Wañukta Tonic explora una diversidad de géneros que incluyen rock, funk, jazz, blues y reggae, así como también interpretaciones originales basadas en ritmos tradicionales del Ecuador. A pesar de esta diversidad de influencias y elementos, en la música de Wañukta Tonic subyace un sello muy ecuatoriano, al que además se incorporan composiciones originales de Alex y Matías Alvear, así como versiones originales de canciones y melodías tradicionales ecuatorianas. Además, todos los arreglos y temas se ven enriquecidos por los aportes del resto de integrantes, haciendo de esa agrupación un proyecto colectivo e integral que re-visita las diferentes tradiciones y corrientes musicales de nuestro país.

HUMO Y ESPEJOS (Fandango) - Alex Alvear/Fabiola Pazmiño

LICHIGO (Churay/Reggae)- Alex Alvear

EL RETORNO (Yumbazo) - Alex Alvear

WAÑUKTA (Churay/Soukus)- Alex Alvear

ÑUKA SHUNKU (Yumbo)- Enrique Males Arr. Alex Alvear

Alex Alvear & MANGO BLUE's debut album.  With the exception of Elegguá (Traditional Lucumí chant) and A Moverse Alex Alvear/Chiara Civello), all tracks are composed and arranged by Alex Alvear

La primera producción de Alex Alvear & MANGO BLUE.  Con la excepción de Elegguá (Canto Lucumí tradicional) y A Moverse! (Alex Alvear/Chiara Civello), todos los temas son compuestos y arreglados por Alex Alvear

Cha - Cha Blue

Pasado Presente

A Moverse!

Immigrant Blues

Composed and arranged by Alex Alvear 

Inspired by a painful breakup this song is a reflection of one of the stages one goes through when heartbroken. From denial to anger to despair to recovery, etc..., at one of these stages you say to yourself. "well. it's his/her loss not mine!" Lyrics are pretty self-explanatory. 

Musically I was trying to write a "catchy" song, with some Pop flavor. Again, Merengue in the A section going to a poppy cadence for the B section. The chorus has a subtle Reggaeton beat in the drums. The Mambo (interlude) has a couple of quotes from a piece of Miles Davis' "JeanPierre" to a Steely Dan progression from "Peg". In the Coro section (call/response) there is a quote from one of Manolo Mairena's song "Nadie Sabe lo que Tiene" and at the very end from Led Zeppelin's "Rock & Roll". You will find many quotes or "borrowings" in my music, perhaps an homage to some of the amazing musicians I adore.

lyrics

ALGUN DIA (Spanish) 

Siempre imagine que nunca llegaria el fin a nuestra historia 
Que seriamos dos viejos de la mano rumbo a la memoria 
Me dijiste adios sin sospechar el gran dolor que me causabas 
Una pun~alada al corazon cuando yo menos lo esperaba 

En vano te busco al despertar Solo encuentro el ruido de la calle 
Y el vecino besa a su mujer pa'irse a trabajar 

Algun dia comprenderas 
Algun dia recordaras 
Que un amor tan grande como el mio 
No lo encontraras jamas 

Aunque todavia tengo sed de tu calor y tu mirada 
No puedo mas que aceptar que de lo nuestro ya no queda nada 
Quedo convencido que con este adios los dos hemos perdido 
Yo perdi mi gran amor y tu perdiste a quien mas te ha querido 

Lucho con tu ausencia al despertar Tu recuerdo entra por la ventana 
Pienso en todos esos besos que te di pa'irme a trabajar 

Algun dia comprenderas 
Algun dia recordaras 
Que un amor tan grande como el mio 
No lo encontraras jamas 

ALGUN DIA (English) 

I always imagined there would be no end to our story 
That we'd be two old folks walking hand in hand towards remembrance
You said goodbye without imagining the great pain you were giving me
A stab in the heart when I least expected it 

I look for you in vain when I wake 
I find only the rumble from the street 
And the neighbor kisses his woman on his way to work 

Someday you'll remember 
Someday you'll understand 
That you will never find a love as big as mine 

While I still am thirsty for your warmth and your glance 
I must accept that there's nothing left from our love 
I am convinced that we have both lost 
I lost my greatest love 
And you lost who has loved you the most 

I struggle with your absence as I wake 
The thought of you comes in through the window 
I think about all the kisses I gave you on my way to work 

