Ola Fresca – Elixir – LP (limited collector's edition)
Peace & Rhythm are proud to present the third Ola Fresca album Elixir on 180 gram vinyl. Limited to 500. A treat for audiophiles, the record boasts an all analogue production, start to finish. Produced by Jose Conde and Andy Taub. Cover art by Yuri Shimojo. Includes deluxe insert with full song lyrics (Spanish/English) and liner notes. So don't miss out on an opportunity to own a slice of the "fresh wave" (ola fresca) served up by Jose Conde and his smokin' octet.
About the band and release:
Weaving musical bridges that connect traditional and modern Cuban dance music with salsa, funk, and world beat rhythms, Ola Fresca have evolved a swinging, fearless tropical sound. Through the creative energy and leadership of Brooklyn-based musician, composer and singer Jose Conde, Ola Fresca has gone from strength to strength over the last 10 years, with two previous acclaimed, award winning albums under their belt.
From the rustic Cuban roots-inspired debut Ay! Que Rico (2004), to their playfully funky and eclectic sophomore effort (R)Evolución (named Best Latin Album in the 2008 Independent Music Awards), the band traveled through diverse spectrums of Latin roots and Diaspora styles before settling as a trombone led octet. Praised by the New York Times for making music with an “emphasis on songs with characters, wordplay and...social ideas...good for dancing and thinking,” Ola Fresca garnered support from fans worldwide in a successful 2014 Kickstarter campaign to produce their new album Elixir, released on CD earlier in 2015, ahead of the Peace & Rhythm vinyl pressing. The record is their lyrical antidote to factional bickering everywhere in the world, an album that skillfully blends Cuban son, rumba, and timba, with Puerto Rican-style salsa (and a dash of bomba), for a fresh sound that embraces the best of New York’s Latin scene.
Amidst the backdrop of the opening of relations between Cuba and USA, evoking Afro-Cuban mestizo culture, drumming and dance in a musical celebration that transcends boundaries, Ola Fresca’s Cuban roots perspective, as seen through the prism of Brooklyn, New York (and Miami), is a vital contribution to the burgeoning roster of independent salsa recordings on the market today.
What people are saying about Elixir:
“In a world where salsa sometimes gets diluted into pop, [the album] masterfully brings together the finest elixirs: son cubano (Cuban son), Cuban rumba and timba, and Puerto Rican-style salsa, featuring at times the powerful two-trombone sound. On some of the pieces, Ola Fresca intentionally blend old-school son cubano with salsa, creating unexpected twists. Elixir is clearly one of the best albums of the year in the tropical Latin music category.” — World Music Central
"Impressive...delicious...hot modern salsa"! — Songlines
“Rara vez escuchamos musicos de los cuales, de antemano, sabemos que existen pocos. Jose Conde pertenece a esta clase. [Elixir] arma todo un universo de sonidos que estructura y vitaliza por medio de composiciones que mueven masas y, lo mas importante, crean conciencia…Ola Fresca nos pone a gozar y a pensar con una invitacion a la hermandad, unidad y el respeto por las diferencias." — DJ El Chino
“Rarely do we hear musicians who, beforehand, we know that there are very few like them. Jose Conde belongs to this class. [Elixir] gathers a universe of sounds that structures and vitalizes through the medium of compositions that moves masses and creates consciousness…Ola Fresca gets us to enjoy and think with an invitation to brotherhood, unity, and respect for differences.” — DJ El Chino
You can preview and download/buy digitals at Bandcamp:
