Search - Lecuona Cuban Boys :: 1935-1938

Cubamania in the first place

Konstantinos Zachopoulos | Athens, Neapoli Greece | 03/16/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Astonishing stuff, really! Lecuona's Cuban Boys was one of the best and the most popular Cuban bands of the 30s, having lots of dance hits in America and Europe -especially in France. Although the great Cuban composer and pianist Ernesto Lecuona was not in fact a regular member of the band, Cuban Boys represented the unique artistic spirit of their mentor: Colourful melodies, full of "tropical" rhuthmic styles (rumba, conga etc.)and powerful vocals. (In this, extremely beautiful collection you can hear the Italian singer Alberto Rabagliati and even Miss Josephine Baker singing with the band). Among the first-class recordings of some of Lecuona's asterpieces of that era, like "Tabou" (the ultimate version), "Maria La O", "Siboney", "Amapola" etc, this CD also offers extraordinary versions of the traditional mexican song "Amapola" -a major international hit before and after the World War II- and the russian tune "Ojos negros" ("Dark eyes"). I'm sure you'll enjoy this collection. The feeling is timeless, the songs superb, the 78rpm recordings eternally delightful. Cuba-mania has never been as "juicy" as then: Right before the War, when the legendary Lecuona's Cuban Boys spread the originality of Cuban rhythmology all over the world."