Someday you'll remember 
Someday you'll understand 
That you will never find a love as big as mine
credits
from MANGO, track released 26 January 2011 
Alex Alvear - Bass, Vocals 
Rebecca Cline - Keyboards 
Karina Colis - Timbal 
Ernesto Diaz - Congas 
Eric Doob - Drums 
Gonzalo Grau - Minor Percussion, Bckgnd. Vocals & Keyboards 
Gilenny Guzman - Bckgnd. Vocals 
Manolo Mairena - Misc. Percussion, Bckgnd. Vocals 
Felipe Salles - Tenor Sax 
Jared Sims, Alto Sax 

Produced by: Gonzalo Grau 
Mixed by: Fernando Aponte

Algun Dia

 never considered myself a good lyrics writer. However, this song has to be my best effort yet. I wrote it inspired in the feeling I had upon returning for the first time to Ecuador after a couple of years in the US. As in many countries with an unjust social and economic system, Ecuador has its share of poverty. It is not uncommon to see very young children working on the streets selling gum or cigarettes or candy or simply begging for money. I realized that while I lived there, a scene of a 5-year old kid working on the street or one of the many beggars you see were just part of the scenery. While there is also poverty in the US, it's not as "out in the open" as it is back home and my initial reaction was one of deep sadness for I had not been exposed to it in a while. This song talks about human misery and indifference. I decided to incorporate a chant for Babalu Aye as he is represented by an old man dressed in rags. The chant is extremely beautiful and it worked perfectly into the mood and the chord progression. 

Musically I wanted to marry the Afro-Cuban 6/8 with an Andean 6/8 feel. While the drums emphasize the Andean feel, the congas play an adaptation of a Cuban Columbia. On the verses, Ernesto brilliantly interacts with the melody with floreos (embelishments) common in Cuban Bembe. Marta Gomez sings the lead beautifully, as always! In the Mambo (interlude) again we have sax riffs alternating with some tasty conga fills by Ernesto. The piano suggests a Shuffle feel which makes the whole section pretty grooving. 

Gonzalo added Maribula and some Kalimba samples as we move to the chant, breaking later into a Guiro played with Chekeres where he plays all parts.
lyrics
BABALU AYE (Spanish) 

UNA MANO SE EXTIENDE 
RASGANDO EL AIRE CON SU QUEJIDO 
SOLO ENCUENTRA UNA MUECA TRISTE 
Y UNA MIRADA LLENA DE OLVIDO 
UNA VOZ QUE BUSCA REFUGIO 
EN LA PALIDEZ DE LA INDIFERENCIA 
CANCION DE UN CORO DE MILLONES QUE SUENA, 
PERO NADIE ESCUCHA, QUE SUENA, 
PERO NADIE ESCUCHA, QUE SUENA Y NADIE ESCUCHA 

UNA TRISTE PLEGARIA 
BUSCA EN LOS CIELOS UNA SALIDA 
RESIGNANDOSE A SU DESTINO 
LLEGARA A LA TIERRA PROMETIDA 
LA MISERIA ES UN ESPEJISMO 
EN UN GRAN DESIERTO DE OJOS DORMIDOS 
QUE EMBRIAGADOS EN SU LETARGO 
SUEÑAN QUE NUNCA HA EXISTIDO 
Y LO TOCAN, PERO NO LO SIENTEN 
LO MATAN Y NO MUERE 

BABALU AYE (English) 

A hand extends scratching the air with its lament 
Only to find a sad frown and a gaze full of oblivion 
A voice that seeks refuge in the paleness of indifference 
A song from a chorus of millions that resounds 
but nobody listens 

A mournful prayer seeks a way out in the heavens 
Resigning to fate will lead to the promised land 
Misery is a mirage in a great desert of sleeping eyes 
Who drunk in their lethargy dream it never existed 
And they touch it but they cannot feel it 
They kill it and it doesn't die
credits
from MANGO, track released 26 January 2011 
Alex Alvear - Bass, Vocals 
Rebecca Cline - Keyboards 
Karina Colis - Timbal 
Ernesto Diaz - Congas 
Eric Doob - Drums 
Marta Gomez - Lead Vocals 
Gonzalo Grau - Minor Percussion, Bckgnd. Vocals & Keyboards 
Gilenny Guzman - Bckgnd. Vocals 
Manolo Mairena - Misc. Percussion, Bckgnd. Vocals 
Felipe Salles - Tenor Sax 
Jared Sims, Alto Sax 

