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<title>Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</title><link>http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</link><description>Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</description><category>Cuban</category><language>en</language><ttl>720</ttl><pubDate>Fri, 25 Dec 2009 04:09:55 -0800</pubDate><image>
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<title>Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</title>
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<title>Buena Vista Social Club</title>
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<category>Cuban</category>
<pubDate>Tue, 8 Dec 2009 09:16:45 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<description><![CDATA[This Cuban musicians' collective has played together for over half a century, and it shows. Stylistically, they span the entire spectrum of Afro-Cuban music. Deliciously slow bolero ballads and majestic danzones feature the swell of strings, while background vocals conveying messages of romance hide behind arrestingly beautiful melodies. Buena Vista Social Club's most influential style is the exuberant, polyrhythmic music known as son, which gave birth to both Mambo and Salsa. These upbeat numbers are full of infectious guitar licks, multilayered Afro-Cuban rhythms, soaring vocal melodies, and brash, Big Band-style horn parts.
- Noah Enelow]]></description>
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<title>Tito Puente</title>
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<category>Latin &amp; World Jazz</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 24 Dec 2009 13:15:09 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<description><![CDATA[Most of the rock generation is familiar with Tito Puente through Santana's cover of "Oye Como Va" and his appearance in <i>The Mambo Kings</i>. By venturing closer to the source, they will discover what Latin jazz fans have known for years: Puente's intoxicating mix of Big Band jazz and Latin music creates Mambo madness at its finest. Tito Puente is credited with fusing Cuban charangas with Big Band swing and Bop. Puente always had one eye on dance fans and indeed, his music puts the ghost of St. Vitus in your body. But his other eye was planted on jazz fans -- he loved arranging for composers such as Horace Silver and his soulmate Dizzy Gillespie. There are many similarities between Puente and Diz's various big bands -- chief among them the spirit of global brotherhood that they celebrate. But Tito Puente never let his jazz side distract from his music's mass popularity; when the Big Band era was long gone, Puente not only kept his band together but saw it thrive. With more than a hundred albums to his credit, at least one or two should be a part of every collection.
- Nick Dedina]]></description>
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<title>Celia Cruz</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.3320&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Salsa</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 24 Dec 2009 13:15:26 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Celia Cruz</rhap:artist>
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<description><![CDATA[As Salsa's greatest icon, Cruz garnered all sorts of respect, from a Smithsonian lifetime achievement award to her own street in Miami, to the title "The Queen of Salsa." Her singing is deep and soulful, with expressive improvisations influenced by her Cuban upbringing. You're expected to dance to her music, with its jumping piano chords twinkling over tight conga rhythms, spicy percussion, blazing horn sections, and, atop it all, Cruz's searing vocals. Cream-of-the-crop Afro-Cuban ensembles such as the Fania All-Stars, Willie Colon, Ray Barreto, Johnny Pacheco and Tito Puente always had to work with Cruz. Her popularity reached its peak with the movie <i>Mambo Kings</i>. Cruz died in 2003.]]></description>
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<title>Oscar D'Leon</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.4364&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Salsa</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 10 Dec 2009 10:52:49 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<description><![CDATA[Oscar D'Leon is one of the true giants in the history of Salsa. He earned the respect of the Latin music world in the 1970s as an orchestra leader while also playing bass and singing up-tempo versions of classic Son in a voice reminiscent of legendary Cuban singer Beny More. His performances in Cuba in the late '70s re-inspired musicians there to pursue the Son style, and although it brought with it a scolding from the Miami community, the Venezuelan performer nevertheless made his mark. Featuring a full horn section and his sons on chorus and percussion, his manic performance energy and ecstatically sustained falsetto continues to fill dancefloors worldwide, and his large body of recordings stands as a benchmark for quality Salsa. He's equally popular in Caracas, Havana, Miami, Paris and London -- all places he's spread his dance fever and left buckets of sweat.
