Greetings from Havana (AIM Records AIM 1019 CD, 2007)
The Bush administration’s tightening of the Cuban embargo has prevented all Cuba-based artists from touring the United States. Sadly, the number of Cuban music CDs has also decreased dramatically.
Thankfully, most other countries do not believe in shutting the Cuban arts out. From Australia comes the latest ¡Cubanismo! CD. The legendary Cuban band achieved popularity in the United States with its domestic releases and several tours. Now, thanks to Australian label AIM, ¡Cubanismo!‘s music is available again in the United States.
Greetings from Havana was recorded in the Cuban capital and Australian producer Peter Noble allowed band leader Jesús Alemañy a lot of artistic freedom. ¡Cubanismo! once more shows that it is a rhythmic powerhouse, with one of the finest brass sections in Cuba.
The pieces range from old time guaracha son, rumba and mambo to fiery Afro-Cuban jazz and the fabulous brass fest on "Descarga caliente" (descarga means jam session).
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
