén Blades and Willie Colón (Abstract)". A Genre Approach to Celebrity Politics. Londres: Palgrave Macmillan. p. 75. doi:10.1057/9781137409393_5. ISBN 978-1-137-40939-3. Retrieved 2020-05-10. Siembra was also a best-selling album for a salsa record, with 3 million copies sold around the world
  4. Gurza, Agustin (December 23, 2006). "It's Fania salsa remastered, with a true kick". L.A Times. Retrieved 2009-10-25.
  5. ""Siembra," by Willie Colón and Rubén Blades, turns 30". Sun Sentinel. Retrieved 2009-10-25.
  6. Bush, John. "Siembra: Review". Allmusic. Rovi. Retrieved 2010-11-24.
  7. "Latin GRAMMY Hall Of Fame". Latin Grammy Award. Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences. 2007. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
  8. "Oliver & Company OST - 10 - Buscando Guayaba". YouTube.com.
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