Produced by Gonzalo Grau 
Mixed by Fernando Aponte

Babalu Aye

I wrote this song as a tribute to my beloved birthplace, Ecuador. The song could identify with the sentiment of many immigrants who are far form their home and who cannot and will not forget where they came from. Decima is an ancestral style of singing which is popular in many places of Latin America, from Argentina to Mexico and the Caribbean. Decimas are a series 10-verse poems with each verse has 8 syllables and are written with a very strict rhyme pattern (a b b a a c c d d c). The intro quotes an age-old song called Vasija de Barro from Ecuador. Rhythmically there is a strong African influence inspired in Soukus and the music from Cape Verde and there's also a little Funky Cumbia in the instrumental interludes.
lyrics
DECIMAS A MI TIERRA (Spanish) 

ECUADOR TIERRA QUERIDA 
HOY QUISIERA YO CANTARTE 
Y UNOS VERSOS DEDICARTE 
TU RECUERDO ASI ME INSPIRA 

LA DULCE MELANCOLIA 
QUE LA AÑORANZA HA DEJADO 
ENTERRADA EN MI COSTADO 
A PESAR DE LA DISTANCIA 
ES LA CUNA DE MI INFANCIA 
UN AMOR NUNCA OLVIDADO 

LOS TUMBOS QUE DA LA VIDA 
A MI ME HAN LLEVADO LEJOS 
DE MIS HIJOS DE MIS VIEJOS 
Y DE MI GENTE QUERIDA 

MI CORAZON NO SE OLVIDA 
PUES VIVE SIEMPRE PRESENTE 
AQUEL RECUERDO LATENTE 
QUE INSPIRA ESTA MELODIA 
VOY A CANTARLE ESTE DIA 
A MI TIERRA Y A MI GENTE 

DOTADO DE GRAN BELLEZA 
MI PAIS ES UN TESORO 
DESDE EL CARCHI HASTA EL ORO 
YO LO AFIRMO CON CERTEZA 

JUNTO A LA NATURALEZA 
CONVIVE UN PUEBLO PUJANTE 
HECHANDO SIEMPRE PA’LANTE 
A PESAR DE LA INJUSTICIA 
DEL ENGAÑO Y LA AVARICIA 
DE CORRUPTOS Y FARSANTES
credits
from MANGO, track released 26 January 2011 
Alex Alvear - Bass, Vocals 
Rebecca Cline - Keyboards 
Karina Colis - Timbal 
Ernesto Diaz - Congas 
Eric Doob - Drums 
Gonzalo Grau - Minor Percussion, Bckgnd. Vocals & Keyboards 
Manolo Mairena - Misc. Percussion 
Felipe Salles - Tenor Sax 
Jared Sims, Alto Sax 

Produced by: Gonzalo Grau 
Mixed by: Fernando Aponte
tags


Decimas a Mi Tierra

Having been raised in Ecuador, Colombian Cumbia was (and still is) very popular. I wrote this song in honor of my dear friend and Mango Blue conguero Ernesto Diaz who is from Colombia. The song kicks-off with a heavy Funk groove to give way to a Cumbia. For the next section we go into Songo variation and it goes back to the Cumbia. I don't even know what to call the beat on the C section... It has a drum backbeat on the 1, inspired from a groove I heard from Youssou N'Dour. The interlude is almost a verbatim quote from the theme from an old show from the 70's which I watched when I was a kid, Barney Miller. We then go into a Songo for a conga solo to feature Ernesto's killer playing. One of the things I love most from Ernesto is that while many congueros are trying to "out-chop" each other with flashy, ultra fast licks, Ernesto is always finding his own way and he's always "speaking". Vaya Ernestico!!
lyrics
ERNESTICO (Spanish) 

TEN CUIDAO’ CUIDAO’ 
POR ALLA VIENE ERNESTICO 
CON SU TREMENDO TUMBAO’ 

LA GENTE SE ALEGRA 
CUANDO SUENAN LOS CUEROS 
PORQUE EL ALMA GOZA 
CON LA VOZ DEL TAMBOR 
REPARTIENDO DICHA 
EL RITMO QUE UNE LOS PUEBLOS 
ROMPIENDO FRONTERAS 
SE BAILA EN EL MUNDO ENTERO 
TOCA TIMBERO! 

