Various Artists: The Complete Cuban Jam Sessions
There is much anecdotal evidence – some of it apocryphal – that the Cubans brought a diabolical complexity to Jazz when the musicians among...
Herbie Mann: Flautista
This recording by Herbie Mann is an extremely rare and beautiful disc. Originally recorded in 1959, it has been available as an analogue recording...
Estrellas de Areito: Los Héroes
Although much of the world was welcoming of Cuba after the Revolution and although many artists did flee the country for a new world of freedom and...
Rumbajazz: Tribute to Chombo Silva
Chombo Silva performed in the legendary Cuban Jam Sessions and shared the stage with Machito, Ray Barretto, Johnny Pacheco, the Alegre-All Stars, Charlie Palmieri,...
Juan Manuel Ceruto: A Puerto Padre – Tributo a Emiliano Salvador
Of the many pianists that have come out of Cuba throughout its history, the young Emiliano Salvador may be one of the most iconic...
Paquito D’Rivera and The United Nation Orchestra: A Night in Englewood
This album was made at the time after Paquito D’Rivera had inherited what was left of Dizzy Gillespie’s seminal United Nation Orchestra and just...
Marlon Simon and The Nagual Spirits: Rumba a la Patato
Essential Albums Revisited
There are many reasons why it is a remarkable travesty of justice that the celebrated Venezuelan drummer and percussionist, Marlon Simon, has...
Horace Silver: Song for my Father
Of all the iconic recordings of the 50’s and 60’s, Horace Silver’s Song for my Father will always be remembered as one of...
Bebo Valdés Trio: El Arte Del Sabor
There is no “one” single iconic recording by the great Bebo Valdés. The pianist was an epitomé of good taste, which is not the...
Patato y Totico: Patato and Totico
This seminal recording by one of the finest congueros Carlos “Patato” Valdés and Eugenio "Totico" Arango, another great Cuban musical figure, also features two...
Stan Getz-Charlie Byrd: Jazz Samba
The year 2014 marks fifty-two years after the classic album Jazz Samba, was recorded. There is a very good reason for the extraordinary longevity...
Marlon Simon: The Music of Marlon Simon
Essential Albums Revisited*****
It took a while for Marlon Simon to launch his celebrated career as a leader of his own ensembles. He took the...
Tito Puente: The Best of the Concord Years
Producing a compilation of the music of someone like Tito Puente is no easy task. With scores of recordings where do you start? What...
Ray Vega: Boperation
For Bebop to work in the Latin realm it takes a very special talent with an uncanny ability to feel the flatted fifths in...
Pérez Prado & Shorty Rogers: Voodoo Suite
Essential Albums Revisited
Who knew that Dámaso Pérez Prado, the “Mambo King”, director of Sonora Matancera between 1936 and 1939, long before he formed his...
Paquito Hechavarría: Frankly
This album by the late pianist Paquito Hechavarría, Frankly was recorded in 2007 and released in 2009. Although it has been in circulation for just...
William Cepeda AfroRican Jazz: My Roots And Beyond
Essential Albums Revisited
At first blush one might feel that William Cepeda AfroRican Jazz: My Roots and Beyond might seem like an attempt to re-brand...
Ritmo y Candela – Rhythm at the Crossroads
Patato, Changuito, Orestes - Ritmo y Candela
Put three mighty Cuban percussionists together at any time and the unquenchable fire of creativity is bound to...
Cortijo’s Time Machine y su Máquina del Tiempo
Essential Albums Revisited *****
Today, Cortijo & His Time Machine y su Máquina del Tiempo (Coco Records, 1974) is considered a classic and (misleadingly) one...
Cal Tjader: Mambo with Tjader
Sixty-five years on this seminal album has been credited as the one Cal Tjader album that set the vibraphonist on a course that put...