Complimenting Orfeon's equally impressive Hermosa Habana collection, this
los Zafiros disc on the World Circuit label rounds up 17 of the Cuban group's finest cuts. Wowing crowds in Havana and Europe,
los Zafiros remained in the spotlight between 1963-1967 thanks to an infectious and ingenuous blend of American doo wop and such tropical specialties as bossa nova, calypso, and mambo. Augmented by a lean combo of guitar, bongos, drums, bass, and congas, the quintet are stellar throughout a fetching set of both bouncy R&B-tinged cuts and bolero-styled ballads. Equally effective in conjuring the romantic tradition of great Latin singers like Daniel Santos and Beny Moré and the drive-in insouciance of stateside crooners,
Bossa Cubana will be welcome by fans of both these great musical traditions. ~ Stephen Cook