ERNESTICO (English) 

Watch out, watch out! 
Here comes Ernestico with his killer groove 

People rejoyce whith the sound of the skins 
Because the soul gets happy with the sound of the drum 
Delivering joy it's the rhythm that brings peoples together 
Tearing down frontiers it's being dance all over the world 
Play it Timbero!! (drummer)
credits
from MANGO, track released 26 January 2011 
Alex Alvear - Bass, Vocals 
Rebecca Cline - Keyboards 
Karina Colis - Timbal 
Ernesto Diaz - Congas 
Eric Doob - Drums 
Gonzalo Grau - Minor Percussion, Bckgnd. Vocals & Keyboards 
Gilenny Guzman - Bckgnd. Vocals 
Manolo Mairena - Misc. Percussion, Bckgnd. Vocals 
Felipe Salles - Tenor Sax 
Jared Sims, Alto Sax 

Produced by: Gonzalo Grau 
Mixed by: Fernando Aponte

Ernestico

LA BUSQUEDA (Spanish) 

Coro TE BUSCO EN LA NOCHE 
TE BUSCO EN LA MADRUGA ' 
TE BUSCO EN MIS SUEÑOS 
SOLO ENCUENTRO MI SOLEDAD 

HAY QUIENES BUSCAN CONSUELO 
HAY QUIENES BUSCAN EL PLACER 
HAY QUIENES BUSCAN CARIÑO 
QUE NO TUVIERON AL CRECER 
HAY QUIENES BUSCAN DINERO 
HAY QUIENES BUSCAN EL PODER 
HAY QUIENES PASAN SU VIDA 
SIN ENCONTRAR UN QUERER 

Coro	 TE BUSCO EN LA NOCHE . . . 

BUSQUE LLENAR EL VACIO 
EN DISCOTECAS Y EN BARES 
BUSQUE EL CALOR EN LA CARNE 
MAS SOLO OBTUVE PESARES 
HAY QUE QUERERSE PRIMERO 
PARA PODER DAR AMOR 
YO BUSCO EL CARIÑO SINCERO 
BUSCO LA PAZ INTERIOR 

LA BUSQUEDA (English) 

Coro I search for you at night 
I search for you at dawn 
I search for you in my dreams 
Only to find my solitude 

There are those who search for solace 
There are those who search for pleasure 
There are those who search for the love 
They never had while growing up 
There are those who search for money 
There are those who search for power 
There are those who spend their whole lives 
Without ever finding love 

Coro I search for you at night..... 

I tried to fill the void 
In clubs and bars 
I searched for warmth in the flesh 
But only found sorrow 
One must love oneself first 
In order to give love 
I search for sincere love 
I search for internal peace 

Coro I search for you at night....
credits
from MANGO, track released 26 January 2011 
Alex Alvear - Bass, Vocals 
Rebecca Cline - Keyboards 
Karina Colis - Timbal 
Ernesto Diaz - Congas 
Eric Doob - Drums 
Gonzalo Grau - Minor Percussion, Bckgnd. Vocals & Keyboards 
Gilenny Guzman - Bckgnd. Vocals 
Manolo Mairena - Misc. Percussion, Bckgnd. Vocals 
Felipe Salles - Tenor Sax 
Jared Sims, Alto Sax 

Produced by: Gonzalo Grau 
Mixed by: Fernando Aponte

La Busqueda

Composed and arranged by Alex Alvear 

MANGO is sort of a "Here I Am" type of song, a call to celebrate life. The intro is inspired on a chord progression typical in Argentinean Samba music. It then goes into different mixtures of Merengue, some Soca and some Songo. 

Gilenny pretty much nailed the entire session, without having heard this music before! In this song she has a short feature and it was done in one or two takes. 

On our live shows we started having Manolo do some rap improvisations (is there anything this guy can't do?) and it pretty much took the song to another place. We could not have a long ad lib for the CD so Manolo prepared this rap section and sent us a couple of versions. Gonzalo did some minor editing and the final version is killer!

