"With our music we Cubans have exported more dreams and pleasures than with our tobacco, more sweetness and energy than with all our sugar."
Fernando Ortiz

Whether you’re an old Cuba hand or still need help sorting out your Guaracha from your Guajira, you’ll want this beautifully illustrated, 180-page guide to the history of Caribbean music on your shelf. The musicologist Dr. Olavo Alén Rodriguez is an internationally recognised expert on the subject and in this handy compendium he traces the developments from early ritual African rhythms to the big band sound of later years. Complementing the text is a CD containing 26 archival field recordings, many by artists rarely heard outside Cuba, all of excellent quality. A reliable guide to the diverse world of Cuban music. Read, listen, enjoy!