The Bottom Line
Pros
- Good sampler of Cuban ballads and musicians
Cons
- Some of the tracks have a pop/studio flavor that isn't quite on the theme
Description
- 10 tracks of Cuban son, bolero, guajira and trova
- Performers include Ola Fresca, Pedro Luis Ferrer, La Orquesta Magica De La Habana, Armando Garzon and more
- Released May, 2008 by Putumayo World Music
Guide Review - Music Review: Putumayo Presents Cafe Cubano
Putumayo builds their track lists around some type of theme; using the "cafe" theme, they've released both French Cafe and Italian Cafe. Their new entry is Cafe Cubano and, on the assumption that this collection of songs is meant to evoke the experience of spending a few hours in a Cuban cafe, they've done a lot of things right to aid those listeners with a rich imagination.
The first thing Putumayo got right was the type of music that they selected, bypassing the spicier nightclub genres for a playlist of sones, guajiras, boleros and trovas. Then they went on to select some great Cuban musicians to perform, mixing both older, traditional artist with a younger group that stays true to the traditional ethos.
The result is a mix of tracks that resonates with the sound of Cuba's streets and cafes.
The album opens with "El Chacal" performed by New York's Afro-Cuban funk band Ola Fresca and follows it up with a classic son, "Lagrimas Negras" sung by Ignacio 'Mazacote' Carillo. Then we're treated to Lena Ferrer's glorious voice singing Pedro Luis Ferrer's "Ay, Mi Vidita" from the 2005 album, Rustico.
There's a wonderful version of "Escalando" sung by Cuban countertenor Armando Garzon and "Corazon" by Asere, a number from Asere's Cuban Soul that's a little more polished and interesting than you might hear in an actual cafe.
Actually there's something notable about each track on Cafe Cubano. If there's a wrong note on the album it might be a little bit too much pop/studio influence on a few of the songs, but they don't really spoil the mood. If you are a Buena Vista Social Club fan or just love mellow, Cuban songs performed by Cuban musicians who really understand this music, this is an album you will love.