- Robert Leaver]]></description>
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<title>Lou Bega</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.8251&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Mambo</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:38:21 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Lou Bega</rhap:artist>
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<description><![CDATA[Skipped Mambos Nos. 1 through 4, but did not skip Monica, Erica, Rita, Tina, Sandra, Mary, or Jessica. Fun fact: actually German! (And Sicilian and Ugandan, sort of.) Recommended: "Mambo No. 5 (A Little Bit Of...)"]]></description>
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<title>Perez Prado</title>
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<category>Mambo</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 24 Dec 2009 13:14:55 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<description><![CDATA[The true Mambo King, Perez Prado helped invent the genre he worked in by fusing American Big Band Jazz with Afro-Cuban rhythms. In the current retro-Lounge fad, Prado is remembered as a kind of hip Lawrence Welk, but his music is full of real passion and verve. Even though he had a couple of number one hits during the 1950s, he has always been respected more by musicians than the general public. The man deserves your respect, though, and the best way to show it to him is to throw on a puffy shirt and mambo till dawn.
- Nick Dedina]]></description>
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<title>Willie Bobo</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.6342&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Latin Soul</category>
<pubDate>Sun, 22 Nov 2009 10:09:56 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<description><![CDATA[The sideman of all sidemen, Willie Bobo emerged in the 1950s as a percussionist with Tito Puente's band. After recording with such Latin hitmakers as Perez Prado and Mongo Santamaria, he began putting out his own records  a mix of Funk, soul and Latin grooves infused into the hits of the day. Thick with horns, congas, and timbales, records like <I>Juicy</I> continue to be perennial favorites at after hours haunts and smoky nightclubs.
- Jon Pruett]]></description>
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<title>Eddie Palmieri</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.4289&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Salsa</category>
<pubDate>Tue, 1 Sep 2009 02:38:59 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<title>Orquesta Aragon</title>
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<category>Cuban</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 24 Dec 2009 13:15:16 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<title>Trio Los Panchos</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.17422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Latin</category>
<pubDate>Sat, 19 Dec 2009 10:51:35 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.17422&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[A veritable musical institution, Los Panchos have served as Latin America's musical ambassadors since their formation in Mexico in 1944. Three men, three voices and three guitars sing romantic, sad songs in exquisite harmony that cuts straight to the sentimental G-spot. Although there were many different lead singers, the duo of Chucho Navarro and Alfredo Gil formed the backbone of the group for more than fifty years. They specialized in versions of the bolero, or Latin ballad, which was born in Cuba early in the twentietth century and spread to Mexico. Prolific recording artists and performers, they are immortalized in a number of Mexican black and white films which capture the irresistible charm of these Spanish-language serenaders.
- Robert Leaver]]></description>
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<title>Orishas</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.54526&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Latin Rap/Hip-Hop</category>
<pubDate>Sun, 11 Oct 2009 10:09:13 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<description><![CDATA[A Cuban crew based in Paris, Orishas draw from their cultural heritage, infusing their hip-hop tracks with ample amounts of exotic percussion and Salsa-tinged rhythms. It's a unique and flavorful mix. Quality production and high-octane Spanish rhymes are in full effect, as evidenced on their albums <i>A Lo Cubano</i> and <i>Emigrante</i>.
- Brolin Winning]]></description>
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<title>Afro-Cuban All Stars</title>
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<category>Afro-Cuban Jazz</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 5 Nov 2009 12:41:15 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<description><![CDATA[This ad hoc group really is an all-star collaboration, including the likes of Eliades Ochoa, Ruben Gonzalez, Manuel "Guajiro" Mirabel, Barbarito Torres and Pio Levya (among many others) and directed by Sierra Maestra's reigning mastermind Juan de Marcos Gonzalez. They play a hyped-up version of Cuban son that is to the Buena Vista Social Club what Viagra is to aspirin, forsaking piquant old-timeyness for big band power. Released in 1997, <I>A Todo Cuba Le Gusta</I> put them on the international map.
