Spanish Fiesta in Havana

Various Artists

La Habana era una fiesta (Vampisoul)

This double CD set unearths a collection of recordings from Cuban radio’s vaults, ranging from the 1940s to the 1960s. During that period, Havana was bubbling with all kinds of music. La Habana era una fiesta focuses on the music with a clear Spanish influence. Although many contemporary Cuban music recordings are marketed as Afro-Cuban, the Spanish musical influence in Cuban music is just as important as the African one.

La Habana era una fiesta features Cuban artists performing Spanish songs and Spanish musicians that visited or lived in Cuba and were influenced by the island’s music.

The double set includes performances by essential artists from both countries such as Conchita Piquer, Celia Cruz, Antonio Molina, Orquesta Aragón, Lola Flores, Los Xey, Ernesto Lecuona, Los Chavales de España, Tito Gómez y Orquesta Riverside and many more.

Cuban music had a back and forthing effect. While Spanish folk music, dance and poetry influenced Cuban music, the sounds of the Caribbean island made it back to Spain, introducing Afro-Cuban elements into various spanish forms, such as flamenco or the new genre called habaneras, which became hugely popular in Spain.

The visits from Carmen Amaya, Conchita Piquer, Juanita Reina, and Imperio Argentina were celebrated in Havana. From the mid-1930s until approximately 1960, leading Cuban radio stations such as CMQ and Radio Progreso hired the most famous Spanish artists to broadcast the performances and variety shows with live music of Los Chavales de España, Los Bocheros or Los Churumbeles.

The extensive reach of radio and cinema, together with the growing popularization of vinyl, enabled the quick commercial expansion of Cuban music with danzón orchestras, son cubano sextets and Cuban-style jazz bands, including Rita Montaner and Bola de Nieve to Miguelito Valdés, Antonio Machín, Julio Cuevas, Bebo Valdés and Armando Oréfiche.

Track list

1. María de la O/La bien pagá (Fuico con Papín y sus Rumberos)

2. Soleá (Celia Cruz y Orq. Suaritos)

3. Mala entraña (Dominica Verges con El Trío de Luisito Plá y la Orq. Almendra de Abelardito Valdés)

4. Traición (Carlos Díaz y Orq. de Osvaldo Estivill)

5. Zambra gitana (Ernesto Lecuona al piano)

6. El boogievá (Obdulia Breijo con Orquesta

7. Gitanilla morena (Rosita Fornés y Orq. Riverside)

8. La violetera (Paulina Alvarez)

9. Amapola (Tito Gómez y Orq. Riverside)

10. La hija de Juan Simón (Abelardo Barroso y Orq. Sensación de Rolando Valdés)

11. El centavo mágico (Rolando Ochoa)

12. La verbena de la Paloma (Antonio María Romeu al piano)

13. En el mundo (Aquilino y su Cuadrilla

14. Clavelitos (Orquesta Aragón)

15. Monísima (Nelson Pinedo y Orquesta

16. Nena (Celeste Mendoza)

17. Andalucía/Danza Nº 5 (Omara Portuondo y Quinteto de Julio Gutiérrez)

18. La virgen de la Macarena (Celia Cruz y Orquesta Suaritos)

19. Madrid (Orquesta Sensación de Rolando Valdés)

20. Y a mí qué (Los Chavales de España)

21. Las dos rosas (Niño De Utrera)

22. El palacio sin novedad (Los Xey)

23. ¡Ay! Malvaloca (Conchita Piquer con Orquesta)

24. Cuba no debe favores (Antonio Molina y Orquesta Montilla)

25. Calle abajo (Juan Legido)

26. El hijo de nadie (Trini Morén Y Niño de Utrera

27. María Dolores (Los Chavales de España)

28. No me llames (Dolores Conchita Piquer con Orquesta)

29. La rana (Los Xey y Orquesta)

30. El televisor (Lola Flores)

31. La leyenda del beso (Los Churumbeles de España)

32. Cuba de mi amor (Los Chavales de España)

33. A la lima y al limón (Conchita Piquer)

34. A orillas del Ebro (América Paz Y Rafael Ortega al piano)

35. Son mentiras (Los Xey)

36. Las bodas de Luis Alonso (Orquesta Solera de España)

Buy the album or MP3 downloads:

• In North America: La Habana era una fiesta
• In Europe: La Habana era una fiesta