The sudden death of Tito Puente really affected Celia Cruz: it was as if she had lost a brother. Her latest album Siempre Viviré is dedicated to him and starts with a cover of Puente's big hit Oye Como Va. The album title refers to the cover of Gloria Gaynors I Will Survive, translated into Spanish as Yo Viviré. The charismatic 'salsa queen', born in 1924 but still radiant with joie de vivre,
… sings with a powerful voice that shows no sign of aging. However, the Cuban singer does not limit herself to the normal salsa rhythms, because also a Puerto Rican bomba, a Colombian cumbia, a tango and a bolero are featured. A festive album for a wide audience. Cruz's breakthrough came in the 1950s when she became the lead singer in the popular band La Sonora Matancera. After the Cuban Revolution in 1960, Cruz and her husband Pedro Knight decided to stay in the United States for good. She started a solo career and worked with musicians such as Tito Puente, Beny Moré, Johnny Pacheco, Willie Colon, Eddie Palmieri and The Fania All Stars. (SvdP)more
