Reviews
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Type | Artist | Product | Date | Author |
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CD | Julio Valdés |
![]() A new and eclectic independent recording by Julio Valdés, one of Cuba's most interesting Jazz and Fusion violinists. This will especially appeal to fans of groups like Grupo Afrocuba and Weather Report. |
03/29/2015 | Bill Tilford |
CD/DVD | Sergio Vitier |
![]() Identidad was awarded a Cubadisco in the Documentary category in 2014. The CD portion of this CD/DVD combination includes reissues of two fascinating recordings (homenajes and Travesía) by Sergio Vitier, who was one of the key members of GES (Grupo de Experimentacion Sonora del ICAIC) before it disbanded. Indeed, these recordings, while all his own compositions, are reminiscent of some of the best work of that group. |
08/05/2014 | Bill Tillford |
CD | Miguel Zenón |
![]() No, it's not about the Dolezal case, although it is based on a diffaerent identities question, specifically how New Yorkers of Puerto Rican descent identify themselves. Instead of talking heads screaming at each other though, you get some really wonderful Latin Jazz. |
06/21/2015 | Bill Tilford |
CD | Omar Sosa |
![]() ilé brings Omar Sosa closer to his Afro Cuban roots including guest appearances by Pedrito Martínez, Yosvany Terry and "Don Pancho" Terry, but there is also a heady mix of Flamenco elements, Jazz and West African ingredients. |
03/10/2015 | Bill Tilford |
CD | Manuel Valera |
![]() In Motion, the third album by New Cuban Express, continues the forward momentum of NCX with the addition of a trumpet to half of the songs, a more acoustic feel, and all of the excitement of the first two recordings. |
09/26/2014 | Bill TIlford |
CD | Marialy Pacheco |
![]() 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. |
04/10/2016 | Bill Tilford |
CD | Ernán López-Nussa |
![]() Winner of the Cubadisco 2015 award for Jazz Cubano (and nominated in the Recording category, an engineering award), Invención Lekszycki is a sort of panorama of the multiple roots that inform Ernán's work. Includes some unusual touches like Kelvis Ochoa singing a Jazz ballad and some Fusion elements. It works. |
06/09/2015 | Bill Tilford |
CD | Various Artists |
![]() ENGLISH: The Jazz Young Spirit collection, released on Colibrí beginning in 2005, is among the crown jewels of Cuban jazz releases featuring young artists early in their careers. These are often their debut recordings.
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06/21/2020 | Bill Tilford |
CD | Various Artists |
![]() 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. |
01/28/2016 | Bill Tilford |
CD | Joey Altruda & Francisco Fellove Valdés |
![]() English: The last full studio album by El Gran Fellove (Francisco Fellove Valdés), recorded with Joey Altruda in Mexico City in 1999, has finally emerged from the vaulton the 100th anniversary of his birth. Unlike some projects in other genres released more for the sake of completeness than true musical merit, this one stands on its own merits.
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11/20/2023 | Bill Tilford |
CD | Elito Revé y su Charangón |
![]() Another exciting Changüi released by Revé. An aplanadora is a steamroller, and this is one, in a good way, for good dancers. Drink plenty of fluids before starting to listen to this. |
04/13/2015 | Bill Tilford |
Film | Josue Joseph |
![]() Although this film has its imperfections, it is a valiant and earnest attempt to document and lament the loss of a number of distinct rhythms in the United States as a consequence of the "Salsa" marketing phenomenon. |
01/16/2012 | Bill Tilford |
Film | Josué Joseph |
![]() This film is a cinematic ode to the Palladium Era and the Mambo Craze in New York, a time before "Salsa" and simplified dance steps and rhythms took hold in the clubs. This film is not without its flaws but raises some good conversation topics including the degree of communication between dancers and bands then vs. now. |
01/09/2012 | Bill Tilford |
CD | Miriam Ramos |
![]() This remarkable trilogy, a multiple award winner (including the Grand Prize) in Cubadisco 2013 and a Latin GRAMMY nominee the same year, spans eight decades of the Cuban songbook and illuminates the material in beautiful ways. |
01/07/2014 | Bill Tilford |
CD | Various Artists |
![]() ENGLISH: La Equina del Jazz is an audio memorial by the winners of the first improvisational jazz contest organized by the iconic radio program of the same name. An interesting collaboration of contest winners and established professionals, noteworthy also for its significant amount of North American style jazz standards.
