Siembra



Siembra (English: Planting) is an album by Rubén Blades and Willie Colón, released by Fania Records in 1978.

Background
Siembra is the second of four collaborative duo albums produced by Rubén Blades and Willie Colón. During its time, it was the best-selling salsa record in history. This record was broken with the release of Cuenta Conmigo by Jerry Rivera in the 1990s. It has sold over three 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 in that genre. Among Siembra's tracks, Blades' masterpiece is still "Pedro Navaja," 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 emphasizes the use of disco arrangements at the beginning of the first track, "Plástico", 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 "Plástico", referring to "Dime" as "a beautiful love song". The album was inducted into the Latin Grammy Hall of Fame in 2007.

In pop culture
The song "Buscando Guayaba" was featured in the 1988 Disney animated film, Oliver & Company.

Personnel

 * Jerry Masucci: Executive Producer
 * Rubén Blades:	 Composer, Songwriter, Lead Vocals, Chorus Ensemble
 * Willie Colón: 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