Mardi Gras Mambo: Cubanisimo in New Orleans

Mardi Gras Mambo: Cubanisimo in New Orleans

The musical relationship between Havana and New Orleans dates back centuries. Both cities share an Afro-Caribbean cultural heritage, and both take great pride in keeping that heritage alive. So it really shouldn't be too surprising that this mating--co-produced by Joe Boyd with Cubanismo's JesÃºs AlemaÃ±y and the Yockamo All-Stars' Mark Bingham--comes off so naturally. The stunning "Shallow Water Suite," featuring Crescent City R&B singer John Boutte, solidifies the African-based spiritual connection between New Orleans mardi-gras chants and Cuban rumba, while Ernie K-Doe's "Mother-In-Law" receives a clever bilingual workout. But the heart of the album is in the original instrumental hybrids such as "Cuborleans," "Gumbo Son," and AlemaÃ±y's "Boogaloo," on which trumpeter AlemaÃ±y earns an honorary place in the great New Orleans tradition that extends from Buddy Bolden and Louis Armstrong to Wynton Marsalis and Nicholas Payton. --Rick Mitchell