A really sweet set of instrumental grooves – originally issued on the famous Cuban label Areito, but with a sound that's very different than you might expect! The music is funky and soulful, but also has these lush orchestrations too – so that the tunes are partly Latin, but also partly in a mode that echoes both the soulful side of 70s soundtracks, and some of the larger arrangements of American soul maestros like Barry White or Gene Page! The instrumentation shifts nicely throughout the set, and there's lots of surprises along the way – electric sitar on one cut, wordless vocals on another, and all sorts of very cool and groovy touches. Titles include "Dacapo", "Marinero Quiero Ser", "Mi Samba Carnaval", "6 Son", "Poema En La Playa", "Un Paseo A La Playa", and "Tema De La Sierra". CD

A really sweet set of instrumental grooves – originally issued on the famous Cuban label Areito, but with a sound that's very different than you might expect! The music is funky and soulful, but also has these lush orchestrations too – so that the tunes are partly Latin, but also partly in a mode that echoes both the soulful side of 70s soundtracks, and some of the larger arrangements of American soul maestros like Barry White or Gene Page! The instrumentation shifts nicely throughout the set, and there's lots of surprises along the way – electric sitar on one cut, wordless vocals on another, and all sorts of very cool and groovy touches. Titles include "Dacapo", "Marinero Quiero Ser", "Mi Samba Carnaval", "6 Son", "Poema En La Playa", "Un Paseo A La Playa", and "Tema De La Sierra". LP, Vinyl record album

A true revolution in Cuban music – not the familiar cha cha and pachanga modes of the pre-Castro years, but instead the huge wave of fresh styles and combinations that sprung up in the years to come! The tracks here aren't the kind of Cuban sounds that are locked in time by the all-star representations of the scene that circle widely – and instead, this music represents the younger, more experimental side of the scene – continually creating new styles and hybrids during the 70s and 80s, even at a time when most of the records weren't making it out to the world at large! Make no mistake, there's certainly elements of older Afro Latin rhythms, and Latin jazz instrumentation – but those are blended with new approaches to rhythm, instrumentation, and the overall role of the musicians and singers – on tracks that will really open up your ears. Gilles Peterson helped put the package together for Soul Jazz – and the whole thing's got the same hybrid hallmarks as his more recent recording forays in Havana – with cuts that include "Cancion Con Todos" by Grupo De Experimentacion Sonora Del Icaic, "Hast Las Cuantas" by Grupo Monumental, "Luna Wanestain" by Emiliano Salvador, "Te Quiero Porque Te Quiero" by Pablo Milanes, "Un Lamento Heco Cancion" by Los Reyes 73, "Dacapo" by Raul Gomez, "La Patica" by Paquito D'Rivera, "Rompe Cocorioco" by Juan Pablo Torres, "Mi Ritmo Caliente" by Juan Formell & Los Van Van, "Chequere Son" by Grupo Irakere, "El Son Del Campeon" by Conjunto Rubavana, and "Con Cadencia Y Con Dulzura" by Las D'Aida. CD

Forget any cliches you might have in mind about Cuban music – that idea that all the "old guys" of the Buena Vista Social Club were responsible for most of the sounds of Havana – because here, you'll hear amazing sounds from the younger generation – an amazing array of talents who were really transforming the scene in the 70s and early 80s! Sure, there's some familiar elements here – many of the artists start with older Afro Cuban roots – but the music also really takes off with all sorts of weird and wonderful touches – bits of funk, soul, jazz, and even some electronics – used in really compelling ways that definitely live up to the "experiments" in the title, but continue to provide the sort of groove you'd imagine from Cuban music. We loved the previous volume in this series, and we might well say that the second one is even better – with a stunning set list of tracks that includes "El 456" by Los Brito, "Luces En La Pista" by Raul Gomez, "Tema De El Rancheador De La Naturaleza" by Leo Brouwer, "Y Que Bien" by Juan Pablo Torres, "Quemando" by Los Latinos, "Muevete Con Las Fuerzas Del Corazon" by FA 5, "Amame Y No Piensas Mas" by Farah Maria, "La Rumba" by Luis Carbonell "Llegue Llegue" by Juan Formel & Los Van Van, "Para Que Niegas" by Los Papines, "Baila Mi Guaguanco" by Grupo Raices Nuevas, "Como Arrulos De Palma" by Tambores De Enrique Bonne, "Expreso Ritmico" by Ricardo Eddy Martinez, and "Aqui Estamos" by Grupo Sintesis. CD

Forget any cliches you might have in mind about Cuban music – that idea that all the "old guys" of the Buena Vista Social Club were responsible for most of the sounds of Havana – because here, you'll hear amazing sounds from the younger generation – an amazing array of talents who were really transforming the scene in the 70s and early 80s! Sure, there's some familiar elements here – many of the artists start with older Afro Cuban roots – but the music also really takes off with all sorts of weird and wonderful touches – bits of funk, soul, jazz, and even some electronics – used in really compelling ways that definitely live up to the "experiments" in the title, but continue to provide the sort of groove you'd imagine from Cuban music. We loved the previous volume in this series, and we might well say that the second one is even better – with a stunning set list of tracks that includes "El 456" by Los Brito, "Luces En La Pista" by Raul Gomez, "Tema De El Rancheador De La Naturaleza" by Leo Brouwer, "Y Que Bien" by Juan Pablo Torres, "Quemando" by Los Latinos, "Muevete Con Las Fuerzas Del Corazon" by FA 5, "Amame Y No Piensas Mas" by Farah Maria, "La Rumba" by Luis Carbonell "Llegue Llegue" by Juan Formel & Los Van Van, "Para Que Niegas" by Los Papines, "Baila Mi Guaguanco" by Grupo Raices Nuevas, "Como Arrulos De Palma" by Tambores De Enrique Bonne, "Expreso Ritmico" by Ricardo Eddy Martinez, and "Aqui Estamos" by Grupo Sintesis. LP, Vinyl record album