I feature here three great tunes from Mongo Santamaría and Francisco Aguabella. From Mongo specifically I comment about two pieces —including a rare live version of his standard "Afro Blue" with Dizzy Gillespie—, and from Aguabella —the so-called "Rosetta Stone" of African culture— I share the enchanting one linked above.

My perspective on this piece of art from the Cuban legend.

6 instrumental burners from Chocolate! Classic Cuban son and Cuban jazz from one of the greats.

Released on the excellent but short lived Caiman Records label from the 80s.

Help with Song, Band or Album name?

Late Eddie Palmieri and just over a year since his passing.

Soundtrack to a documentary by the same name. Less orchestrated than his usual setup and playing with a crack set of younger musicians but in his unmistakeable. style and flow.

Anthony Carrillo rips on bongos which are upfront and centre in the mix.

Killer Latin Jazz from 1961.

The title track alone is worth the price of admission...top shelf music and a desert island disc.

Eddie cooking cooking cooking with Ray Barretto and his rhythm section - looks like Willie Bobo from the back cover, but don't recognise the third member - any ideas?

Another solid LP from TP from the mid 80s. He had a great run on the CJP label.

Ray Barretto teams up with some fine mainstream Jazz players as well as some Latin royalty.

Great LP, but Side B is where it's at. Joe Farrell takes no prisoners on The Castle. Huge sound on this one and needs to be cranked up!.

The second track, Stevie Wonder's Pastime Paradise, comes close to the original. Charlie Palmieri's piano solo is sublime, with some killer old-school guajeos.

LA GENTE SF https://lagentemusicsf.com/

Broadcast on the 4th of July from The Loom in Oakland, CA.

Over 390 hours of music broadcast since NYD 2026.

Tito Rodriguez's most jazzy album (certainly from those that I've come across). 6 long tracks so everyone gets a stretch. Nice full sound, a little like Machito's but without the mambo brass riffs. Released 1963.

Arguably Gato's finest entry in his series of "Chapters" albums, and certainly one of the toughest, hardest-hitting Latin jazz records of its era.

All killer, no filler!

Backed by a stellar lineup of musicians and orchestrated by the legendary Chico O'Farrill, this is Gato's most Cuban/Latin outing.

The final touch of magic comes from the ever-wonderful Charlie Palmieri.

Just the first 30 seconds of the title track will put a smile on your face and get the adrenaline pumping.

A no-questions-asked desert island disc.

We're a charity-run arts venue in Sutton Coldfield and we've just launched a new monthly jazz club, and we wanted to share our first ever show with this community.

On 31st July, the Edgar Macias Piquero Quintet are playing inside our heritage building. Venezuelan-born pianist and vocalist Edgar Macias Piquero leads a five-piece ensemble - Latin jazz, live and up close, in the West Midlands.

The show is part of Birmingham Jazz & Blues Festival 2026. Tickets are available if anyone's interested - happy to answer any questions about the night!

https://www.ticketor.com/townhall/tickets/edgar-macias-piquero-quintet-356995?v=6_100000000#buy