- Sarah Bardeen]]></description>
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<title>Israel "Cachao" Lopez </title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.3748&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Caribbean</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 24 Dec 2009 13:15:09 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<description><![CDATA[Cuban bass player and composer Israel "Cachao" Lopez began his career in Havana in the 1930s. He and his brother, coming from a musical family noted for bassists, are credited with writing the first Mambo musical arrangements for the Arcano y sus Maravillas. Watching Cachao thump, coax, and tease the strings of his large, upright bass is to see a true master at work. Perhaps his most notable contribution to the evolution of Cuban music are his classic '50s jam session (or "descarga") recordings, which still serve as advanced music lessons for aspiring musicians. Playing a wide range of Cuban styles, his ensemble's horn players and rhythm section would incorporate jazz elements on these incendiary tracks. Migrating from Havana to New York (and later, Las Vegas), he was living in Miami when actor Andy Garcia produced the <i>Master Sessions</i> recordings; coupled with a documentary film of a live performance, he introduced a new public to the sophisticated, diverse history of Cuban music. The prolific composer and acknowledged father of mambo died on March 22, 2008, at the age of 89.
- Robert Leaver]]></description>
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<title>Estrellas de Areito</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.22326&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Cuban</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 5 Nov 2009 12:41:15 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Estrellas de Areito</rhap:artist>
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<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.22326&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.22326&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[In 1979, an all-star cast was assembled in Havana for what would become a legendary recording session. Under the direction of trombone player Juan Pablo Torres, more than thirty musicians -- young and old -- were brought together to jam on classic Cuban songs. New arrangements were written and musicians were encouraged to improvise in a loose, but competitive atmosphere. It was the last brilliant performance for trumpeter Felix Chappotin, as well as for singers Tito Gomez and Felix Chappottin. Every cut recorded over those five days features phenomenal solo and ensemble work that stretches ten minutes or longer. Pianist Ruben Gonzalez sparkles while young lions Paquito D'Rivera (on saxophone) and Arturo Sandoval (on trumpet) strut their stuff. Percussion and drumming is incendiary, particularly that of conga demigod Tata Guines. Add flute, electric bass, more vocalists, four trombones and as many violins, and you have a genuine jam session. Originally released as five LPs in West Africa and France, these recordings were largely ignored in Cuba. Recorded at a time when commercial concerns were unimportant, the sheer joy of playing music shines through in the magic heard here, as created live at Havana's famed Egrem studios.
- Robert Leaver]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>Compay Segundo</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.16235&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Cuban</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 24 Dec 2009 13:14:57 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Compay Segundo</rhap:artist>
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<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.16235&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[Compay Segundo was the oldest member of the Buena Vista Social Club and the most authentic link to the original flowering of Cuban <i>son</i> in the early part of the 20th century. Segundo composed hundreds of songs, many of which are integral to the <i>son</i> repertoire, and played with influential groups including El Conjunto Matamoros and Los Compadres (with fellow Siboney-born musician Lorenzo Hierrezuelo). Segundo continued to play with his group, Compay Segundo y Sus Muchachos, from the 1950s straight into the '90s. In 1994 a group of Warner music executives saw Segundo play in Madrid at a tiny club, and they promptly signed him to a six album deal. Known for his lascivious sense of humor and zest for life, the great singer died at the age of ninety-five in 2003.
- Sarah Bardeen]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>Ibrahim Ferrer</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.43480&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Cuban</category>
<pubDate>Tue, 6 Oct 2009 09:54:14 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Ibrahim Ferrer</rhap:artist>
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<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.43480&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.43480&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[Ibrahim Ferrer was a 72-year-old Cuban crooner who came out of retirement to embrace international stardom. His 1999 solo debut found him fronting the spectacular musicians' collective, Buena Vista Social Club. Though the band plays mostly traditional Cuban dances, they've been known to explore hybrid forms as well -- on some tracks, for example, an electric guitar decorates a marriage of piano jazz and stately danzon rhythm. Ferrer's voice is full of rich timbres and elegant vibrato, carrying within it deep emotion that always surfaces, even in his most understated moments. Sadly, Ferrer passed away in a Havana hospital on August 6, 2005, at age 78, marking the end of an era for many of his fans and collaborators. Though he died three weeks before the scheduled end of the recording session, Ferrer's posthumous album of boleros, <i>Mi Sueno</i>, was released in April, 2007. To complete the album, producers used demos of his voice on several tracks, though that didn't seem to affect the quality of the critically acclaimed release.
