Flores [Audio CD] Conjunto Cespedes

The smoky, sometimes edgy voice of Gladys "Bobi" Cespedes is undeniably the centerpiece to this Afro-Cuban ensemble. That said, the large group also lays down a thick carpet of percussion-rich clave beats built out of timbales, bongos, and guiros, and then stacks rich trumpet and trombone flares atop the dancing rhythms. Famous for their comprehensive mix of Cuban styles, Conjunto Cespedes plays a bright-eyed dance music that taps into rumba traditions for the magnetic percussion and vocals. They simultaneously tap the rich ores of son and salsa to stir a profound mix of rhythm and harmony, rich with dense low-end motion and emotive melody. But focus for a single moment on "Bobi" Cespedes's voice, and you will have witnessed a core of the group's musical beauty. --Andrew Bartlett