Viva la Banda

In the Afro-Cuban tradition, salsa bands are known for having robust, exhilarating horn sections (unless, of course, they opt for the softer, lighter charanga instrumentation instead). But Mexican banda outfits could give them a serious run for their money; banda boasts some of the most hard-swinging, powerful horn playing in Latin music. Ezequiel Peña is obviously well aware of that fact, and the Mexican singer celebrates the richness of banda music on Viva la Banda. What separates banda from other Mexican styles, such as norteño, ranchero, tejano, and mariachi? For one thing, banda uses a specific combination of horns, which have a way of moving things along. Many of the songs on this excellent CD didn't necessarily have to be performed in the banda/corrido style; Peña could have employed mariachi-style horns and strings instead, or he could have opted for the accordion-powered, polka-influenced norteño/Tex-Mex approach. But Peña was in a banda state of mind when he recorded this 2003 release, and banda serves him quite well on six new songs and five covers (including Felipe Valdés Leal's "Hace un Año" and two gems by the late Mexican icon Jose Alfredo Jimenez: "Cuando Vivas Conmigo" and "Canta, Canta"). As a vocalist, Peña has a lot going for him; he's blessed with an impressive range, and he brings a great deal of warmth, charisma, and humanity to his performances. With Peña, you're getting both chops and a wealth of emotion — a strong combination, to be sure. And the fact that he has such killer horns behind him on this CD certainly doesn't hurt. A welcome addition to Peña's catalog, Viva la Banda is clearly among the finest Mexican releases of 2003.