Various Artists - Afro-Latino

The music is awesome on this disc and I was caught by surprise how the Cuban music has penetrated Africna culture so long ago. According to the booklet this has been going on since the 40's and 50's when Cuban records were first brought to Africa. The unique touches to Cuban son are magnificent. The addition of Cameroonian horns on the Portuguese- African band Tam-Tam 2000 is a perfect example of the merging of cultural elements for a unique brand of Cuban son. There is plenty of traditional Cuban son too to get your fill of the dance music that is hotter than a habanero but cooler than the shade of palm tree on a hot day at the beach. However, the real showcase of music on this disc is the unique hybrid created in Africa by musicians from Angola, Congo and other locations. Cuban music is alive and well all over the world . I find it particularly interesting that the music has gone full circle since the Cuban son has it's roots in African rhythms. This is a delightful disc that is perfect music to liven things up . Recommended for your next get together where you will have to clear out the furniture because people will be dancing. If you love Cuban music than this is for you. If you want to hear something different in the way of Cuban music than you will love this disc.

I cannot stop listening to this CD. I have repeated some of the songs so many times that my kids have threatened to leave the house and come back when my addiction is over. As I am listening to the music, I am dancing at the same time. This CD puts me in an exuberant and joyful mood. I have recommended it to all my friends.

This CD is a masterpiece! It is absolutely amazing, and it has a lot of depth in it. A great piece to dance to or just to listen to if you would like to relax. You can hear the cuban beats as well as the african beats in here. just amazing..

This CD should have been named Afro-Cubano. The CD starts off with African salsa and son, and then switches back and forth between Cuban son and African son.
Then just when you think you figured the CD out Ruy Mingas's Kolonial throws you off with a very percussive afroportuguese dish. The rhythm here is strong and different from the clave influence heard in the rest of the CD.
One strange thing about this CD is that the Cuban selections are all traditional son, while the african cuts stand out as more progressive and elaborate, with incredible use of electric guitars.

Well folks this is where it started, the true roots of the Cuban Rhythms and the rest of the Caribbean sounds. Here you will see the close connection to what today it's known as "salsa"; on some songs you think you are listening to Spanish but in reality it's Portuguese Creole from Cape Verde. The rest of the songs are a mixture of African, Spanish, Peruvian, Cuban and Portuguese rhythms. My favorite songs are from Angola, Rudy Mingas " KOLONAL " and Ricardo Lemo & Makina Loca from the Congo "Mambo Yo Yo ", all the rest are good too. On this CD the African continent proves to the rest of the world that salsa originated from them and they can play it just as good!

This is a totally awesome cd! It's not my favorite out of all the Putamayos I have, but hey--that doesn't mean it's not great. As the name suggests, it has music from African and Latino lands.

Interesting music, thought-provoking rhythms, and great voices combine in this supreme cd. Really fun to dance to, with such great beats that rock your body even when you're not dancing. It is somewhat dangerous to play this if you don't want to be seen bopping your head and shaking your body.

Guaranteed to raise eyebrows, provoke laughs, and, of course, make your feel GREAT!

I used to own 3 CD stores and ran a recording studio and a sound company. I've listened to just about everything. I guess I just got burned out on the same ole stuff - the same recycled riffs, recyled bands, etc. When I heard this disc, it blew me away. I've tried to track down the artists on the disc and buy their cds, too. But, most of these groups don't have any releases you can buy in the states - just a couple do. Not only are the artists great. Whoever put this compilation together deserves a lot of the credit. Probably the same person who compiled Samba Bosa Nova, another Putumayo masterpiece. It's a keeper.

Listen folks...everytime I play this CD, in the car, in my backyard...people I don't even know approach me wondering "Where can I get that awesome music?" !! It's the true gem in my vast collection...so warm...so rich...and get this....IT WAS A GIFT from an ex-girlfriend....and I'm married. That tells you how great it is! I can never let it out of my sight, because when people first hear it, they want to slip it in their pocket! Go ahead and get it folks..