| Album Review: Descarga Caliente |
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- Artist: Bebo Valdés
- Rating:
- Release Date: November 02, 2004
- Genre: Latin
Review
Bebo Valdés is considered by many to be not just the father of piano great Chucho Valdés, but also father of the finest Cuban music of the '50s, having served as musical director for the famed Tropicana Club in Havana. Descarga Caliente shows a different side of this influential giant. The title meaning "hot Cuban jam session," this record is all about swinging vamps and expressive, edgy solos. Known for his skills as a big-band arranger and composer, Bebo was also on the cutting edge in leading jazz-oriented jam sessions, helping to birth the now hugely popular "Latin jazz" genre. Bebo's influence on generations of great pianists is clearly evident, from his single-line-at-octaves, very sparse solo style to his syncopated montuno-style vamping. With brilliant collaborators like the famed conguero Tata Güines and bass player Orlando "Cachaito" Lopez, the rhythm section is cooking from start to finish. Trumpet voice el Negro Vivar and Luis "Sane" Escalante seem equally comfortable blowing en clave as they do swinging. As great as the sidemen are on Descarga Caliente, the attention cannot be drawn from Maestro Valdés. There are few bandleaders or pianists today who are as tasteful and musical. A great choice for the collector or student of Latin jazz, Descarga Caliente proves as cool and confident as the day it was recorded. ~ Evan C. Gutierrez, All Music GuideTracks
| Track Title | Composers | Performers | Time |
| Descarga Caliente [Mambo-Descarga] | Bebo Valdés | Bebo Valdés | (2:45) |
| Con Poco Coco [Afro-Cuban Jazz] | Bebo Valdés | Bebo Valdés | (6:52) |
| Mambo Cantabile | Bebo Valdés | Bebo Valdés | (2:35) |
| Miramar | Bebo Valdés | Bebo Valdés | (2:41) |
| Special del Bebo | Bebo Valdés | Bebo Valdés | (2:50) |
| Duerme [Afro-Cuban Jazz] | Bebo Valdés | (4:37) | |
| Pan Pan Pan [Guaracha Mambo] | Bebo Valdés | (2:42) | |
| Big Shot Cha Cha Cha | Bebo Valdés | (2:50) | |
| Mambo Riff | Bebo Valdés | Bebo Valdés | (2:45) |
| Tabu [Afro-Cuban Jazz] | Ernesto Lecuona | Bebo Valdés | (3:55) |
| Chiribiricocola | Bebo Valdés | (2:43) | |
| Hotcha-Cha | Bebo Valdés | Bebo Valdés | (2:42) |
| Dile a Catalina | Bebo Valdés | (2:46) | |
| Zig Zag Mambo | Noro Morales | Bebo Valdés | (2:40) |
| Smoocha-Cha | Bebo Valdés | (2:58) | |
| Desconfianza [Afro-Cuban Jazz] | Bebo Valdés | (3:53) | |
| Estoy Matizando | Bebo Valdés | Bebo Valdés | (2:55) |
| Bebo's Blues [Afro-Cuban Jazz] | Bebo Valdés | Bebo Valdés | (5:48) |
