Quick - name someone associated with Cuban music.

Couldn't come up with someone? Don't feel bad - had it not been for Ry Cooder and Buena Vista Social Club, quite possibly the only recognizable name in this genre would have been Desi Arnaz and his "Ricky Ricardo" character.

But the fact is that Cuban music is alive and well - and just waiting for people like you and me to discover it. With that in mind, shake hands with J.P. Torres and his Cuban All-Stars. Their disc Cuba Swings is a wonderful collection of a meshing of two worlds, and is surprisingly listenable, even if you don't know the first thing about Cuban music.

Trombonist/bandleader Juan P. Torres takes his group (including two "introductory" singers, Lazaro Reyes and Maria Elena Lazo - something tells me they won't be unknown for long after this disc) through ten songs that capture the feel of Cuba in a sultry kind of way. Almost slinky in nature, the group creates a beat that is danceable no matter who you are - and, interestingly enough, they form the core of their rhythm mostly around American music.

Listen to the group's takes on such classics as "Satin Doll," "Autumn Leaves," "In The Mood" and "Take The A-Train," and marvel at how they're able to keep the basic structure of each song while giving them an island flavor, both in the groove and in the vocals. Yes, there are differences in these songs - but these changes are anything but sacrilegious. If anything, they allow people on both sides of our political divide to find a common ground in the music itself - and while I'm certain Torres didn't mean to make a statement like that, it is a powerful message.

Admittedly, the disc's overall sound is a bit muffled; recorded in Cuba, it sounds a little low-tech at times and is missing a definitive treble level. Still, that kind of adds to the mystique of the music, and gives it an added edge. Hell, play this disc for your grandparents, and they'll probably swear it was recorded when they were young - which could well be a compliment to Torres on his production work.

Besides the vocals of Reyes and Lazo, special attention should be called to the work of guitarist Pancho Amat, who often sounds like he's playing a 12-string guitar just because of the richness he's able to coax from his instrument. Likewise, the muted trumpet work of Julio Padrón is just what the cover of "In The Mood" needs to go along with Amat's guitar lines.

Cuba Swings is a unique disc in that it has enough on it to win over fans in both America and Cuba - not to mention the rest of the world. All one has to do is open their minds for the better part of a half hour to the possibilities that Cuban music has to offer, and to open their ears to what Torres and his bandmates pour into their instruments. Trust me - it's time and money well spent. Search this disc out, and discover a new world of musical pleasure.

2002 Christopher Thelen and "The Daily Vault". All rights reserved. Review or any portion may not be reproduced without written permission. Cover art is the intellectual property of Pimienta / Universal Records, and is used for informational purposes only.

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