Caravana Cubana

• Genre: Afro-Cuban Jazz

About

Music fans, take a cue from this group's name. Caravana Cubana is less a band and more a rag-tag caravan that trails a cacophonous who's who of 20th century Cuban music. Formed in 1998 in the wake of Miami radio personality Emilio Vandenedes' memorial service, the list of who isn't part of Caravana Cubana is shorter than the list of who is. Just a sample: Bamboleo, Chucho Valdes, Francisco Aguabella, Pio Levya, Jimmy Bosch and Orlando "Maraca" Valle. The old greats and the new young guns have recorded two solid albums that explore the classic forms, including descarga, guajira, Rumba and Son. It's a novelty act, but novelty seldom sounded this good.

- Sarah Bardeen