Las Flores de la Vida

1	La Negra Tomasa 3:57
2	Ataidi "Las Flores de la Vida" 4:04
3	Oui Parle Francais 2:29
4	Juramento 3:13
5	Enamorada Version 3:46
6	Amor de Loca Juventud 3:06
7	Te Apartas de Mi 2:51
8	Te Doy la Vida 5:29
9	El Beso Discreto 2:47
10	Longina 3:18
11	Desvelo de Amor 3:47
12	Cazabe y Macho 4:22
13	Guantanamera 6:02

Barnes & Noble

In the wake of the Cuban musical coup staged by the Buena Vista Social Club, in which forgotten senior citizens rose to the fore of Cuban music, the vitality of these oldsters is remarkable. None is more amazing than the group's elder statesman, Compay Segundo, who has released a clutch of solo albums and mounted tours of Europe and the Americas while in his '90s. Las Flores de la Vida boasts tunes as hearty as any he's recorded in his latter years. Segundo doesn't dabble in new-fangled fusion, sticking instead to the straight, septeto-style son and honeyed triple clarinets of his first post-Buena Vista effort, Calle Salud. With his sons Salvador and Basilio on upright bass and percussion and vocalist Hugo Garzón leading the way, Segundo's gravely, fathoms-deep croon is in great company. His self-penned title track, "The Flowers of Life" is as merry as you'd imagine, pitching the rosy flutter of the clarinets and guitars against lines like "What a delight life is / What a delight love is"; such youthful cheer from a nonagenarian is infectious indeed. "Amor de Loca Juventud," which was included on the original Buena Vista album, is revisited with an easy-breezy country swing and a whimsical, low-down translation of the chorus by Basilio. The group's deep-bottom harmonies on the lilting bolero "Longina" flow as lithely as a stream running into Guantanamo Bay. The Trio Matamoros gem "El Beso Discreto" is full of glib, fast-talking seduction. And if you can get past the superfluity of another "Guantanamera," the version here has got singin' spirit to spare; the clarinet trio lends lovely wings to Jose Marti's immortal verses. At 93 years of age, it's clear that for Compay Segundo, life's flowers are indeed still in bloom. Abraham Velez

All Music Guide

Compay Segundo entered his 11th decade of life with the release of Las Flores de la Vida, a celebration of life and also a message for youth, not only to enjoy what they have but to be patient for what life may give in years to come. Alongside several traditional compositions, Segundo and his rich, evocative band perform five of his own originals (composed under his birth name, Francisco Repilado Muñoz). For fans of Buena Vista Social Club and its quickly growing discography of solo projects, Las Flores de la Vida has much of the exquisitely recorded, effortlessly swinging Cuban son they're looking for, though Segundo does mix things up a bit. For "Amor de Loca Juventud," the band dips into a finely tuned waltz, but also skewers the overly respectful Buena Vista atmosphere with some added vocals that transform the romantic trills of Spanish into a guttural evocation of lust. Among the traditional numbers, "Juramento" and "El Beso Discreto" from Miguel Matamoros, and "Guantanamera" are both treats to hear, Latin classics to which Segundo brings an added element of authority. His reliance on up to three clarinets also sets him apart from much modern music-making, and they're an interesting addition to his by-now familiar sound. John Bush