Descargas Cubanas + 2 Bonus Tracks (Limited Edition)

Description

The legendary composer, arranger, conductor, and bassist Israel "Cachao" López (1918-2008) is universally recognized as one of the most prolific and influential figures in the history of Cuban music. He was a co-founder of the highly popular mambo style in the late 1930s and a leading exponent of the 1950s "descarga" movement. Cachao's recognition as one of Cuba's most formidable musicians led to his opportunity to record as a leader in 1957. He and his sidemen would gather for informal jam sessions around 4 AM, after fulfilling their professional obligations. These sessions were known as "descargas," combining the improvisational and informal characteristics of a jazz jam session with typically Cuban harmonic progressions and rhythms. The album Descargas Cubanas, presented here, marked the very first of a series of recorded "descargas" and features several legends of Cuban music, such as Alejandro "El Negro" Vivar, Generoso "El Tojo" Jiménez, and Tata Güines.