Lyrics

MANGO (Spanish) 

Ahora vengo yo! 
Y todo el mundo lo quiere bailar 
Ahora vengo yo! 
Es Mango Blue para guarachar 
Ahora vengo yo! 
Es un combito sabroso y original 
Ahora vengo yo! 
Escucha bien como dice 

Este ritmo no tiene fronteras 
Cada quien lo baila a su manera 
Ahora que la cosa esta bien buena 
Ven conmigo y olvida las penas 

No te dejes engan~ar, que te digo la verdad 
Cuando sientas mi tumba'o lo comprenderas 
Esta vida es corta y hay que a provechar 
Vamos a bailar con mi Mango! 

MANGO (English) 

Here I Come! 
And everyone will want to dance 
Here I Come! 
It's Mango Blue to enjoy 
Here I Come! 
It's a delicious and original combo 
Here I Come! 
Check it out 

This groove has no frontiers 
Anyone can dance it in their own way 
Now that things are cookin' 
Come with me and forget your sorrow 

Don't be fooled 'cause I speak the truth 
When you hear my tumbao' (groove) you'll understand 
Life is short and we gotta take advantage 
Let's dance with Mango!
credits
from MANGO, track released 26 January 2011 
Alex Alvear - Bass, Vocals 
Rebecca Cline - Keyboards 
Karina Colis - Timbal 
Ernesto Diaz - Congas 
Eric Doob - Drums 
Gonzalo Grau - Minor Percussion, Bckgnd. Vocals & Keyboards 
Gilenny Guzman - Lead & Bckgnd. Vocals 
Manolo Mairena - Misc. Percussion, Bckgnd. Vocals & Rap 
Felipe Salles - Tenor Sax 
Jared Sims, Alto Sax 

Produced by: Gonzalo Grau 
Mixed by: Fernando Aponte

MANGO

Ogun is a religious LUCUMI chant arranged by Alex Alvear 

This is one of my favorite tracks in the CD. I have always loved the music of Cuba's many religious groups. The Lucumi, also know as Santeria, has a universe of chants, dances and some extremely intricate rhythms (originally played with Bata drums) used as a channel to connect with the divine. To start the song I quote a traditional Ecuadorian melody of a song called "El Toro Barroso" which evokes a muddy bull leading its herd charging down a hill. After the intro the groove changes into a deeper feel inspired by the music of African musicians such as Salif Keita and Youssou N'Dour, who were part of the initial inspiration I had for my creation of Mango Blue. This influence can be further heard in the instrumental interludes in between chants with the sax riffs and drum kicks. The drum and percussion work by Ernesto and Eric are superb in this tune, as well as the Bata sample programming by Gonzalo. The shuffle feel stated by the keyboards and the sparce bass line gives the song a really nice openness in which all of the many poly-rhythms come together quite nicely. The background vocals by Manolo, Gilenny and Gonzalo are also very powerful. As the song moves to a new chant after the second instrumental interlude, a new chord progression is in place with a slow build-up which incorporates some Peruvian Cajon played very tastefully by Ernesto and a Quijada (Donkey Jaw) played by Gonzalo, to imply a Peruvian Festejo beat. To end the song we go back to the muddy bull charging down the hill! Overall it's a nice mix of Afro Cuban, African and South American flavors.

Credits

from MANGO, track released 26 January 2011 
Alex Alvear - Bass, Vocals 
Rebecca Cline - Keyboards 
Karina Colis - Timbal 
Ernesto Diaz - Congas 
Eric Doob - Drums 
Gonzalo Grau - Minor Percussion, Bckgnd. Vocals & Keyboards 
Gilenny Guzman - Bckgnd. Vocals 
Manolo Mairena - Misc. Percussion, Bckgnd. Vocals 
Felipe Salles - Tenor Sax 
Jared Sims, Alto Sax 

Produced by: Gonzalo Grau 
Mixed by: Fernando Aponte

Ogun

Composed and arranged by Alex Alvear

Having spent a great deal of time working with Puerto Rican musicians and community, I have become fond of the culture, especially the music. Plena is a really great traditional style from Puerto Rico which I love playing. For the instrumental interludes in this song we go back and forth between Plena and Mozambique. For the verses I used the exact same chord progression of the great Jaco Pastorius' "Teen Town" and a couple of sax riffs also quote parts of the original melody. Gilenny again, nailed this not very easy nor conventional melody in just a couple of takes! As we move to the Coro section we start with a funky instrumental interlude which leads to the call response with some burning "soneos" (improvisations) by Manolo. The Mambo section is pretty cool, it has an uneven meter which you can hardly notice. Musicians will catch it quite easily but you can be dancing to it and not be aware that a beat has been skipped. We the return to another breakdown with me doing the soneos as we move to the outro. The very last coro we sing is a quote of an old Plena I heard played by Cortijo. 