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07/26/2020 | William Tilford |
CD | Los Van Van |
![]() Its founder, Juan Formell, only performs (posthumously) on one track, but a resurgent Los Van Van captures the best of his spirit and comes roaring back in this new release on EGREM that is one of their best albums from any decade. |
02/01/2015 | Bill Tilford |
CD | Los Van Van |
![]() The 3 CD-set is one of the very best of the numerous Los Van Van compilations. Excellent song choices, ditto continuity, ditto production values. |
03/30/2014 | Bill Tilford |
CD/DVD | Septeto Nacional Ignacio Piñeiro |
![]() This distinctive CD/DVD set includes both live and studio recordings of the Septeto, an interview with musicologist Helio Orovio and liner notes that make this both an excellent musical production and a valuable historical document. Nominated in both the Latin GRAMMY awards and Cubadisco 2013. |
01/10/2014 | Bill Tilford |
CD | Los Van Van |
![]() A combination of new takes on older Los Van Van songs and some new material, this recording was nominated for a Latin GRAMMY in 2012. |
11/19/2012 | Bill Tilford |
CD | Concha Buika |
![]() Buika continues her streak of emotionally powerful recordings with a cast that includes Cuban musicians Alaín Pérez, Iván Melón Lewis and Pedrito Martinez. |
05/31/2013 | Bill Tilford |
CD | Elito Revé y su Charangón |
![]() 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. |
07/03/2016 | Bill Tilford |
CD | Timbalive |
![]() This recording was nominated for a Cubadisco award in 2012 in the Popular Dance Music category, a rare distinction for a dance band based in the United States. |
12/06/2011 | Bill Tilford |
CD | Alexander Abreu Havana D'Primera |
![]() HDP goes after new listeners here - there is still some Timba, but also a lot more Salsa Cubana that will be danceable by non-Cubans. Musically excellent, and it has a Grand Prize in Cubadisco along with the award for Música Popular Bailable - Maestros to show for it. Will it reach the new ears for which it is intended? Time will tell. |
06/08/2015 | Bill Tilford |
CD | Various Artists |
![]() 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. |
04/14/2016 | Bill Tilford |
CD | Formell y Los Van Van |
![]() ENGLISH: Legado, the latest by Formell y Los Van Van, is an exciting combination of material from the early days of the band with current compositions. It won a Special Prize in Cubadisco 2018 and as of this writing is also a nominee for Best Tropical Latin Album in this year's GRAMMY awards.
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10/14/2018 | Bill Tilford |
CD | Emilio Frías "El Niño" y La Verdad |
![]() "Llegó la Verdad", the debut album by Elio Frias "El Niño" y La Verdad has proved their ability to deliver hit after hit and solidified their position as one of the top young bands in Havana. |
01/25/2015 | Michelle White |
CD | Orquesta el Macabeo |
![]() (Reviewed for our "Nuestros Primos Musicales" section) One of Puerto Rico's most innovative young Salsa bands returns with new targets and solid music. |
08/25/2013 | Bill Tilford |
CD | Eliades Ochoa |
![]() This trilogy is a great way to get a Latin GRAMMY winner and a Cubadisco (Cuba's most prestigious music awards) nominee in one package with a bonus of an additional collection of nice instrumentals. |
01/09/2014 | Bill Tilford |
CD | Soneros All Stars |
![]() Yanesito has hit this one out of the ballpark! |
03/25/2014 | Michelle White |
Film | Edesio Alejandro |
![]() This film does not attempt to be a comprehensive history of the Son but does include some interesting historical information as well as some entertaining and sometimes unusual live performances, |
04/14/2012 | Bill Tilford |
CD/DVD | Los Hermanos Arango |
![]() This excellent folkloric fusion project won multiple Cubadisco awards in 2012 and is one of the best projects of its kind. |
05/08/2014 | Bill Tilford |
CD/DVD | Michel Herrera |
![]() This extraordinary Jazz recording would be remarkable in any country and represents the best of the youth movement in today's Cuban Jazz. It was nominated for multiple Cubadisco 2014 awards - Jazz, Audiovisual Concert, CD/DVD, Video Clip, Making of, and Liner Notes. It won the Audiovisual Concert category. |
08/03/2014 | Bill Tilford |
CD | Alfredo Chacon |
![]() Fans of Weather Report and Grupo Afrocuba will enjoy this eclectic recording, which was nominated for a Cubadisco award in Jazz in 2013. Although Alfredo Chacon is a vibraphonist, this is more than just a vibraphone album. |
05/22/2013 | Bill Tilford |
CD/DVD | Ruly Herrera |
![]() This Cubadisco 2015 winner (Jazz and Making of) fits perfectly in the part of the musical spectrum occupied by bands like the Yellowjackets, Weather Report, the Chick Corea Electric Band and some of Herbie Hancock's work. Very electric in more ways than one. |
06/08/2015 | Bill Tilford |
CD | Gastón Joya |
![]() ENGLISH: Bassist Gastón Joya's first commercially-released solo album, a trio project with some special guests, is the winner of the Jazz Soloist category in Cubadisco 2018
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10/14/2018 | Bill Tilford |
CD | Aisar yl El Expresso de Cuba |
![]() 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. |
02/24/2017 | Michelle White |
CD/DVD | Various Artists |
![]() You have probably already seen a piece of this due to the Havana D'Primera video clip that is all over the web, but that clip is part of a far larger, more ambitious project with a multitude of artists to be released to the general public in the months to come. This is a sneak preview of that project, which was awarded a Special Prize at Cubadisco 2014. |
06/03/2014 | Bill Tilford |
Concert | Mezcla |
![]() Mezcla's tours in the U.S. have been limited to a few cities, it would be |
07/30/2013 | Bill Tilford |
DVD | Chuchito Valdes |
![]() This is a nice video single filmed in Havana featuring Mercedes Cortes Alfaro singing a ballad accompanied by two of her sons, Chuchito Valdes and Roberto Fonseca. |
07/03/2014 | Bill Tilford |
Film | Various Artists |
![]() Miami Boheme is an hour-long PBS documentary (also available on DVD) that chronicles Miami's current Latin Fusion music scene. It includes excellent concert footage and video clips by several groups including Palo! and Spam Allstars. |
04/13/2014 | Bill Tilford |