Cubanocast

Technical problems have kept me from my Juan Cubanoseedian duties recently.

Here's a nice jam called "Sonando" by Maraca. Typical of much modern Cuban music, the lyrics are rambling and the singing, unmelodious chanting, improvised in the montuno style.

The playing is very good and the music has a quality hook.

Cuban Nights

I understand that Maria Cervantes' voice isn't everybody's cup of tea (I like it), but I think most will agree that the music itself is very interesting. The piano-only accompaniment reminds me of a Schubert lied.

CUBA CON VOZ DE MUJER by VOL.1 VARIOS

The album is a valuable addition to my collection.

Below is a video of the Cuban country dance mentioned in the song, el zapateo, just to give you an idea of what it looks like. The video is of poor quality, but the alternative was to film myself doing the dance, and I forgot my hat at my dad's house.

Now, "Zapateo," by Rene Touzet. Bonito, no?

Wherein a expatriate Spanish conductor famous for semi-authentic Cuban music performs a Brazilian-themed song for well-heeled American audiences.

South America, Take It Away: 24 Latin Hits

"Guayaba" played as I was running around the block.

"That's my song of the day," I thought.

It's by Nuyorican Tito Puente, who may have been the most famous Caribbean/Latin musicians of the sixties and seventies.

Cuando Suenan Los Tambores

A nice instrumental (mostly) song from the great Cachao. This one highlights the bongo drumming though the bass is fantastic as well. The album is a must have.

Cuban Jam Session, Vol. 2

Round and round it goes (figuratively), what mp3 it plays, nobody knows. OK. Good one! A "piojosa" is a girl or lady with fleas. No doubt somebody so afflicted wants nothing more than to dance. And how popular she'd be, too.

Sonora Cianaguera approach Spike Jones levels of instrumental creativity in this explosion of rhythm. The album is the best Colombian music I've found on one disc.

Colombia!: The Golden Age of Discos Fuentes

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This excellent CD is from 1959. In January of that year, optimism and uncertainty accompanied every Cuban whether he walked along the beautiful countryside or teeming Havana. Fulgencio Batista had just decided that his position was no longer tenable as he lost support from the United States as well as most Cubans, who wanted cleaner government. "Los Barbudos" or the "bearded ones," led by the unshorn Fidel Castro, easily filled the vacuum in the politically abandoned capital. It was only later that Castro declared his intention to "progress" Cuba to the state it's in now.

The songs on this album are filled with the optimism prevalent in the beginning of the revolution. The one in the podcast is called "Los Barbudos." Other songs have equally evocative titles like "land reform." There's still no hostility to the United States, as some of the songs are in English. The Tumbao All-Stars was a group truly worthy of the name. It featured top-notch musicians like Orestes Lopez and R. Azpiazu. If you have any interest in Cuban music, Jazz, Swing, or anything related, this is a great album to acquire.

Cuban Big Band Sound: Tumbao Cubano