Cubanocast

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