By: Fredwill Hernandez
In anticipation of the release tomorrow [Fri. – June 23rd] of his seventh studio album Comeré Callado Vol. 1, Spanish for I’ll Quietly Eat Vol. 1, Del Records exclusive Regional Mexican singer/songwriter Gerardo Ortiz, held a press conference at the SLS Beverly Hills Hotel, Thur. – June 22, to answer questions and reveal details of what’s to be a double volume album.
“With this album we took a little longer than we normally take, 2 years since there will be 30 songs, 16 in this first Volume recorded with Norteño, tuba and [Sierreño] guitars, and 16 on the next Volume [2] which will be available in a couple of months with Banda,” eloquently explained Ortiz, who explained how [they] experimented a bit with the sound of Sierreño, which is typically a Mexican sound comprised of three instruments, the tuba and two acoustics, a bajo sexto and bajo quinto guitars. “I’ve been experimenting [a bit] with the Norteño sound, and I feel that the most important thing – still, is to please my fans, the album has a little of everything, romantic songs, and everything I am known for, specially the corridos [folk tales, and stories].”
Ortiz, who shot to fame after his [Del Records] platinum [RIAA – Latin] certified debut album Ni Hoy, Ni Mañana, Spanish for Neither Tomorrow, Nor Today, released June 1, 2010, distributed through Sony Music Latin, [who] not only catapulted the artist, but the independent music record label Del Records, founded by Angel Del Villar in 2008, who have since remained atop of the Regional Mexican Norteño realm, also added, “the name of the album is based on the first single “Comeré Callado,” a corrido [song] penned by my friend Danilo Avilez, I fell in love with, which deals with a balance of choosing between the good and bad in your life’s struggles, which coincidently is what the artwork photo is based on. On the Cd cover and inlay, I’m pictured with a couple of ladies, and on top of the table there are many things, some of them are good, and some of them are bad, it’s up to you to choose which one[s] you’ll choose.”
Ortiz, who is not new to controversy, will probably be equally praised for the music and the album’s sound, and criticized for the albums artwork which is reminiscent Leonardo da Vinci‘s 15th-century mural in the refectory of the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie, Milan. The painting represents the scene of The Last Supper of Jesus with his disciples, as it is told in the Gospel of John, 13:21. It is one of the world’s most famous paintings.
Ortiz, who never pointed this out during the press conference, until a reporter, did, expressed that the artwork is in-line with the title [song] of the Cd, “and in no way aimed at stirring up [more] controversy, or offending anyone, specifically [Latinos or Mexicans] of the Catholic faith.”