- Noah Enelow]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>Omara Portuondo</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.50938&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Cuban</category>
<pubDate>Sun, 13 Dec 2009 10:14:04 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Omara Portuondo</rhap:artist>
<rhap:artist-rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.50938</rhap:artist-rcid>
<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.50938&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.50938&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[Cuba's Omara Portuondo has been singing for a long time, and it shows. Her phrasing is among the most subtle and evocative in the business, conveying deep emotion through infintesimal changes in inflection. This dynamic range is no surprise for a singer who's been performing since the 1940s. The Cuban diva worked with a slew of bands through the decades. Her career appeared to be gracefully winding down in the early 1990s when Ry Cooder heard her and persauded her to be a guest vocalist with the Buena Vista Social Club. An active release schedule followed in the wake of that appearance, and the world outside Cuba got another chance to discover (or rediscover) this classic vocalist.
- Sarah Bardeen]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>La Sonora Santanera</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.25615&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Cuban</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 5 Nov 2009 16:49:15 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">La Sonora Santanera</rhap:artist>
<rhap:artist-rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.25615</rhap:artist-rcid>
<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.25615&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.25615&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description />
</item><item>
<title>Los Van Van</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.35816&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Cuban</category>
<pubDate>Sun, 25 Oct 2009 10:21:26 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Los Van Van</rhap:artist>
<rhap:artist-rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.35816</rhap:artist-rcid>
<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.35816&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.35816&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[One could argue that Los Van Van are the most important band in the history of modern Cuban dance music, if only for creating a sound that has conquered dancefloors the world over. At their inception in 1969, they were inspired to mix rock with Cuban Son, and throughout the '70s, they added trombones to a band that already featured violins, loads of percussion and drums, electric keyboards and bass, giving a contemporary Salsa flavor to their overall sound. Rhythmically, they were the originators of a variant of the Cuban Son called "songo," and for years they have performed regularly to enthusiastic audiences in Europe, Japan and Latin America; in 1997, they were finally given visas to perform in the U.S., and the reception was ecstatic. Sporting a trio of superb lead singers who also dance, their irresistible chorus sing-alongs are underscored by spine-crawling counter-rhythms that change as songs shift into higher gears. Although their sound has always been contemporary, their popularity in Cuba extends across all generations.
- Robert Leaver]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>Eliades Ochoa</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.35517&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Cuban</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 3 Jul 2009 13:33:51 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Eliades Ochoa</rhap:artist>
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<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.35517&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.35517&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[Wearing his trademark cowboy hat, Eliades Ochoa is easily recognized as the guitarist/singer from Buena Vista Social Club. His emotive voice strains but maintains a smooth texture as he sings the classic guajiro, or country music of Cuba. Achieving fame in his fifties, Ochoa began playing guitar at age 6 and by the age of 11 was busking on the streets. His unusual guitar has seven strings (with one of them doubled on two octaves), which he plays accompanied by acoustic bass, percussion and occasionally trumpets. His group, Cuarteto Patria, records classic Cuban songs such as "Chan Chan," made famous through his performance with Buena Vista. Assured of his talent and proud of his heritage, Ochoa's music is like a good Cuban cigar, born of rich soil, tempered under a hot sun and ultimately savored in a timeless moment.
- Robert Leaver]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>Xavier Cugat</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.646&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Vintage Lounge</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 24 Dec 2009 13:15:51 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Xavier Cugat</rhap:artist>
<rhap:artist-rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.646</rhap:artist-rcid>
<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.646&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.646&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description />
</item><item>
<title>Julio Jaramillo</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.24709&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Latin</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 18 Dec 2009 12:08:12 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Julio Jaramillo</rhap:artist>
<rhap:artist-rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.24709</rhap:artist-rcid>
<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.24709&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.24709&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[The legendarily sensuous voice of Julio Jaramillo is known throughout all of Latin America. Beginning in the 1940s, this Ecuadorian singer/guitarist recorded hundreds of hits -- romantic ballads, Andean melodies, Tangos and classic troubadour songs are his legacy.
