Siembra is an album by Rubén Blades

Rubén Blades

Rubén Blades Bellido de Luna is a Panamanian salsa singer, songwriter, lawyer, actor, Latin jazz musician, and politician, performing musically most often in the Afro-Cuban and Latin jazz genres...

 and Willie Colón

Willie Colón

William Anthony Colón is a Nuyorican salsa musician. Primarily a trombonist, Colón also sings, writes, produces and acts. He is also involved in municipal politics in New York City.-Early years:...

 released by Fania Records

Fania Records

Fania Records was a New York based record label founded by Dominican-born composer and bandleader Johnny Pacheco and Italian-American lawyer Jerry Masucci in 1964. The label took its name from an old Cuban song by the singer Reinaldo Bolaño. Fania is known for its promotion of what has become...

 in 1978.

Background

At that time, it became the best-selling salsa record in history. This record was broken with the release of Cuenta Conmigo

Cuenta Conmigo

Cuenta Conmigo is Jerry Rivera's second and most successful album. The album holds the record for the best-selling salsa album, selling over five million copies. His hit song, "Amores Como el Nuestro", is considered by his fans to be his best song and signature song...

by Jerry Rivera

Jerry Rivera

-Albums:* Empezando a Vivir Sony Music* Abriendo Puertas * Cuenta Conmigo * Cara de Niño...

 in the 1990s. It has sold over 25 million copies worldwide, and almost all of its songs were hits at one time or another in various Latin American countries. With its rousing social commentary and unconventional sound, "Siembra" set the salsa world on fire and remains one of the most original and influential works. Among Siembra's tracks, Blades' masterpiece is still Pedro Navaja

Pedro Navaja

Pedro Navaja is a salsa song written and performed by Rubén Blades from the 1978 album Siembra, about a criminal of the same name. "Navaja" means knife or razor in Spanish. Inspired by the song Mack the Knife, it tells the story of a panderer's life and his presumed death...

, a song that he fashioned after Bertolt Brecht's "Threepenny Opera."

Critical reception

John Bush of Allmusic gave the album a five-star rating, praising the composition of the songs by Blades as well the arrangements by Colón. Bush emphasises the use of disco arrangements at the beginning of the first track, "Plastico", until Colón's band "slip into a devastating salsa groove". He also praised Blade's vocals, noting his high-tenor voice on "Buscando Guayaba" and tender tones on "Dime". David Wilson of Wilson & Alroy's also gave the album a five-star rating. He praised both the arrangements and the message of "Plastico", referring to "Dime" as "a beautiful love song".

Track listing

Personnel

• Jerry Masucci
  Jerry Masucci
  Jerry Masucci was a co-founder of Fania Records.-Early life:Masucci was born October 7, 1934, in Brooklyn, to parents Urbano and Elvira Masucci. He had a brother named Alex Masucci...
  
  : Executive Producer
• Rubén Blades
  Rubén Blades
  Rubén Blades Bellido de Luna is a Panamanian salsa singer, songwriter, lawyer, actor, Latin jazz musician, and politician, performing musically most often in the Afro-Cuban and Latin jazz genres...
  
  : Composer, Songwriter, Lead Vocals, Chorus Ensemble
• Willie Colón
  Willie Colón
  William Anthony Colón is a Nuyorican salsa musician. Primarily a trombonist, Colón also sings, writes, produces and acts. He is also involved in municipal politics in New York City.-Early years:...
  
  : Album Producer, Music Director, Chorus Ensemble, Trombone
• Jon Fausty: Audio Engineer, Recording Schemes, Mixing
• José Torres: Piano, Fender Rhodes, Electric Piano
• José Mangual Jr: Bongos, Maracas, Chorus Ensemble
• Jimmy Delgado: Timbal
• Adalberto Santiago: Percussion, Chorus Ensemble
• Eddie Montalvo: Tumbadora, Percussion
• Johnny Ortiz: songwriter (Ojos)
• Bryan Brake: Drums (Plástico)
• Salvador Cuevas: Bass
• Eddie Rivera: Bass