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 Jesús Alemañy 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 Alemañy's "Boogaloo," on which trumpeter Alemañy 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