I was wondering if any of you listen to Cuban music and which artists you think are essential to the cuban salsa/tropical genre.

I bought the "100th Birthday Celebration: Compay Segundo" album on iTunes, and I think it makes excellent smoking music!

If you have any suggestions, please let me know!
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Smoking music seems so cliche to me. I just listen to music when I smoke, I don't find a cigar any more relaxing or good if I have a certain tune playing while smoking it.

Sorry, I'm no help. Just my :-).
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You can keep your :-) to yourself.

LOL. Maybe I like being Cliche... Can we still be friends?? :-)
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http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/showthread.php?t=3627

Here's some starters!

Buena Vista Social Club, Tito Puentes, and Afro Cuban All Stars are faves from the list.
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well crap. I guess I should have used that search function everyone talks about. :-)

This thread can be closed if need be.
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Not necessarily. New additions are welcome.:-)
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Gonzalo Rubalcaba (Suite 4 Y 20 is a good first album to buy)
Paquito D'Rivera (only have one, but A Night in Englewood is a good album)
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Does Gloria Estefan count? Turn the beat around would be nice to have a cigar with.....:-)

If all else fails, I hear Carlos can keep a decent tune and he's damn sure a Cuban artist of some sort.
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The Budos Band

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqyXgFaf1-4

"Staten Island's Finest"
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It would be nice to hear from some of Northern or European brothers. I would be interested in hearing about contemporary Cuban artists. Is there a "street scene", are there still night club performers like existed pre-Revolution?
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Don't underestimate Desi Arnez . . . like Lucy did.
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Here's a few for you:
Tito Puente
Eddie Palmieri
Perez Prado
Elvis Crespo
Mambo Kings
Arturo Sandoval
Celia Cruz
Gloria Estefan
Wayne Gorbea

Salsa, Baby, Salsa!!:-)
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I went and put Buena Vista Social club as a station in Pandora and then added variety from Afro-Cuban All Stars and Company Segundo. By doing this I have been finding some really good salsa and Cuban artists. Namely Sierra Maestra, I am really digging this group.
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Unfortunately, some of those you list here are not Cubans.
You have listed Mexicans, Puerto Ricans and Dominicans.

When one speaks of latin music and Cuba, Cuba is responsible for many significant contributions to the genre. We created Mambo. We created Salsa. We created Danzon. We created Cha-cha-cha.

If one goes back in time, think of what Perez Prado was to Mambo. He revolutionized it. His music is still popular today. Turn on HBO sex show (forgot the name now) and Patricia is the theme song.

Bene More was an icon in Cuban music. Probably one of our greatest musicians.

Celia Cruz......enough said just by mentioning her name. Both Bene More and Celia were lead singers for one of Cuba's greatest bands ever........La Sonora Matanzera. That band is to Cuba what the Beatles were to the British invasion.

Modern day, Willie Chirino and Gloria Estefan take the cake. Willie being more of a traditional Cuban aritst where as Gloria incorporated latin in a modern pop genre.

There are so many, many more. Olga Guillot, Roberto Torres, Charanga 76, Hans y Raul, and on and on. The list can go forever.

Modern day actual band still in Cuba, that is not of Communist following, Moneda Dura rocks.
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