The songs have the simplicity of merengue with the intensity of electronica, making it tempting and easy for even the most left-footed to dance along. It will appeal to the younger crowd and fans of that illusive Tropical genre.

Gema Corredera's second solo project is a powerful tribute to Marta Valdés.

Nominated in both Cubadisco (Cuban Jazz) and the Latin GRAMMY awards (Latin Jazz, Best New Artist), Ayer y Hoy puts Ivan "Melon" Lewis, who already solid credentials in the genre of Timba and other parts of the Jazz and Cuban music spectrum, firmly in the ranks of important current Cuban Jazz recording artists and composers. Rich and complex while remaining emotional.

Parafrasear by Frasis is a mostly-instrumental album of Cuban popular music by a Fusion group in Cuba centered about a string quartet and a rhythm section. Before you scoff, consider that in Finland, Apocalyptica is performing some very entertaining Heavy Metal with cellos. It works if you know what you're doing, and Frasis does.

This may not be exactly what many of us would have imagined for an Irakere anniversary tribute, but who would have imagined the original once upon a time? Faithful to the spirit and as riveting as the original. If Irakere had still existed today as a regular band, it might very well have sounded like this. New generations of virtuosos are at work here.
UPDATE: Winner of the 2016 GRAMMY for Latin Jazz

"¿¡Dime Qué?!" has a rich instrumental texture: tres, piano, subtle synthesizer, elecric guitar, electric and acoustic bass and the horns, all woven together to create an irresistible dance album.

An historic recording in a very literal sense - recorded in Havana with several prominent Cuban guest artists, and the scope of the music ranges from the days of Gillespie and Pozo to the sounds of today (and perhaps even a taste of tomorrow). Currently a nominee for a GRAMMY for Best Large Jazz Ensemble and Best Instrumental Composition. If Jazz is part of your diet, this should already be on your shelf by now.

Magic Sax is Santiago de Cuba's answer to Habana Sax, and they are every bit as good. This was nominated for a Cubadisco (Instrumental Music) in 2014.

Caminos Abiertos is the stunning debut album of trombonist/bandleader/composer/arranger Eduardo Sandoval, who has nearly cured my years-long period of mourning over our loss of Juan Pablo Torres with this new release.

This new Jazz and Fusion compilation from EGREM includes some things that you wont find anywhere else to date, including some tracks by Harold López-Nussa's excellent project La Yuka Funk. That alone would make the recording worthwhile, but the rest of it is also excellent.

This new album by César López & Habana Ensemble is one of their best yet, and César, an alumnus of a later edition of Irakere, is putting out work that deserves a similar level of attention.

Gasolina de Avion is a rousing new release from Timbalive that includes several guest appearances including Descemer Bueno, Robertón, Los 4, Maykel Fonts and others.

Highly accomplished and acclaimed pianist Michael Eckroth offers up his most recent recording as a leader entitled Piano & Rhythm. Both a "nod to the piano masters of the past as well as a showcase for Eckroth’s own identity as a composer", this is an exquisitely recorded and performed album from top to bottom.

A not-yet-released recording by one of Santiago de Cuba's best Jazz bands. Ivan Acosta's Grupo de Cuba Somos is one of the mainstays of the small but vibrant Jazz scene in Santiago. Review includes photos and links to an interview.

The renowned Eliades Ochoa teams with his sister, Maria Ochoa, and the group Alma Latina, in a pleasant blend of Cuban country music and hints of other Caribbean styles like Soca and Ska.

The debut album by Cuban Jazz guitarist Hector Quintana, who is equally at home with Cuban and North American Jazz styles. Nominated for a Cubadisco 2015 in the Jazz category. Special bonuses are his pianists Jorge Aragon and Alejandro Falcon, and his drummer, Yissy Garcia, whom you are guaranteed to get to know a lot better in the future.

A trio album with a subtle intensity by Marialy Pacheco, a Cuban pianist/composer now based in Germany. . The original compositions are the highlights of the recording.

This independent recording, nominated for a Cubadisco award in the Jazz category, may not be released yet. We review it here for the sake of completeness. Musically, it is quite good, with most of it being Hard Bop and similar styles.

This inventive Jazz treatment of some of Ernesto Lecuona's compositions was nominated for a Cubadisco award in the Jazz Cubano category in 2015. It features four past JóJazz winners on piano (JóJazz is a contest dedicated to young Jazz artists) and some excellent combos supporting them.

