Pachito E Che

One of my favorites from perhaps the greatest sonero. Perfect mambo for a relaxing, slightly jazzy Sunday. 

Bonito y Sabroso and Old Merengue

Came across another beautiful mambo-era song by Benny More, one of my favorite Cuban artists. "Bonito y Sabroso" expresses the kinship between Mexico and Cuba and the popularity of mambo in that country. Indeed, so good are Mexican dancers, one would think one is in Havana! Lest we forget, one of the giants of the mambo craze, Perez Prado, actually moved his band to Mexico during this period so it's not too big of a surprise that Cuban music was huge in Mexico. In addition, Mexico's 'Caribbean' Veracruz region is home to many Cuban and other immigrants over several generations, as well as Afro-Mexicans, descendants of Mexico's slave trade over the centuries. "Mueven las cinturas y los ombros!"

In addition, while watching a strange pro-Trujillo song on Youtube that a friend shared with me, I decided to look up some older merengue artists. Angel Viloria, who was popular in Port-au-Prince in the 1950s, actually sounds quite good. Indeed, there's a lot in common between his form of merengue and that of some 1950s Haitian kompa. I am not sure how much of this is due to Dominican influence or a common origin in Africa (or the older Haitian mereng perhaps being a product of Haitian rule and migration in the Dominican Republic since the 19th century?). but it's infectious music! Check out "El Merengue en La Empaliza" and note the similarities, particularly in the horn arrangement and the rhythms. Not bad, I think I can like some (older) merengue, as long as it's not too fast. Anyway, either I'm already ancient and think all older forms of music are better or today's merengue is just plain awful?

Cuban-Nigerian Musical Exchanges: Fela Kuti and Beny Moré

Cuban legend of 1950s music, Beny Moré, recorded "Babarabatiri," a song meant to evoke Cuba's African musical and cultural heritage, also covered by Tito Puente. The horn line sounds very similar to a particular Fela Kuti song from his afrobeat, period, "Shakara," which has a remarkably similar horn line. It's very likely a coincidence, but given the considerable influence of Cuban son, mambo, and son montuno in West Africa, I wouldn't be surprised if Fela Kuti had perhaps heard of Beny Moré and, consciously or unconsciously, borrowed the rhythmic horn line (later played on guitar throughout the song). Who knows, perhaps I am just being overly imaginative...you tell me what you think?