Orlando Contreras - Este Es Contreras (Reissue) (1962)

"Este Es Contreras" (translated as "This Is Contreras") is a solo studio album by the renowned Cuban singer Orlando Contreras, released in the 1960s (various reissues were issued on renowned Latin American labels such as Velvet, Teca, and Kubaney).

This release cemented the musician's status as one of the leading and most influential performers in the romantic Latin American bolero genre.

The title "Este Es Contreras" sounds like a calling card, a manifesto, and a statement of the artist's unique style. The central element of the album is, without a doubt, Contreras's voice itself—a velvety, deep, piercing baritone with an inimitable, almost theatrical huskiness and wistful intonations. He doesn't just sing songs; he lives each story, compelling the listener to empathize with the protagonist.

The album is filled with an atmosphere of twilight, cigarette smoke, and broken hearts. Each track is a complete story about the unhappy fate of a man in love. It was precisely this sincerity and emotional intensity that adored Contreras among millions of listeners across Latin America, especially in Colombia, Venezuela, and his native Cuba.