For its size, Cuba has had an amazing amount of talent and influence in the Latin music world, from cha cha to son to rhumba to hip-hop to salsa. Nascente's The Very Best of Cuba does a pretty good job of showing off not only the myriad styles but the myriad artists who have emerged from the island, including Ibrahim Ferrer, Irakere, Compay Segundo, Issac Delgado, and Orquesta Arag¢n. Superstars Celia Cruz and Tito Puente are both missing from the album (perhaps because they both found much of their fame in the U.S.?), as are Beny Mor, Arsenio Rodriguez, and Sonora Matancera, so while the title may not be completely accurate (it's hard to make a best-of anything that doesn't have Celia Cruz on it), it still contains so many good songs from a diverse group of artists, both older and contemporary, that it's hard to fault anyone for it. Better to just push play, turn up the volume, and enjoy. ~ Marisa Brown|
Rovi