Veneno

Reedman, arranger, and composer Jose Luis Cortes cut his teeth with Los Van Van and Irakere, two institutions of modern Cuban popular music, before breaking out on his own in 1988 with a new group called Nueva Generacion--NG. The group set out for a hook-and-groove dance-oriented music with sophisticated jazz harmonies and soloing. It was a hit. In fact Cortes and his group had several popular hits and, along the way, established themselves as the kings of timba--roughly, a sort of re-Africanized salsa. Veneno shows Cortes and NG in fine form--killer hooks, tight playing, fluid soloing, and a dash of humor (catch the quote from Maurice Ravel's Bolero in the title track). Cortes's smooth vocal arranging is assigned to female vocalists, setting a very effective contrast between the muscular playing of the group and their translucent sound. In tracks such as "Como Me da la Gana" ("Like I Want It"), "Cucalambe," or "Verano Habanero" (Havana Summer) the catchy refrains suggest Manhattan Transfer-goes-Cuban, via Juan Luis Guerra's 440. Great dance music--but also worth listening to. --Fernando Gonzalez