Rating:
Genre:
Latin
Release Date: 07/20/2004
First, the disclaimer: the
Candido who is heard on
Corazón Mágico isn't
Candido Camero, the Cuban percussion giant who was born in Havana on April 22, 1921. That
Candido, who turned 83 in 2004, is known for Afro-Cuban music,
salsa and
Latin jazz, but this considerably younger
Candido -- the one who heads
Candido y Su Huella Norteña -- is making his mark in another area of
Latin music: Mexican
norteño (also known as
conjunto or
Tex-Mex). And if
Corazón Mágico is any indication, this
Candido is a talented artist in his own right. No one will mistake this 2004 release for an example of the sleek,
pop-minded
grupero or
Tejano styles. In contrast to
grupero acts like
Conjunto Primavera,
Priscila y Sus Balas de Plata, and
los Angeles de Charly -- whose work is essentially
Latin pop with Mexican overtones --
Candido y Su Huella Norteña are a lot more hardcore in their approach to regional Mexican music. There is nothing wrong with
grupero or
Tejano per se --
Conjunto Primavera and similar artists are, from a
Latin pop standpoint, enjoyably good at what they do -- but that isn't where
Candido is coming from. Instead,
Corazón Mágico caters to those who like their
norteño pure and uncut. If you think of bands like
los Tigres del Norte,
los Rieleros del Norte, and
los Huracanes del Norte as
norteño's gold standards, it's easy to appreciate exuberant, infectious,
polka-minded tracks like
"En las Cantinas," "Arriba Zacatecas," and
"Ascencion Galicia." Candido's group won't win any awards for innovation or originality, but if
Corazón Mágico is derivative, it is also focused and enjoyably consistent. Groundbreaking? Definitely not. Inspired, pleasing and heartfelt? Absolutely.
~Alex Henderson, All Music Guide