Afro Cuban All Stars - Habana Del Este (Official Audio)

‘A Toda Cuba Le Gusta’ the debut album by the Afro-Cuban All Stars was the first in a trilogy of extraordinary albums recorded by World Circuit in a single two-week session at Havana’s Egrem studios in 1996.

The All Stars were brought together by musical director Juan de Marcos González. González had long harboured a dream to put together a band combining the ‘old masters’ and the new generation of Cuban musicians. His meeting with World Circuit’s Nick Gold revealed a shared passion and the fuse was lit. With his contemporary arrangements and his choice of musicians and repertoire combined with the all-acoustic ensemble’s extraordinary power and exuberance he succeeds in paying homage while demonstrating the vitality of the music.

The thirteen-piece band is made up of four generations of some of Cuba’s finest musicians. The list of lead vocalists is a virtual ‘who’s who’ of the greatest Cuban soneros; the octogenarian great Pío Leyva and septuagenarians Raúl Planas, Manuel ‘Puntillita’ Licea and Ibrahim Ferrer are joined by rising stars from a younger generation, Antonio ‘Maceo’ Rodríguez and Félix Valoy.

To back his heroes González brought together a very special group. As pianist he coaxed the legendary Rubén Gonzáléz out of retirement. On double bass is Cuba’s finest, Orlando ‘Cachaito’ López.

The trumpet solos are by the great Manuel ‘Guajiro’ Mirabal on trumpet. The album also features guest solos from Ry Cooder on guitar ‘Alto Songo’, Orchestra Aragón’s legendary flute player, Richard Egües and Barbarito Torres on laoud ‘Amor Verdadero’. The band also includes the 13 year old phenomenon Julienne Oviedo on timbales and the great Miguel ‘Angá’ Díaz on congas.

In a celebration of the diversity of Cuban music the album’s ten songs run through a range of Cuban styles including danzón, son montuno, guaguancó, mozambique, afro, mambo and guajira.

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[arturosuarez]

Verano 1996!! Reparto Cienfuegos!! Habana del este !! Villa Olímpica! Después Villa Lenin !! Que días! Reservorio de mi memoria !! Saludos desde México a mi amada Cuba !

[JohannCuban]

La mejor composición y mejor arreglo musical que pudieron haber hecho. I first heard this when I was 10 years old. I'm Cuban with 31 yrs of age and to this day I always come back to listen to this great work of art.

[tayebchikhi]

le morceau est merveilleux, l'album, sublime...un grand souvenir!

[joseserrano]

Una joya de composición, musicalmente lo tiene TODO

[manuelmesa]

Los anglosanes que riman con eso der queso no saben decir ni Buenos días y noches..gracias a mis mayores y ese ritmo lindo incluso sin tener pa comer!!!😂😊😊

[VikCalo]

Sounds like the Miami I grew up in. The 80/90s.