Lucho Bermudez may look a bit square on the cover, but he was a key force in the rise of cumbia on the Colombian scene of the postwar years – and also handled a fair bit of other really great styles too! That work is finally given its due here – in a well-done package that brings together key tracks from Lucho's years on the scene – music that's served up in a variety of rhythms, but which is united in the way that Bermudez takes rootsier styles and mixed them with modern jazz instrumentation – a blend of modes that's very much at the same level that was happening in Havana during the period, but with very different results! A number of these tracks feature vocals from the lovely Matilde Diaz, and the instrumentation blends in lots of earthy percussion with well-crafted reed lines from the larger group. Titles include "Plinio Guzman", "Arroz Con Coco", "Gaiteando", "Mi Cumbia", "Irma", "Tolu", "Taganga", "Tambores De Chambacu", "Prende La Vela", "Santa Marta", "Fiesta De Negritos", "Danza Negra", "Colombia Tierra Querida", and "Nelly". (Global Grooves, Latin) LP, Vinyl record album