Rating:
Genre:
Latin
Release Date: 01/27/1998
Run Time: 73:16
The nice thing about the
Rough Guide releases is the incredible breadth that they attempt to shove into their albums. This album, focusing on
Cuban music, is no exception. Campesina countryside styles are represented by people such as
Celina Gonzalez.
Cuban jazz is represented by
Irakere and
Bellita. Modern
dancehall music is represented by the
Orquesta Riverside. The thick synth sound of
Los Van Van is present.
Big band music is here, from
Mario Bauza (
Machito's trumpeter, later solo bandleader, later in
Dizzy Gillespie's bands). What is essentially direct Santeria ritual music is also present, courtesy of
Lazaro Ros. All, or most of, the major styles of
Cuban music show up at some point in this compilation. To top the diversity, most of the music is well performed.
Irakere is always a pleaser as far as
jazz is concerned. The great
Patato leads a charge of beauty with
Ritmo Y Candela, etc. For a general starting point to the music of the island, this is a wonderful album. For a better look into specific subgenres, there are probably better compilations out there -- for campesina, perhaps
From the Tobacco Road; for
dancehall, perhaps
Diablo al Infierno (which even includes
Cuban heavy metal); for
jazz or
mambos, any number of
Tito Puente,
Chucho Valdes,
Irakere, or other albums. Still a good introduction, though.
~Adam Greenberg, All Music Guide
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