Cuban Dance Party

Cuban Dance Party
Cuban Dance Party
Studio album by Bebo Valdés and his Orchestra
Released	31 August 1959
Recorded	1959
Genre	Chachachá, mambo, afro, jazz, danzón, bolero
Length	34:15
Label	Everest Records
Bebo Valdés and his Orchestra chronology

Cuban Dance Party is a 1959 album by Bebo Valdés and his orchestra. It is an entirely instrumental album, including big band renditions of chachachás, mambos, afros, etc. It was released in the United States by Everest Records in stereo, which makes the sound quality particularly good compared to other Cuban albums of the time.^[2] It features Humberto Suárez, long-time pianist of the Orquesta Cosmopolita, on organ on two tracks.^[3]

Having directed radio and cabaret orchestras for two decades, this was one of the first albums recorded by Bebo with his own jazz-band, known as Orquesta Sabor de Cuba, which featured jazzmen such as saxophonists Edilberto Escrich and Santiago Peñalver.^[4] Several of their recordings, including "Ítamo real" and "Sasauma", became hits at the time.^[4] However, shortly after the end of the Cuban Revolution in 1960, Bebo left Cuba and went into a long hiatus which lasted until 1994. The album cover makes a reference to the revolution by showing Fidel Castro's patrol cap with a 26 de julio inscription.

Critical reception edit

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[2]
The Billboard	^[5]

Cuban Dance Party has received generally positive reviews. A contemporary review published in The Billboard praised the sound of the album and its "liveness".^[5] Mark Romano of AllMusic called the album "a peek back to a glorious golden era", highlighting the "great arrangements" and the "top form" of the orchestra.^[2]

Track listing edit

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Babalú"	Margarita Lecuona	2:52
2.	"Chachachá no. 1"	Bebo Valdés	2:38
3.	"El cumbanchero"	René Hernández	2:38
4.	"Habana"	Luis Yáñez	2:46
5.	"A quién engañas"	Bebo Valdés	3:29
6.	"Ítamo real"	Bebo Valdés	2:35
7.	"El manisero"	Moisés Simons	2:38
8.	"Chachachá no. 3"	Bebo Valdés	3:10
9.	"La feria de los siglos"	Rafael Márquez	3:27
10.	"Aquellos ojos verdes"	Nilo Menéndez	3:04
11.	"Sasauma"	Bebo Valdés	2:19
12.	"Tú sabes que te quiero"	Bebo Valdés	2:25

References edit

^ "New Releases". The Billboard. 71 (35). Nielsen Business Media, Inc.: 51 31 August 1959.
^ ^a ^b ^c Romano, Mark. "Cuban Dance Party - Bebo Valdés | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
^ Díaz Ayala, Cristóbal (3 May 2018). "Bebó Valdés y su Orquesta" (PDF). Encyclopedic Discography of Cuban Music 1925-1960. Florida International University Libraries. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
^ ^a ^b Leymarie, Isabelle (2005). Jazz latino (in Spanish). Ediciones Robinbook. p. 69. ISBN 9788496222274.
^ ^a ^b "Cuban Dance Party". The Billboard. 71 (39). Nielsen Business Media, Inc.: 33 28 September 1959.

[B1-1] "New Releases". The Billboard. 71 (35). Nielsen Business Media, Inc.: 51 31 August 1959.

[AllMusic-2] Romano, Mark. "Cuban Dance Party - Bebo Valdés | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 15 October 2019.

[Diaz-3] Díaz Ayala, Cristóbal (3 May 2018). "Bebó Valdés y su Orquesta" (PDF). Encyclopedic Discography of Cuban Music 1925-1960. Florida International University Libraries. Retrieved 16 October 2018.

[IL-4] Leymarie, Isabelle (2005). Jazz latino (in Spanish). Ediciones Robinbook. p. 69. ISBN 9788496222274.

[B2-5] "Cuban Dance Party". The Billboard. 71 (39). Nielsen Business Media, Inc.: 33 28 September 1959.

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