For any lover of Latin music, a fresh instalment from the Viva Cubop! series is always a reason for excitement.
The San Fran based label (part of the mighty Ubiquity Records) has one of the finest rosters of Afro-Cuban and Latin Jazz artists in the world, and are thus able to create peerless contemporary Latin music compilations.
This third selection features names that will be familiar to Cubop fans; names like Bobby Matos, Papo Vasquez, Francisco Aguabella, Ray Armando, Derf Refklaw, John Santos, Johnny Bias, Pucho and the Latin Soul Bros, amongst others.
Many of the tracks included here have been taken from these artist's previously released solo albums on the label, though a few have been drafted in from outside.
The opening cut, 'Just Another Guajira', is a little bit special. It's a cover of an original tune by the Cuban Roots, a legendary outfit that consisted of (amongst other people) Kako, Chick Corea and Bobby Valentino.
The tune that kick-starts the comp isn't the original, but was re-recorded by a bunch of Cubop cats called Cuban Roots Revisited, who faithfully retain the song's spicy punch and its slow but helplessly persistent groove.
Not much further in, we have another highlight in the shape of Franscisco Aguabella's version of the Sound Of Music classic 'My Favourite Things'. Stalwart Aguabella keeps the relaxed, lilting feel of the song but adds extra rhythmic propulsion and sexy horn blasts to make it soar up to the skies and back in places.
John Santos and Bobby Matos team up for the deftly lascivious 'I Don't Speak Spanish' (But I Understand Everything When I'm Dancing)','a descarga (jam session) record with some seductive vocals courtesy of Isamel 'East' Caro - a bonafide rump-shaking classic.
The tempo drops as Prestige hero Pucho (and his Latin Soul Brothers) offer us 'My Dream Boogaloo', and Papo Vasquez plays his slow-burning 'Juan Jose'. Derf Reklaw' (a former Phaoroah!) comes with 'Tresguanco', which is probably the albums strangest, sparsest and most enigmatic moment.
No sooner have we caught our breath with these more introspective numbers than we're back up on the floor, grooving our hips to the conga-thon that is Har You Percussion Group's 'Barrets Bag'. Dave Pike shows us his world-famous vibes skills on the tight, minimal grooves of 'Back To The Roots' - a theme that's carried on to some extent on Snowboy's shuffling '42nd and Broadway'. If this compilation doesn't satisfy your thirst for serious Afro-Cuban jazz, you may need to seek professional help.
