Afro Cuban All Stars

The lavish sounds of Havana’s rich musical history come to life in the Afro Cuban All Stars’ most recent effort, En Vivo – Live in Japan. The layered rhythms, the sharp horns and the commanding vocals of this giant Cuban super-group, led by ex-Sierra Maestra drummer Juan De Marcos, help maintain the timeless feel to Cuba’s music scene, and that’s the problem. Lovers of the Afro Cuban All Stars or even fans of Afro Cuban music from the post-Buena Vista era will devour this record. However, those who have heard the Buena Vista Social Club, Calle 54 and the endless solo projects that followed, over and over again, will not see anything special in this CD. However, this record happens to be a DVD as well. The footage is much more entertaining as you get to see Cuba’s tightest group continues to show the world why they are the ambassadors of Afro Cuban music. In the end, the record only proves what we already know, if you want to really experience Afro Cuban music, you must experience it live.