One of Cuba's most revered musicians, whose era (1937-1947) evokes memories of nostalgia. His legend is known the world over in that it was Orestes Lopez, Arcano's celloist and pianist who invented the Danzon mambo in 1938. Orestes's brother, bassist Israel "Cachao" Lopez, wrote the arrangements which enables Arcano Y Sus Maravillas to enjoy... [+] Read More

Yes No

Cuban bassist Cachao is credited as the man who created mambo music. He spent most of his 76 years living in Cuba, where he was a prominent jazz sideman who specialized in Afro-Cuban dance music. He eventually made it to the U.S. and lived in Miami for almost nine years with little or no recognition, due in part to his extreme modesty. He was... [+] Read More

Yes No

Cana Son practitioners of traditional Cuban son music.
"deep Cuban music"...the Oregonian

Cana Son is a Cuban son band that plays traditional son music. The group focuses on popular Cuban son from the turn of the last century through the nineteen fifties. Following son music's history out of the Eastern Provinces of Cuba to... [+] Read More

Yes No

The son of the noted musician Bebo Valdes, Chucho began playing piano when he was three and by the time he was 16 he was leading his own group. In 1960 his father defected from Cuba but Chucho stayed behind. In 1967, he formed the Orquesta Cubana de Musica Moderna and, in 1973, he founded Irakere, the top Cuban jazz orchestra; among its original... [+] Read More

Yes No

Don Azpiazu was until recently a forgotten giant. This was the band whose 1930 "Peanut Vendor" not only became a huge national hit, launching a decade of rumbamania, it was also the first U.S. recording of an authentic national Latin style (in other words, Latin music, not U.S. music to a Latin rhythm, like the '20s tangos). Equally important,... [+] Read More

Yes No

Drummer/percussionist Francisco Aguabella emmigrated to New York City from his native Matanzas, Cuba -- where African music was a tradition -- in 1957. He follows a long line of Cuban drummers who made their mark in America: Chano Pozo, Patato Valdez, Candido, and Mongo Santamaria. Aguabella's music fuses traditional African and Latin rhythms... [+] Read More

Yes No

Universally known as the King of the Mambo, Pérez Prado was the single most important musician involved in the hugely popular Latin dance craze. Whether he actually created the rhythm is somewhat disputed, but it's abundantly clear that Prado developed it into a bright, swinging style with massive appeal for dancers of all backgrounds and... [+] Read More

Yes No