The song is basically a tribute to Latin music and its immense beauty and diversity.

Lyrics

PLENA BLUE (Spanish) 

DE LA MUSICA LATINA YO ME HE ENAMORA’O 
CADA PUEBLO TIENE SU SABOR Y SU TUMBA’O 
FLORES DIFERENTES 
QUE HAN NACIDO DE UNA MISMA MATA 

CANTOS AL AMOR A LA ESPERANZA Y LA ALEGRIA 
CANTOS DE DOLOR DE PENA Y DE MELANCOLIA 
MUSICA PARA BAILAR, MUSICA PARA PENSAR 
MUSICA REBELDE QUE NOS DA FUERZAS PARA LUCHAR 

DESDE LAS TUPIDAS SELVAS A LOS VERDES LLANOS 
DESDE LAS CALIDAS PLAYAS AL FRIO ALTIPLANO 
UN TORRENTE INTERMINABLE DE COLORES MUSICALES 

CANTOS AL AMOR A LA ESPERANZA Y LA ALEGRIA 
CANTOS DE DOLOR DE PENA Y DE MELANCOLIA 
MUSICA PARA BAILAR, MUSICA PARA PENSAR 
MUSICA REBELDE QUE NOS DA FUERZAS PARA LUCHAR 

PLENA BLUE (English) 

I have fallen in love with Latin music 
Each people/town has its own flavor and groove 
Different flowers which have been born from the same plant 

Songs to love, hope and happiness 
Songs of pain, grief and melancholy 
Music to dance to, music to think 
Rebellious music which gives us strength to fight 

From the thick jungles to the green fields 
From the heat in the beaches to the cold in the mountains 
An endless flow of musical colors 

Songs to love, hope and happiness 
Songs of pain, grief and melancholy 
Music to dance to, music to think 
Rebellious music which gives us strength to fight

Credits

from MANGO, track released 26 January 2011 
Alex Alvear - Bass, Lead & Bckgnd. Vocals 
Rebecca Cline - Keyboards 
Karina Colis - Timbal 
Ernesto Diaz - Congas 
Eric Doob - Drums 
Gonzalo Grau - Minor Percussion, Vocals & Keyboards 
Gilenny Guzman - Lead & Bckgnd. Vocals 
Manolo Mairena - Misc. Percussion, Lead & Bckgnd. Vocals 
Felipe Salles - Tenor Sax 
Jared Sims, Alto Sax 

Produced by Gonzalo Grau 
Mixed by Fernando Aponte

Plena Blue

This song has a funny story but first I would like to say that musically tit is inspired in the beautiful Jibaro music tradition from Puerto Rico. Nonetheless the main groove for the verses is a Cumbia. As we move to the Coro section we have a cool A Caballo feel with steady bass drum while the piano and bass play a "VanVanish" montuno and tumba'o. The Mambo (interlude) starts off with a Timba breakdown and returns later to the A Caballo groove. 

Now the story. So Gonzalo and I spent many hours back and forth thinking about the songs we were going to choose, the order, the vibe of the album, etc., and we finally decided on doing 12 tunes. We were now ready to hit the studio. After spending a couple of hours getting the sounds in order with Antonio Oliart at WGBH, we were finally ready to go to track. What should we play? I say "Seis"! We did a couple of takes but we were still a bit cold. We talked about sections in the song and went back to recording until we got "the" take. We did some minor overdubs to correct little clams here and there and we were finally done! As we're high-fiving each other in celebration Gonzalo started his laptop to check the order of the songs. His voice then came in through the headphones: "Alex, Seis was NOT in the list!..." We laughed really hard and well, the CD now has 13 tunes. I though this would make a wonderful case study on A.D.D. 

