Gonzalo Rubalcaba on piano, keyboards, and percussion, Luis Felipe Lamoglia on saxophones, Jose Armando Gola on bass, and Ignacio Berroa on drums. (Jazz, Latin) CD

Gonzalo Rubalcaba on piano, Charlie Haden on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums. (Jazz, Latin) CD

An all-star trio – with Gonzalo Rubalcaba on piano, with Charlie Haden on bass, and Paul Motian on drums! (Jazz, Latin) CD

Gonzalo Rubalcaba on piano, Reynaldo Melian on trumpet, Felipe Cabrera on electric bass, Jack DeJohnette & Julio Barreto on drums & Charlie Haden on bass. (Jazz, Latin) CD

Gonzalo Rubalcaba on grand piano and keyboards, Rafael Carrasco on flute and tenor saxophone, Manuel Varela on saxophone, Reynaldo Melian on trumpet, Lazaro Cruz Olmos on trumpet and flugelhorn, Felipe Cabrera on bass and electric bass, Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez on drums and Roberto Vizcaino on percussion. (Jazz, Latin) CD

Very very cool 4CD set of classic Latin material, packed inside of a nifty cigar-box cover, with an extra 112-page booklet of notes! The set's perfect if you're just getting into Afro Cuban music – but also pretty darn great even if you're already a fan, as the selection and packaging are exquisite. There's far too much music on the set to mention in this small space – but let us just tell you that the 4 CDs in the package all focus on a different side of Cuban music: Jazz, Vocals, Percussion, and Cuban Traditions. Each track comes with lavish notes and information that's helpful to novices and experts alike – and some of the artists include Cachao, Roberto Faz, Issac Delgado, Tito Gomez, Merceditas Valdes, Arsenio Rodriguez, Sexteto Habenero, Beny More, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, and Irakere. The jazz CD alone is enough to blow your mind – and that's only the beginning! CD

One of the most unusual albums ever cut by the legendary Latin jazz trombonist Juan Pablo Torres – and one of the grooviest, too – a special set that was recorded in Milan in the mid 80s, with backings by a sweet group who do a great job of blending Latin rhythms, clubby grooves, and just the right touch of jazz! Juan's on trombone in the lead – working with the Algo Nuevo group, which features the mighty Gonzalo Rubalcaba on piano, Fender Rhodes, and other keyboards – plus trumpet work from Adalberto Lore, who balances out Torres' sound in a really great way! There's both a mix of electric and acoustic percussion on the set, and the groove is more 80s club than 70s disco – and also comes across with the style of some of the more unusual hybrids that you'd be likely to find on the Areito label during Juan's generation in Cuba. Titles include "Alone", "Que Melcocha", "Y Caramba Que Son", "Oblivion", "Rialto", "Bermuda Triangle", and "Cubadisco". LP, Vinyl record album