Discography: Felix Cabrera
Live at the Turning Point (2010) Suitcase Sound Recordings
The Felix Cabrera Band with Jimmy Vivino
Felix Cabrera, Jimmy Vivino, Eddy Bishai, Phil Butler, Bill Schroeder
Click to OrderA repackaged version of the 2009 release. Received four stars **** from Downbeat.
"A powerhouse set of tunes...a great sounding stack of music."
- Dick Wissbaum, Big City Rhythm & Blues magazine (Dec '09)
Live at the Turning Point (2009)
The Felix Cabrera Band with Jimmy Vivino
Felix Cabrera, Jimmy Vivino, Eddy Bishai, Phil Butler, Bill Schroeder
Novemberin' (2008) Laughing Elephant Records
Novemberin'
Shuggie Otis, Jimmy Vivino, Andy Falco, Don Celenza and Felix Cabrera.
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For Green (2004) Si Records
Felix Cabrera
Produced by Felix Cabrera and Arthur Neilson
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"Most of the many dozens of blues albums released every year aren't worth the powder to blow them up. Blues is simple, traditional music that rewards personal expression but rarely gets any. Cuban-born harmonica ace Felix Cabrera may be under the spell of Paul Butterfield (and that's not all bad), but his feeling for the music is all the way there. The Cuban touches are subtle- a bass part here, a touch of claves and conga there- because Cabrera knows that a little goes a long way in the blues. With his collaborator of 30 years, guitarist Arthur Neilson, Cabrera created a modest treasure; a snappy, unpretentious blues record with a lot of grit, grace and charm."
- Joel Selvin, San Francisco Chronicale
"For Green is the latest of his releases and a fine start in Josephine. Even better continuing with Cold Cold, slow, kicking, pleading, pleading , tight guitar licks, wrenching vocal, swelling organ (you know what I mean-behave!) Some Latin rhythm invades Self Argument in D minor (some title that!). Great bass intro and bongos take us into Animalism and you cannot help but sway your hips to this one. I tell you, Latin for sure. (Slight touch of Kid Creole here, just close your eyes and see who's in front of you). Uno Moco Loco stirs up some neat harp playing (that's Felix!) throughout this instrumental. The title track For Green is a gentle, lilting sad song with organ running in background. The album closes with the wonderfully titled She Put Him On A Diet"
- by Caleb in Blues Matters (UK) Magazine, August 2004
Cu-Bop Cu-Blues (2004) lbtv Records
Felix Cabrera with Jimmy Vivino & the Black Italians
Felix Cabrera, Jimmy Vivino, et al
Click to Order"This is the earliest of the three CD's we received from this Latin Blues sensation. A Latin fuelled Maggie's Farm (9:05) has you helplessly reaching for your dancing shoes. Latin beats and rhythms with injections of Felix's harp and chanted recalls are just great! Jimmy Vivino shows his guitar chops off very well. As The Years Go Passing By (8:20) has some mighty harp work and mean guitar work that really was the main course if you dig what I'm sayin'. Check out: www.felixcabrera.com for these and someone get him over here on a world stage where he can introduce more of us to his Latin Blues/jazz style."
- by Caleb in Blues Matters (UK) Magazine, August 2004
"what's most pleasing here is the fine vocalizing Felix gets across particularly on the Cabrera-arranged MAGGIE'S FARM and the self-penned SAM KING KONG..."
- by Mark Lottito in Twentieth Century Guitar Magazine
Pressure Cooker (2001) Fountain Bleu Records
Felix Cabrera
Jimmy Vivino on Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals, Arranger, Mixing; James Wormworth on Drums; Michael Merritt on Bass; Mark Pender on Trumpet, Felix Cabrera, Harmonica and Vocals, Arranger, Producer
Click to Order"Great swing intro to Lovin' Cup, kind of Santana plays the Blues with good harp incisions and a rhythm that keeps you groovin man. There's some neat twangy guitar and swelling harp and piano on Laundromat Blues. Another Latin Blues groove on Listen Here. If I Don't Have You has some stinging guitar and that organ keeps popping up (behave now!) with an ample horn arrangement to compliment. Straight 'swing' Blues for I'm Just A Kid At Heart,. She Told Me A Lie, is 7:05 of pain, full horn section, tripping guitar and an emotional plea. Raskolnikov, is a swinging instrumental where Jimmy Vivino gets to play some nice guitar, while the closing track Sweaters, is opened by violin and piano waterfall-like sounds and a talking, pleading vocal...enjoyed this, different....yes!"
- by Caleb in Blues Matters (UK) Magazine, August 2004
"Felix Cabrera jumps right out there with Pressure Cooker and from the get go he grabs the front of your foot and head and bops it up and down in rhythmic motion as he dials up Lovin' Cup, tosses in some horns with a flowing Latin flavor, puts it right out there and says just try to sit there without getting involved with my music if you can (you can't).
It's all a refreshing blend of blues and Cuban rhythms, tasteful harp submissions and interesting lyrics. Just when you think you can peg his music, put it in a little box and call it this or that style, the next tune slaps you up-side the head and says man you can't put him in that slot, that tune don't fit there!
There maybe a few slots you can fit him in and that's accomplished musician, fantastic harmonica player. It might be easier to say he has a great music kettle that he mixes up his particular flavor of Latin blues but you would have to spice it up a notch with a little swing, Chicago jazz, grab a little Delta and simmer.
Felix appears to leave no stone unturned in his instrumental blendings of traditional and non-traditional blues paraphernalia. Pressure Cooker is all that and so much more but you'll be well advised to taste and savor some on your own."
- by George Hirvala