|
Havana Si! - The Very Best Of Los Van Van (Nascente Records)
 Los Van Van are the greatest Cuban dance band of the modern era (post-1959), and have just celebrated 40 years in the business. To mark this, Nascente Records have released this tasty definitive double CD of all their greatest tracks, compiled by London's top Cuban music DJ of the last decade, Jim "Dr Jim" Layne (Afro-Cuban Lounge). As a big Van Van fan since 1984 when I first saw them in Holland at the North Sea Jazz Festival, I have to say this is the best collection of their work I've ever come across. It covers every era, from their first songo-funk meets pop hit "Chirrin Chirran" in 1969, right through to "El Montuno" from 2006's "Chapeando" CD.
Led by bassist Juan Formell, the band always featured some of the best musicians and singers in Cuba. For the first two decades, people like pianist Cesar "Pupy" Pedroso, percussionist Jose Luis Quintana "El Changuito" (credited with developing the new songo rhythm of the 1960s), and of course, the flamboyant and powerful lead singer Pedro Calvo. Fusing son and rumba with Formell's love of the Beatles, rock and jazz, they made a modern Cuban dance sound known as songo. Together, these great musicians made hit after hit from Formell and Pupy's modern and unique compositions. Van Van were so far ahead of the pack, both in Cuban music and beyond. Their songs were soon being recorded by New York's finest salsa musicians, from Ruben Blades to Tipica '73. CD1 covers the 1970s and 1980s with such hits as "Que Palo Es Ese", "Anda, Ven Y Muevete", "La Habana Si", "La Titimania" and "Disco Azucar". Still sounding modern, fresh and guaranteed to pack any dancefloor 30 years on!
In the 1990s, Formell introduced a new generation of players (timbalero Samuel Formell, lead singers Mario Rivera, Roberto Hernandez, Yeni Valdez) which resulted in the original stars leaving to pursue other musical projects. The new Van Van sound moved away from songo and into Cuban salsa and the new funky and raw sound of timba. Once again, Formell was on top. CD2 covers the "modern" period of Van Van, including those massive 1990s hits "Te Pone La Cabeza Mala", "La Bomba Soy Yo" and the huge "Timpop Com Birdland", with its Weather Report brass homage! All in all, a fantastic CD that charts the long and succesful journey of Los Van Van from the late 1960s to the present day.
With 26 tracks on 2CDs, great design and briliant sleevnotes from Dr Jim, this CD is a MUST for any Los Van Van fan. Retailing at less than £10 (£6 on Amazon right now !!!), only makes it an even better proposition!
Lubi Jovanovic
www.myspace.com/djlubi
CD compiler Fania Records/Freestyle Records/World Music Network
|
