Shellac Disc Vinyl & CDs

Review: Bebo Valdes was born in Cuba but is now celebrated as a pioneer of Afro-Cuban jazz and Latin jazz all around the globe. A trained pianist, arranger and conductor, he collaborated with legends like Olga Guillot, Celia Cruz, Josephine Baker and Nat King Cole and a trip to Haiti in the 1940s sparked his interest in African-rooted rhythms, which he then incorporated into his music while performing at Havana's Tropicana cabaret. After surviving a near-fatal bomb explosion during a performance, he left Tropicana to find success on Cuban television before emigrating to Mexico and eventually Sweden. Bebo Valdes Y Su Gran Orquesta is a wonderful window into his colourful rhythms and lively sounds.