Nominated for both a GRAMMY (Best Latin Jazz Album 2015) and a Cubadisco Jazz Cubano 2015), New Throned King is a sublime blend of Arará cantos and Jazz. This is a heady brew indeed.

Winner of a Gran Premio (there were two this year) and Música Bailable - Maestros at Cubadisco 2016, this celebration of the 60th Anniversary of the Charangón has La Aplanadora de Cuba at full steam. A lot of guest artists came out for this, but there are no misses here.

Winner of the Música Bailable - Nuevos Talentos category in Cubadisco 2016, El Noro's debut solo album delivers. A tasty mix of retro and current touches.

The splendid new album by Harold López-Nussa is an intense blend of Afro Cuban, African and Jazz ingredients.

This latest release by Septeto Santiaguero on EGREM greatly expands its collaborative scope including some Jazz musicians, a chorus and strings on a few tracks. There is still plenty of Son autentico here as well, and it swings despite the fact that projects this massive seldom do.

With "El Que Corta El Bacalao" Yanesito has set the bar high, releasing what will be one of the best albums of for Timba 2017.

Winner at Cubadisco 2017 in the Contemporary Dance Music New Talents Category "Música Cubana, llegó el Expresso" is a strong debut album that succeeds in all it sets out to do, offering an unmistakably Cuban sound taking from best traditions of Cuban dance music but with a modern expression that reflects the tastes of dancers today.

“Sobreviviente” is quintessential Buena Fe – brains and beauty. Winner of the Grand Prize at Cubadisco 2017 as well as Best Fusion Album, this CD is highly recommended for fans of intelligent, beautiful music.

ENGLISH: Mis 21 Años, which celebrates 21 years of Klimax, is a collection of new arrangements of several great selections from different musical periods of the group. The album uses a stellar collection of guest artists, and in addition to some Klimax-caliber Timba, it includes a couple of beautiful boleros. Mis 21 Años was awarded the Premio Cubadisco in 2017 in the Música Popular Bailable - Maestros category. Mr. Piloto still believes in Timba, and it shows here.
ESPAÑOL: Mis 21 Años, que celebra 21 años de Klimax, es una colección de nuevos arreglos de varias selecciones pegadas de etapas diferentes del grupo. El álbum utiliza una colección estelar de artistas invitados, y además de la Timba de calibre Klimax, hay un par de boleros hermosos. Mis 21 Años fue galadornado con un Premio Cubadisco en 2017 en la categoría Música Popular Bailable - Maestros. Sr. Piloto todavía cree en la Timba, como se puede observar aquí.

ENGLISH: Cubafonía is Dayme Arocena's third full album in her own name. Accompanied by several members of Cuba's young Jazz elite, it also has a healthy mix of Rumba, Mambo, Changüi, Jazz and Funk There is a chemistry throughout this album that wasn't as consistently present at the same level in her earlier projects, and Çubafonía could prove to be her breakout album.
ESPAÑOL: Cubafonía es el tercer álbum de Daymé Arocena en su propio nombre. Acompañada por varios miembros de la joven élite de Jazz de Cuba, tiene también una mezcla saludable de Rumba, Mambo, Changüi, Jazz y Funk. Hay una química a lo largo de este álbum que no era presente tan consistemente en el mismo nivel en sus proyectos anteriores, y Cubafonía podría resultar ser el álbum que atrae la mayor atención.

ENGLISH: Blues Con Montuno is the latest release by master showman and Jazz artist Bobby Carcassés. It won a Premio Cubadisco in 2017 for Jazz Soloists. There is indeed some excellent Cuban Blues here, but the album features the styles of Jazz for which Bobby is renowned (some of it danceable, naturally). And, there is, of course, a lot of great scat singing.
ESPAÑOL: Blues Con Montuno es el nuevo lanzamiento de Master Showman y jazzista Bobby Carcassés. El álbum un premio Cubadisco en 2017 en la categoría Jazz Solistas. Hay de verdad un poco de excelente Blues cubano aquí, pero el álbum ofrece los estilos de Jazz para los cuales Bobby es renombrado (incluyendo el Jazz bailable, naturalmente), Y, por supuesto, hay un montón de scateando.

"Soy" is a great introductory album if you want to introduce new fans to some of Buena Fe's biggest hits but the three new songs also give the long term fans something new.

With his second full-length album -"Ni antes, ni después" - Yasser Ramos has begun to really find the direction of his new project. Keywords to describe this album are tumbao, groove, sabrosura, bailable, and great horns.

