Duetos Album Reviews | Billboard.com

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AMG Review

The all-star cast on Duetos, both here today and from beyond the grave, makes this 2005 release from the Grammy-nominated, trendsetting Kumbia Kings required listening. Spearheading the movement to merge urban music with traditional Latino styles, giving voice to their ever-growing bilingual and bicultural generation, los Kumbia Kings collaborate with an amazing selection of some of the most cutting-edge Latino artists in the world. Seeming from the very first track to be a postmortem love letter to tejano superstar Selena, almost half of the cuts either are reproduced duets with the murdered vocalist or begin with a dedication in her name. No surprise, considering that los Kumbia Kings owe their widespread success in no small part to producer and brother to the deceased, A.B. Quintanilla, who has his hand in every track. With such widely varying contributors as Ozomatli, Sheila E., el Gran Silencio, Intocable, and Fito Olivares, to name a few, Duetos offers a new texture to savor around every corner. The variety makes this an easy listen. For all interested in the inevitable new direction of both urban and Latin music, los Kumbia Kings and A.B. Quintanilla offer clear vision for what is to come. Duetos is required listening for both camps. ~ Evan C. Gutierrez, All Music Guide