This is the first in a series of Cuban music shows that will introduce some of the classics of Cuban music. Cuba, La Isla Bonita where Madonna sings in her eponymous hit is also a musical paradise and one of the most musical places in the world. The creation of a vast number of music styles produced as a result of the combination of European and African musical patterns is outstanding. Son, Rhumba, Habanera, fillin, Mambo, Cha Cha Cha, guajira, trova, guaracha are just among the styles developed in the pearl of the Antilles.
In the first show, Sabor Añejo will introduce the old music styles before Fidel Castro and the bearded men took over the running of Cuba. In the 1940s the Tim Pan Alley Publishing house in the US considered the immense appeal of Cuban music and were jealous of the perennial best-sellers Cuba produced compared to the average hits they only managed to make, that only lasted for a few months. Peanut Vendor (El Manisero), La Paloma or Guantanamera are some of these perennial compositions.
The only music style included in this first show which was not produced in Cuba is the Latin Jazz groundbreaking piece of Manteca. This jazz hybrid is a composition by the Cuban Conga player Chano Pozo in the Dizzy Gillespie Big Band. Manteca opened a new genre in Jazz form. What was called Cuban Bop, then Cuban Jazz and now Latin Jazz?
Antonio Machin, Chano Pozo, Beni More, Arsenio Rodriguez, Guillermo Portabales, Miguelito Valdes, Cachao, Mongo Santamaria, Bebo Valdes, Celina, Perez Prado, Graciela, La Lupe, Machito & his Afro Cubans, Francisco Aguabella, Cuarteto D’Aida, El Gran Fellove and the Buena Vista Social Club are essential names of Cuban music. All of them are included in Sabor Añejo of the Cuban Music.
MUSIC:
1- Estudio en Trompeta- CACHAO Y SU RITMO CALENTE (descarga)
2- Barabatiri - BENI MORE (EL BARBARO DEL RITMO)
3- Bruca Manigua - MIGUELITO VALDES (MR BABALÚ)
4- Macunsere - MONGO SANTAMARIA AND FRANCISCO AGUABELLA
5- Manteca - DIZZIE GILLESPIE BIG BAND (starring CHANO POZO)
6- Moliendo café - GRACIELA with the MACHITO AND HIS AFRO CUBANS
7- No se que voy a hacer - CUARTETO D’AIDA
8- El Manisero (the Peanut Vendor) - DON AZPIAZU & THE HAVANA CASINO ORCHESTRA (starring ANTONIO MACHIN)
9- Canto a la Habana - BEBO VALDES Y SU ORQUESTA SABOR DE CUBA
10 - Vaya p’al monte - ARSENIO RODRIGUEZ
11- El carretero - GUILLERMO PORTABALES
12- Yo soy el Punto Cubano - CELINA
13- Mango, mangue - EL GRAN FELLOVE
14- Mambo no. 8 - PEREZ PRADO ORCHESTRA
15- Descarga Cacho - CACHAO
16- Besito para tí - MONGO SANTAMARIA Y LA LUPE
17- El cuarto de Tula - BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB (live at the Carnegie Hall, NY)
Jazz Matters
Jazz Matters is a not-for-profit hobby project that I’m extremely proud of.
It began life in May 2021 as NuDirections, a weekly radio show on a London community station. That spirit of discovery still runs through everything I do.
But today, Jazz Matters has evolved into a global podcast platform for Jazz and World music lovers — reaching over 40,000 open-minded listeners across 57 countries on more than 24 platforms.2025/6 marks a new era. My love of music has always gone beyond Jazz, so I’ve created two distinct but connected spaces here
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