Oh yes, it's also a love song

Lyrics

SEIS (Spanish) 

SON TUS OJOS LA LUZ ARDIENTE 
QUE ILUMINAN MI NOCHE OBSCURA 
SOY BARCO SIN CONTINENTE 
SI NO TENGO TU DULZURA 

COMO EL SOL QUE APAGA LA SOMBRA 
ERES AGUA DE MI SEQUIA 
SOY MANANTIAL DE ALEGRIA 
CUANDO MI BOCA TE NOMBRA 

TE QUIERO ENTREGAR MI CORAZON 
PORQUE ERES TU MI INSPIRACION 
TE QUIERO ENTREGAR MI CORAZON 
Y POR TODA LA VIDA MI CORAZON 
TE QUIERO ENTREGAR MI CORAZON 
PARA TI COSITA BUENA MI CANCION 
TE QUIERO ENTREGAR MI CORAZON 
CON RESPETO, AMOR Y DEVOCION 


SEIS (English) 

Your eyes are the burning light 
That illuminate my dark night 
I'm a ship without a shore if I don't have your sweetness 
Like the sun turning out the shadows 
You are the water of my draught 
I am a fountain of joy when my mouth utters your name 

I want to give you my heart 
Because you are my inspiration 
I want to give you my heart 
And throughout my life to you my heart 
I want to give you my heart 
For you my darling my song 
I want to give you my heart 
With respect, love and devotion

Credits

from MANGO, track released 26 January 2011 
Alex Alvear - Bass, Vocals 
Rebecca Cline - Keyboards 
Karina Colis - Timbal 
Ernesto Diaz - Congas 
Eric Doob - Drums 
Gonzalo Grau - Minor Percussion, Bckgnd. Vocals & Keyboards 
Gilenny Guzman - Bckgnd. Vocals 
Manolo Mairena - Misc. Percussion, Bckgnd. Vocals 
Felipe Salles - Tenor Sax 
Jared Sims, Alto Sax 

Produced by: Gonzalo Grau 
Mixed by: Fernando Aponte

Seis

Composed by Carlos Brito and Rosario Sansores, arranged by Alex Alvear 

This songs has to be one of Ecuador's most popular songs, know in many places around the world. The original version is a soulful Pasillo, a traditional style of Ecuadorian music. I had performed a version of it as a Cuban Rumba while I was in college and later decided to do an arrangement of it for Mango Blue. The intro is inspired on the Ruben Blades & Son del Solar sound of the 80's and their version of "Todos Vuelven". The song begins with an open Rumba and some really great playing by Manolo (Bongo), Ernesto (congas) and Gonzalo (Cajon). Gonzalo sang counter melodies known as "Dianas" used very much in traditional Rumba. As the band comes in we move into a straight-ahead Salsa with backbeat groove and quote the intro again which leads us to an interlude featuring the saxes who in turn lead us into the Coro (call/response). Rebecca plays a killer piano solo which builds towards the Mambo (interlude) with new sax riffs which in turn lead us to an amazing drum feature by the great Eric Doob. Just when it seems to end we go into a Timba breakdown as we cut the coro in half. This is extremely common in Salsa and Timba and it serves as an additional push to take the energy even higher. We then take it out quoting the Mambo one more time. I initially went back to the main melody but after having played it many times we noticed the song had so much build-up that it wasn't working. Even the dancers would think the song was over... I believe it was Gonzalo who suggested we go back to a Coro to take it out and it totally works now! 

As it often happens in Latin music, some lyrics might be singing about something very sad, in contrast to some very driving and cheerful beats. This song's lyrics are quite sad and nonetheless beautiful.

Lyrics

SOMBRAS (Spanish) 

CUANDO TU TE HAYAS IDO 
ME ENVOLVERAN LAS SOMBRAS 
CUANDO TU TE HAYAS IDO 
CON MI DOLOR A SOLAS 
EVOCARE EL IDILIO EN LAS AZULES HORAS 
CUANDO TU TE HAYAS IDO 
ME ENVOLVERAN LAS SOMBRAS 

Y ENLA PENUMBRA VAGA 
DE UNA PEQUEN~A ALCOBA 
DONDE UNA TIBIA TARDE TE ACARICIABA TODA 
TE BUSCARAN MIS MANOS, TE BUSCARA MI BOCA 
Y ASPIRARE EN EL AIRE AQUEL OLOR A ROSAS 
CUANDO TU TE HAYAS IDO 
ME ENVOLVERAN LAS SOMBRAS 

SOMBRAS (English) 

When you leave me 
I will be engulfed in shadows 
When you leave me 
I will evoke our idyll in my lonesome blue hours 
When you leave me 
I will be engulfed in shadows 

