Editor Reviews:

Album Description:
Japanese Exclusive Release.

Amazon.com:
This magnificent 25-track compilation, digitally remastered from archival 78s, spans 41 years of classic Cuban music, from the 1909 habanera/danzón of Orchestra de Felipe Valdez to the 1951 montuno-motored Conjunto Cubakonga's "Como Ayer," which previewed salsa and Latin jazz. The depth and diversity of the island's full Afro-Hispanic sound spectrum is here. The clave-coded tres guitar strains of the son ring through on Sexteto Nacional's rendition of the classic "Siboney," penned by pianist-composer Ernesto Lecuona. His pop orchestra, the Lecuona Cuban Boys, swings his Afro-anthemic rumba, "Tabú." The haunting operatic voice of María Cervantes highlights the traditional bolero on the voice-piano duo, "Tus Manos Blancos," contrasted by the Old World Spanish choral canción, "As Mozas da Vilanova" by Coro Agrupación Artistica Gallega." "A Centavo el Mazo," an uptempo bolero-son by Orchestra Pedro Via melodically mirrors "The Peanut Vendor" and Desi Arnaz y su Orchestra (of I Love Lucy fame) kicks up the processional carnival paces on "La Conga en Nuevo York." The DNA of the big band Latin jazz is discovered in "Pacto con el Diablo," performed by Alberto Socarras y su Orchestra Cubanacán. All in all, this stunning set shows that the 20th century moved and grooved to a Cuban beat. --Eugene Holley Jr.

Rating : - cuban music
Even though most songs are not sung by the original artists, the music flavor comes through..What matters is the nostalgia to listen to and say "I remember this song" and sing along...