LOS ANGELES (Top40 Charts/ World Village Records) - In commemoration of her sixtieth year as a recording artist, World Village is honored to release Omara Portuondo's Gracias. Available December 9, 2008.
Recorded last year in Havana, Gracias is a tribute to Portuondo's favorite songs and songwriters, and the list of star guests is stellar: Chucho Valdos, Brazilian maestro Chico Buarque, Jorge Drexler and Richard Bona, as well as previous collaborators pianist Roberto Fonseca, guitarist Swami Jr, and percussionist Andres Coayo. Produced by Al' Siqueira, this latest album includes tunes Omara has always longed to sing.
"After a career spanning so many years in which she had always sung to please those around her, I asked: 'Omara, what would you like to sing?'" Such a simple question like this from the producer Al' Siquiera would trigger this album Gracias. Her special gift to herself and to everyone is a selection of the tunes that have most defined her career, the odd jewel composed especially to mark the occasion and an exceptional resume of contributors.
All the stops have been pulled out in order to pay this Cuban songstress the tribute she so deserves. After rising to fame and concocting her first tunes with the Las D'Aida quartet, Omara Portuondo became one of the most highly esteemed solo singers of her country during the 1970s and the 1980s. However, it wasn't until the Buena Vista Social Club' project saw the light of day that she was able to achieve justifiable widespread fame along with other major figures of popular music from her country including Ibrahim Ferrer, Ruben Gonzalez and Compay Segundo.
She recorded her third solo album in Havana last year in a family-like atmosphere at the behest of the producer Al' Siquiera and under the musical direction of Swami Jr, from whom she is never apart. Contributors include outstanding guests such as the singer-songwriters Jorge Drexler, Pablo Milanos and Chico Buarque, bassists Avishai Cohen and Richard Bona, pianist Chucho Valdos and percussionist Trilok Gurtu. For the recording, Omara decided to follow her producer's recommendations and prepare a repertoire bringing together compositions she has already sung or ones she has always wanted to sing from all corners of the globe, written by songwriters she regards highly.
Although Omara Potuondo maintains that it is she who wishes to give thanks for achieving six decades doing something she has always felt passionate about, it would not be a tenuous or overly reverent gesture to return this gratitude with the same affection she puts into every song on this album. Thank you, Omara!
