cuba
Silvio Rodriguez – Sueño de Una Noche de Verano
A catchy tune, seemingly representative of so many North American studio influences it’s hard to pick them all apart. Opening and closing with a horn flourish worthy of Earth, Wind & Fire, continuing around a popping bass line reminiscent of Fernando Saunders (renowned bassist for Lou Reed). It is almost as if the producer identified the most recognizably glorious elements of the 80’s soft rock/power ballad genre and folded it into this recording.
Reggae Covers: Roland Alphono & the Soul Brothers – Miss Ska-Culation (The Chantays – Pipeline)
From 1966, a tight little cover by Cuban sax giant Roland Alphonso of the 1963 hit for Orange Co., CA’s The Chantays.
Orlando “Maraca” Valle – Párraga
A little Cuban jazz flute for Tuesday morning. It’s a familiar tune, though I can’t say what tourist video or toothpaste commercial in which I first encountered it.
Silvio Rodriguez – Como Esperando Abril
Warm summery days, you want some flute music & a 70s-era string track.
Silvio Rodríguez – Sueño con Serpientes
Havana Cuba’s Silvio Rodríguez here haunts, challenges, creates something gentle and new.
Hay hombres que luchan un día y son buenos,
hay otros que luchan un año y son mejores,
hay quienes luchan muchos años y son muy buenos,
pero hay los que luchan toda la vida
esos son los imprescindibles– Bertolt Brecht
Los Muñequitos De Matanzas – Chacho
Starts slowly, melodically; but eventually just can’t let up. Los Muñequitos De Matanzas, world-renowned masters of rumba, fill your ears with drums and your feet with rhythms.
Rumbanella Band – El Congo
I just love this: the echo of the African diaspora in Cuba reaches the shores of West Africa and albums like ‘Rumba Congolaise’ by the Rumbanella Band happen.
Note: All the information I can find about the album Rumba Congolaise indicates this song is titled “El Congo,” not “El Conga” as YouTube OP suggests.
Duo Los Ahijados – El Vacilon de Pantaleon
Dominican-born Cuban son masters Duo Los Ahijados ( Cuco & Martin Valoy) performing ‘El Vacilon de Pantaleon’ from Kubaney Records MT-139.
God damn this song makes me want to shimmy like my sister Kate.
A Biscuit In The Sun 