Not a set of older-timey Cuban music from the 40s, but instead a tight 60s charanga session – served up with titles that include "Embustera", "Seis Lindas Cubanas", "Danzon Con Pachanga", "Baila Charanga", "Como Se Goza En Cuba", "Es Verdad", "Tomasa No Baila", and "Pachanga En Paris" – all very nice! LP, Vinyl record album

Classic descarga from the inventor of the genre – a host of Cuban recordings from the legendary Cachao! And sure, we love Cachao's revival in later years – but it's this material that still gets us moving the most – his rich blend of Cuban rhythms and jazz instrumentation that was easily one of the greatest things going in Havana since the rise of Castro! As with other Cachao albums from the time, there's a paucity of notes, and some sounds that seem to come from other sessions too – but we can more than forgive that aspect, given that the music's so great all the way through – plenty of percussion with a rich, echoing sound, key basslines from the master, and even some hip tres to give some tunes a nice edge. Titles include "A La Loma De Belen", "Tres Lindas Cubanas", "Oguere Mi China", "Bailando Entre Espuma", "Criolla Carabali", "Tunas Se Quemo", "La Bayamesa", "Mambo", and "El Bombin De Perucho". CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

A well-done look at the music of Ray Perez – one of the hardest-hitting Latin leaders on the Venezuelan scene in the 70s, and a musician who's finally getting his due on the global scene! Ray's got a groove that's nice and sharp, and at times maybe more tuned towards the small combo sound of the New York scene of the late 60s, rather than the bigger salsa modes of the 70s – driven on strongly by plenty of percussion at the bottom, and sewn together by great piano work from Ray himself! The collection brings together cuts from Ray's short-lived El Casabe group – titles that include "La Idea", "Oye Nena", "La Reina", "Adios Bogota", "El Bonche Se Formo", "Lamento Del Campesino", "Galeron Con Maype", "Santa", and "Campesino Nuestra". LP, Vinyl record album