Derived from Cuban danzón, the cha-cha-chá emerged in the wake of 1950s mambo and turned out to be even more popular. A fabulous, danceable, influential, international music, it produced the indispensable original version of Santana's famous hit "Oye Como Va," for example, as well as "Chanchullo," the Cuban piece that inspired it (both included here). Bruno Blum recounts the birth of cha-cha-chá and comments on it-a peak in Cuban music, before the 1959 revolution that led so many Cuban musicians to flee to the USA. The golden age of cha-cha-chá is typical of exchanges between Cuban and American musicians such as Tito Puente, who soon made this style his own. It is, however, the authentic, original Cuban sound that is prioritised here. Patrick Frémeaux
A deep dive into the vibrant heart of the "nueva canción" movement, paying tribute to the artists-like Violeta Parra, Víctor Jara, and Mercedes Sosa-who shaped Latin American history. Vidala brilliantly conveys the symbolic and liberating power of these songs, which blend popular folklore with protest music.
48 Chefs-d'oeuvre D'amerique Latine 1930-1962 - "These 48 masterpieces from Latin America provide an immersion in the musical diversity of the continent that is South America. Habanera, danzn, choro, samba, tango, rumba, mambo and cha-cha-cha illustrate Latin Americas creativity in it's music, notably thanks to the richness of popular Creole music forms, and together they represent a true national identity through music.