And in the lazy darkness of a small alcove 
Where on a warm afternoon I caress you whole 
My hands will seek you, my mouth will seek you 
And I will breathe in the air that scent of roses 
When you leave me 
I will be engulfed in shadows

Credits

from MANGO, track released 26 January 2011 
Alex Alvear - Bass, Vocals 
Rebecca Cline - Keyboards 
Karina Colis - Timbal 
Ernesto Diaz - Congas 
Eric Doob - Drums 
Gonzalo Grau - Minor Percussion, Bckgnd. Vocals & Keyboards 
Gilenny Guzman - Bckgnd. Vocals 
Manolo Mairena - Misc. Percussion, Bckgnd. Vocals 
Felipe Salles - Tenor Sax 
Jared Sims, Alto Sax 

Produced by: Gonzalo Grau 
Mixed by: Fernando Aponte

Sombras

Composed and arranged by Alex Alvear

This is another song inspired by heartbreak in the lyrics, as well as by Troubadour music from Cuba and Puerto Rico in the main melody. The intro has a cool keyboard counterpoint to a Bomba rhtythm on the percussion, with the drums playing a backbeat on 1, learned from one of Youssou N'Dour's songs. On the A section the drums maintain the backbeat on 1 and the congas play a variation of the Puerto Rican Oriza rhythm. To the end, the congas go back to Bomba. We move then to the Coro section (call response) which is more of a Funky Timba starting with a breakdown. From then the intensity keeps growing towards the Mambo (interlude) alternating sax riffs with some amazing timbal fills by Karina. For the final section it keeps growing until rocking out. "Hecha pa'lla!!" (get out of here!) 

lyrics

ALGUN DIA (Spanish) 

DESPUES DE HABERTE ROBADO 
LAS FLORES DE MI JARDIN 
DESPUES DE HABERTE SACIADO 
CON TAN PRECIOSO BOTIN 
ME DICES QUE NO ES SUFICIENTE 
PARA TU SED DE VIVIR 
QUE VAS EN BUSCA DE OTRO AMBIENTE 
Y OTROS AMORES DESCUBRIR, MUJER.... 

ME DISTE TU COMPAÑIA MI AMOR ENTERO TE DI 
TU FUISTE TODO EN MI VIDA YO FUI UNO MAS PARA TI 
DESAMPARADO CON MI PENA SOLO ME QUEDA CANTAR 
PORQUE ESTE AMOR FUE MI CONDENA 
Y AHORA LO TENGO QUE OLVIDAR, TU VE... 

AUNQUE TU NO ME LO CREAS YO NO TE TENGO RENCOR 
TAN SOLO QUIERO SEAS DICHOSA EN EL AMOR 
QUE SE HAGAN REALIDAD TUS SUEÑOS 
Y QUE SEAS MUY FELIZ 
Y QUE JAMAS SIENTAS LA PENA 
QUE A MI ME TOCO SUFRIR, TU VE... 

CORO I 
VAYA CON DIOS, QUE ENCUENTRES FELICIDAD 
QUE TE APROVECHE MI NEGRA LA SOLEDAD 

CORO II 

HECHA PA’LLÁ 
YA YO NO TE QUIERO MAS 

VAYA CON DIOS (English) 

After you stole the flowers from my garden 
After filling yourself with such precious loot 
You tell me it's not enough for your thirst of life 
That you're leaving for other scenes and to discover new love 

You gave me your company, I gave you all my love 
You were all in my life, I was just one more for you 
Inconsolable with my grief all I have left is to sing 
'Cause this love was a sentence and now I have to leave it behind 

You may not believe me but I hold no grudge 
I just hope you are joyfully in love 
May all your dreams come true and may you find happiness 
And may you never feel the pain I had to endure

Credits

from MANGO, track released 26 January 2011 
Alex Alvear - Bass, Vocals 
Rebecca Cline - Keyboards 
Karina Colis - Timbal 
Ernesto Diaz - Congas 
Eric Doob - Drums 
Gonzalo Grau - Minor Percussion, Bckgnd. Vocals & Keyboards 
Gilenny Guzman - Bckgnd. Vocals 
Manolo Mairena - Misc. Percussion, Bckgnd. Vocals 
Felipe Salles - Tenor Sax 
Jared Sims, Alto Sax 

Produced by: Gonzalo Grau 
Mixed by: Fernando Aponte

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