With all the big-band flair and drama of the Tropicana Club of Havana's yesteryear, the Orquesta Todos Estrellas have struck gold. Oro de Cuba captures the mystery and wonder of the Cuban music that first captured the world's heart in the '50s. With an enormous, thundering horn section, a handful of percussionists, and some time-tested soneros, the Orquesta have all the pieces in place to do nostalgia de Cuba like no other group today. With musical direction from Michael Patterson and Adolfo Pichardo, the former with ample Broadway and theater experience, the latter with his roots deep in the Latin folkloric tradition, the experience of Oro de Cuba is the meeting of two worlds. Combining the bright lights of the stage show with street musicians from the barrios was magical 60 years ago when it was pioneered, and the same aesthetic works today. Featuring some of the golden age's musicians, like vocalist Ibrahim Ferrer and percussionist Amadito Valdés, some of the key players have even remained the same from the style's creation to it's re-creation. Through the eyes of Oro de Cuba, it's easy to see how the world's love affair with Cuba began.
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