Mano a Mano: Tangos a la Manera de Vicente Fernández

Personnel: Carlos Enriques (guitar, vihuela); Manuel Garcia (guitarron); Simón Casasola, Willy R. Arellano (violin, viola); Daniel Rosales, Oscar Arellano, Fernando Martinez, Armando Arellano, Sergio Caratachea, Julio Cerna, Carlos Martínez (violin); Yaliza Cruz Espino, Laila Caninna Rozenbaha (cello); Raúl Vizza (bandoneon); Jorge Alberto Aguayo (trumpet, bugle).
Audio Mixers: Javier Ramirez; Alejandro Ramírez Espinal.
Recording information: Rancho Viejo, Guadalajara, Jalisco, México.
Director: Vicente Fernández.
Photographer: Juan José Martínez.
No one can accuse Vicente (El Rey de la Cancion Ranchera) Fernández of resting on his musical laurels. The great vocalist celebrates his 74th birthday with a true first in his fifth decade of recording. Mano a Mano: Tangos a la Manera de Vicente Fernández is the Mexican musical icon's debut album of tangos, arranged and performed in a style that combines the grand genre form with his mariachi style. Sharing the spotlight with his signature voice, we hear Raul Vizzi's bandoneon taking the lead on such classic tangos as "En Esta Tarde Gris" and "Cristal" by Mariano Mores, Carlos Gardel's immortal "Sus Ojos Se Cerraron" and "Cuesta Abajo," as well as Mercedes Simone's "Cantando," all of which are adorned with elegant strings and brass to boot. Recorded at his ranch studio in Jalisco, Fernández is in excellent voice throughout, making full use of his emotionally expressive range. ~ Thom Jurek