Azúcar Negra (English: "Black Sugar") is a studio album by the Cuban salsa singer Celia Cruz.[2][3] It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Tropical Latin Album, Vocal or Instrumental in 1994.[4]

Azúcar Negra
Studio album by
ReleasedMarch 9, 1993
Recorded1992–1993
GenreLatin pop
Length41:51
LabelRMM[1]
ProducerSergio George
Tito Nieves
Oscar Gomez
Papo Pepin
Rubin Rodriguez
Celia Cruz chronology
Verdadera Historia
(1992)
Azúcar Negra
(1993)
Boleros Polydor
(1993)

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStar[5]
Chicago TribuneStarStarStarStar[6]
The Encyclopedia of Popular MusicStarStarStarStar[7]
Los Angeles TimesStarStarStar[8]

The Chicago Tribune called the album "a truly sweet and artfully balanced mix of many worlds: a smart international pan-Latin style that draws on classic salsa, new Latin pop."[6] The Los Angeles Times noted that "though representative of Cruz's well-known style, it allows room for a more pop-oriented presence."[8]

Track listing

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No.TitleLyricsLength
1."Azúcar Negra"Mario Díaz2:57
2."Amores De Un Día"Johnny Ortiz3:48
3."Sazón"Emilio Estefan, Gloria Estefan4:47
4."Pasaporte Latinoamericano"Ángel "Cucco" Peña, Guadalupe García5:04
5."De La Habana Hasta Aquí"Emilio Aragón3:34
6."Ochún Con Changó"Titti Sotto3:59
7."Bolero, Bolero"Cheni Navarro3:52
8."Que Suenen Las Palmas"Alfredo Brito4:57
9."Te Busco"Víctor Víctor4:06
10."Cruz De Navajas"José María Cano4:57

Personnel

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  • Composer - Alfredo Brito
  • Assistant Engineer - Alfredo Delafuente
  • Trombone - Alfredo Marquez
  • Engineer - Allan Leschhorn
  • Arranger, Keyboards, Piano, Programming - Carlos Goméz
  • Engineer - Carlos Santos
  • Vocals - Celia Cruz
  • Engineer - Charles Dye
  • Composer - Cheni Navarro
  • Backing Vocals - Cheo Quiñones
  • Engineer - Chris Dibble
  • Composer - Cucco Peña
  • Trombone - Dana Teboe
  • Saxophone - Ed Calle
  • Percussion - Eddie Torres
  • Make-Up - Eddie Valentine
  • Art Direction - Elena C. Martínez
  • Composer - Emilio Aragón
  • Arranger, Composer - Emilio Estefan, Jr.
  • Engineer - Eric Schilling
  • Engineer - Eric Taveras
  • Photography - Felix Lam
  • Composer, Backing Vocals - Gloria Estefan
  • Composer - Guadalupe "Lupillo" García
  • Assistant Engineer - Gundemard Arrancapescueso
  • Percussion - Henry Diaz
  • Producer, Remixing, Trombone, Trumpet - Héctor "Bomberito" Zarzuela
  • Arranger, Keyboards, Piano, Producer, Programming - Javier Losada
  • Coros, Producer Remixing, Backing Vocals - Joe King
  • Assistant Engineer - John Guasamandraca
  • Composer - Johnny Ortiz
  • Backing Vocals - Jon Secada
  • Engineer - Jorge Garcia
  • Trumpet - Jose Medrano
  • Backing Vocals - Jose Moranto
  • Composer - José María Cano
  • Backing Vocals - Juan Canovas
  • Guitar - Juanito Márquez
  • Engineer - Kurt Upper
  • Trumpet - Luis Aquino
  • Backing Vocals - Maisa Hens
  • Arranger - Manuel Tejada
  • Composer - Mario Diaz
  • Backing Vocals - María Lar
  • Backing Vocals - Miguel Martin
  • Bass, Director, Musical Director, Percussion, Producer, Backing Vocals - Oscar Gomez
  • Assistant Engineer - Pancho Carrancho
  • Percussion, Producer, Remixing - Papo Pepin
  • Engineer - Patrice Wilkinson Levinsohn
  • Executive Producer - Ralph Mercado
  • Arranger, Keyboards, Multi Instruments, Piano, Producer, Programming, Trumpet - Randy Barlow
  • Guest Artist, Guitar - Rene Toldeo
  • Bass, Producer, Remixing - Reuben Rodriguez
  • Bass - Rubén Rodríguez
  • Assistant Engineer - Ruy Garcia
  • Cover Photo, Photography - Sally Hershberger
  • Percussion - Sammy Pagan
  • Assistant Engineer, Engineer - Scott Perry
  • Assistant Engineer - Sean Chambers
  • Assistant Engineer - Sebastián Krys
  • Coros, Keyboards, Piano, Producer, Remixing, Backing Vocals - Sergio George
  • Assistant Engineer - Sergio Lopez
  • Arranger, Keyboards, Piano, Producer, Programming, Backing Vocals - Steve Roitstein
  • Hair Stylist - Teddy Antolin
  • Trombone - Teddy Mulet
  • Trombone - Tedoy Mullet
  • Flute, Saxophone - Tito Duarte
  • Coros, Producer, Remixing, Backing Vocals - Tito Nieves
  • Composer - Titti Sotto
  • Trumpet - Tony Concepcion
  • Composer - Victor Victor

Chart positions

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Chart (1993) Peak
position
Latin Albums (Billboard) 37
Tropical/Salsa Albums (Billboard)[9] 6

References

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  1. Steward, Sue (October 4, 1999). "Musica!: The Rhythm of Latin America - Salsa, Rumba, Merengue, and More". Chronicle Books via Google Books.
  2. Thompson, Clifford (October 7, 2020). "Contemporary World Musicians". Routledge via Google Books.
  3. Sweeney, Philip (September 4, 2001). "The Rough Guide to Cuban Music". Rough Guides via Google Books.
  4. "General Categories". Los Angeles Times. Tribune Publishing. January 7, 1994. p. 3. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  5. AllMusic review
  6. 1 2 Heim, Chris (24 June 1993). "Rave recordings". Tempo. Chicago Tribune. p. 6.
  7. Larkin, Colin (May 27, 2011). "The Encyclopedia of Popular Music". Omnibus Press via Google Books.
  8. 1 2 Lopetegui, Enrique (24 Oct 1993). "For Celia Cruz, Will 52nd Time Be the Charm?". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 60.
  9. "Celia Cruz". Billboard.