VA - Mambo Cubano (2001)

BENY MORE The greatest Cuban musician of them all, Bartolome Maximilano More, also known as "El Barbaro de Ritmo" (The Wild Man of Rhythm), was born in 1919 in Santa Isabel de las Lajas. After working with Perez Prado in his big band he created the legendary Banda Gigante, Havana's most famous band.
ARSENIO RODRIGUEZ Known as "El Ciego Maravilloso@, (the Blind Wonder), Rodrigues was blinded by a childhood ilness. One of the first musicians to explore African rhythms, he formed his own conjunto which concentrated on diablo which later became mambo.
COMPAY SEGUNDO Born Francisco Repilado, in 1907, Compay Segundo got his stage name from being half of a duo known as "Los Compadres" where he sang second (segundo) voice. After a successful career in the fifties he disappeared until being re-discovered, attaining worldwide recognition in the film "Buena Vista Social Club".
SONORA MATANCERA One of the oldest Cuban groups, "Sonora Matancera" were formed in 1924 by guitarist Valentin Cane. Their repertoire included Venezuelan, Colombian and Mexican songs as well as Cuban mambos. Their most famous singer was the legendary Celia Cruz.
PEREZ PRADO Damaso Perez Prado, was with Xavier Cugat, the most successful of Cuban bandleaders. He is considered the real king of mambo by Beny More and was certainly the artist who had most hits. Mambo №5 has become a standard.
XAVIER CUGAT Cugat was born in 1900 in Spain but his family transferred to Havana three years later. He was not only a classically-trained musician but also a great showman. He once said "Americans knew nothing about Latin music - so they had to be given music more for the eyes than the ears".
ERNESTO LECUONA Certainly Cuba's most important composeroA very accomplished pianist he was able to perform both classical music and the hottest rumbas. His greatest legacy however are songs like "Malaguena" and "Siboney" which have become classics and have been covered by the world's greatest singers.