ENGLISH: Winner of the Opera Prima (best new artist) and Diseño (Design) categories in Cubadisco 2017, Última Noticia has an origin story almost as interesting as the album itself - a galvanizing mix of Jazz, Fusion, Cuban Music, Funk, NuJazz - kind of like Acid Jazz 3.0 but even better.
ESPAÑOL: Ganador de las categorías Opera Prima (mejor nuevo artista) y Diseño en Cubadisco 2017, Última Noticia tiene una historia de origen casi tan interesante como el propio álbum - una mezcla galvánica de Jazz, Fusion, Música Cubana, Funk, NuJazz -como si fuera Acid Jazz 3.0 pero aún mejor.

ENGLISH: Nominated in the Traditional Popular Music (later Conjuntos & Other Formats) category in Cubadisco 2017, Sabroseando by Leyendas.com is an impressive and enjoyable collection of sones and boleros. Highly recommended for fans of the part of the music spectrum popularized by groups like Rumbavana.
ESPAÑOL: Nominado en la categoría Música Popular Tradicional (convertido en Conjuntos y Otros Formatos) en Cubadisco 2017, Sabroseando por Leyendos.com es una colección impresionante y disfrutable de sones y boleros. Muy recomendable a los fanes de la parte del espectro musical popularizado por grupos como Rumbavana.

ENGLISH: Abracadabra an audio kaleidoscope that defies easy description due to the multiple different styles performed within the recording. Expect the unexpected, but that's a good thing here. Several big names - Alaín Pérez, Kelvis Ochoa, Angel Bonne, Mayito Rivera, Malena Burke, Calixto Oviedo, Jimmy Branly and many others participate. . Nominated in the Fusion category of Cubadisco 2017.

ESPAÑOL: Abracadabra un caleidoscopio de audio que desafía la descripción fácil debido a los múltiples estilos diferentes realizados dentro de la grabación. Espere lo inesperado, pero eso es algo bueno aquí. Varios grandes nombres - Alaín Pérez, Kelvis Ochoa, Angel Bonne, Mayito Rivera, Malena Burke, Calixto Oviedo, Jimmy Branly y muchos otros participan. . Nominado en la categoría Fusion de Cubadisco 2017.

ENGLISH: Así de Sampling by Vocal Sampling is the winner of the Choral and Vocal Music category in Cubadisco 2017. Unique as always and with a wonderful sense of humor as well.

ESPAÑOL: Así de Sampling de Vocal Sampling es ganador de la categoría Música coral y vocal en Cubadisco 2017. Úinco como siempre y con un sentido de humor maravilloso también.

El Dueño Del Party—JG Juan Guillermo—is back with another party-ready album. His trademark is timba and tropical/timba fusion with feel-good songs that embody the energy of youth. Highly recommended for anyone looking for something fresh.

ENGLISH: Escape is the debut album of Alberto Lescay & FORMAS, a group that represents the best of the best of the NuJazz movement in Cuba. If you have been worried about the future of music in Cuba, this album is an instant cure.
ESPAÑOL: Escape es el álbum debut de Alberto Lescay & FORMAS, un grupo que representa lo mejor de lo mejor del movimiento NuJazz en Cuba. Si estuviera preocupado por el futuro de la música en Cuba, este álbum sería una cura instantánea.

ENGLISH: Perspectiva is the auspicious (and audacious) debut album by one of the winners of JoJazz 2017, Marcos Morales. Mature beyond the years of its protagonists, Perspectiva provides the listener with an excellent panorama of many current trends in Jazz in Cuba.
ESPAÑOL: Perspectiva es el álbum debut auspicioso (y audaz) de uno de los ganadores de JoJazz 2017, Marcos Morales. Maduro más allá de los años de sus protagonistas, Perspectiva ofrece al oyente un excelente panorama de muchas de las tendencias actuales del jazz en Cuba.

ENGLISH: Dafnis Prieto's new project, the Dafnis Prieto Big Band, proves that all those who keep trying to write the obituary for new, creative big band music need to throw their crayons in the trash, shut up, and listen. Big bands live, and they are still doing new and exciting things.
ESPAÑOL: El nuevo proyecto de Dafnis Prieto, el Dafnis Prieto Big Band, muestra que todos los que intentan escribir el obituario de la música nueva y creativa de big band deben tirar sus lápices de colores en la basura, callarse y escuchar. Las grandes bandas todavía viven, y todavía hacen cosas nuevas y emocionantes.