So be in no doubt, there is some stellar playing on this disc across the spectrum of melodic, harmonic and rhythmic instruments. It begins with Mr Valera, who comes wit the erudition immersed in the tradition of the celebrated La Familia Valera Miranda septet, a multi-generational traditional music group from Santiago de Cuba.

Since the 19th century, La Familia Valera Miranda has played a significant role in Cuban culture by collecting and preserving the deep-rooted traditions of the legendary Sierra Maestra mountain region. Mr Valera, having deepened his study of the music has used his unmatched virtuosity of the Cubano cuatro stringed instrument.

The Cuban cuatro is an eight-stringed [four sets of double-strings tuned in G4 G₃ — C₄ C₄ — E₄ E₄ — A₄ A₄ ] instrument, and it is quite different in tonal palette from the more widely-known tres. Mr Valera has a powerful, glamourous tone, gleaming at the top and throaty and rugged at the bottom. The trumpeters and vocalists match him every bar of the way for passion, fantasy, ebullience and precision.

They bring off the sequence of twelve son Cubano, mambo, guajira and rumba and other folkloric music and dance forms in a lyrical sweep that lasts for just over an hour. The trumpeters really shine throughout. Their burnished brass shines and the heat of the playing of Mr Baró is not the only performance worthy of note.

Steve Mostovoy, as well as Michael Rodríguez, Jonathan Powell, and Pete Nater, Dennis Hernández, Brian Lynch, Thomas Marriott and Leon Q Allen perfectly complement the chiming delicacy of Mr Valera’s playing. The leader commitment is total, in the mercurial, folk-dance flare-ups of this music with such fiery intensity that the music seems to shake.

Four vocalists – Carlos Cascante, Francisco “Coco” Freeman, Joshuah De Jesús and Raquel Zozaya – add drama to these songs with their powerfully-driven vocals. What we have here are performances of some of the 21^st century’s most compelling Afri-centric son Cubano you will ever hear, and Kiki Valera is at the heart of everything.    

^{Deo gratis…}

Music – 1. Este Vacilón; 2. El Aji de Cocina; 3. Sobre una Tumba una Rumba; 4. El Penquito E’Coleto; 5. Funfuñando; 6. La Guajira; 7. Mari-Juana; 8. Muñequita Feliz; 9. El Empanadillero; 10. Pájaro Lindo; 11. Dos Gardenias; El Cuarto de Tula.

Musicians – Kiki Valera: cuatro Cubano, guitar, bass, clave, maracas and coros; Pedro Vargas: congas, bongos and coros; Steve Guasch: coros; Carlos Cascante: lead vocal [1, 4, 7, 9, 10, 12]; Francisco “Coco” Freeman: lead vocal [2, 11]; Joshuah De Jesús: lead vocal [3, 8]; Raquel Zozaya: lead vocal [6]. Special Guests – Alexis Baró: trumpet [1, 3, 4, 6, 9, 11]; Steve Mostovoy: trumpet [1, 3, 6, 9, 11]; Michael Rodríguez and Jonathan Powell: trumpet [8]; Pete Nater and Dennis Hernández: trumpet [2, 5, 7, 12]; Brian Lynch and Thomas Marriott: trumpet [10]; Leon Q Allen: trumpet [4]. 

Recorded – 2024
Label – Circle 9 Records
Runtime – 1:03:22

from https://latinjazznet.com