The Very Best of Cubanismo - Mucho Gusto

Trumpeter Jesus Alemany came up through the ranks of the Sierra Maestra band and founded ¡Cubanismo! in 1995. Since then, the group has garnered a fervent worldwide following with its tightly performed combination of elegant Cuban son and freewheeling jazz. On this greatest hits set, the band ranges between blockbusters such as "Mambo U.K."--which has since been used in a particularly ubiquitous TV commercial--the calypso-flavored "Paso en Tampa," and "Marie Laveaux," a tribute to a New Orleans voodoo queen. The album also includes a pair of previously unreleased and highly entertaining versions of classic Bob Marley tunes. A rumba-infused take on the anthem "Get Up, Stand Up" features the lilting sound of veteran Jamaican guitarist Ernest Ranglin, while reggae vocalist Luciano heats up "Could You Be Loved." Produced by Nili Belkind for a project left mysteriously incomplete, these gems add fresh luster to an already secure crown. --Christina Roden