- Robert Leaver]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>Tito Gomez</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.23269&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Latin</category>
<pubDate>Wed, 29 Apr 2009 15:32:23 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Tito Gomez</rhap:artist>
<rhap:artist-rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.23269</rhap:artist-rcid>
<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.23269&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.23269&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[This Cuban singer became popular singing with Orquesta Riverside and Enrique Jorrin in the 1940s and '50s, later contributing to the classic <i>Estrellas de Areito</i> recording. Quintessentially Cuban, Gomez possessed the pipes of an opera singer. He specialized in romantic songs.
- Robert Leaver]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>Ruben Gonzalez</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.47722&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Caribbean</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 22 May 2009 17:07:59 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Ruben Gonzalez</rhap:artist>
<rhap:artist-rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.47722</rhap:artist-rcid>
<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.47722&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.47722&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description />
</item><item>
<title>Beny More</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.4346&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Mambo</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 24 Dec 2009 13:15:34 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Beny More</rhap:artist>
<rhap:artist-rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.4346</rhap:artist-rcid>
<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.4346&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.4346&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[One of the most loved and influential singers in the history of the Spanish language, Beny More has attained the status of saint in his Cuban homeland. Possessed of a naturally pure tenor voice, he established himself as a singer in the 1940s with groups led by legendary figures Miguel Matamoros and Perez Prado in Mexico City. Later, he returned to Havana with his own large orchestra that featured a big, brash horn section and Cuban percussion he conducted with gregarious flare. Equally adept at singing either the slow Bolero or an up-tempo Mambo and son guajiro, he always cut a dapper figure in his zoot suits, large white hat, and black cane. Although musically uneducated, he demonstrated sophisticated techniques such as his trademark vocal sustain that slid up or down the scale as smoothly as rum flowed in the clubs of pre-revolutionary Cuba. Much like his famous song "Bonito y Sabroso," his music remains both beautiful and evocative of a different era.
- Robert Leaver]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>Chucho Valdes</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.60330&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Latin &amp; World Jazz</category>
<pubDate>Sun, 6 Sep 2009 09:41:49 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Chucho Valdes</rhap:artist>
<rhap:artist-rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.60330</rhap:artist-rcid>
<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.60330&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.60330&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[Chucho Valdes is a pianist who has made his mark in the worlds of Cuban music and jazz. He founded the Afro-Cuban Jazz band Irakere that became the vanguard for Latin fusion in the 1970s and which spawned the likes of Paquito D'Rivera and Arturo Sandoval. Like his father, Bebo Valdes (a legendary Cuban bandleader in the '50s), he shrouds the piano by virtue of his imposing stature. With his mastery of technique and lightning-like speed, he synthesizes deep elements of classical music, Afro-Cuban folklore, popular music and jazz. Known for his improvisatory skill, Valdes' live recordings are especially impressive. He has attained the status of a saint in Cuba for taking the nation's music to the rest of the world while remaining a mentor to young musicians back home.
- Robert Leaver]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>Daniel Santos</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.30314&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Latin</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 18 Dec 2009 12:08:33 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Daniel Santos</rhap:artist>
<rhap:artist-rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.30314</rhap:artist-rcid>
<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.30314&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.30314&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[Singing with famous Cuban group Sonora Matancera in the late '40s, Daniel Santos became known as a suave vocalist who broke hearts with his romantic bolero songs. A handsome man associated with bohemian debauchery, "The Chief"'s strong vocal presence kept him in the spotlight for decades.
- Robert Leaver]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>La Sonora Matancera</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.31136&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Cuban</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 24 Dec 2009 13:15:11 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">La Sonora Matancera</rhap:artist>
<rhap:artist-rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.31136</rhap:artist-rcid>
<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.31136&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.31136&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[This long-running <i>son</i> outfit began in 1924 and saw numerous personnel changes through its decades-long history. It will primarily be remembered as Celia Cruz's launch-pad, and as one of the most influential Cuban bands of the 20th century.
- Sarah Bardeen]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>Trio Matamoros</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.17713&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Cuban</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 24 Dec 2009 13:15:19 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.17713</rhap:rcid>
<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Trio Matamoros</rhap:artist>
<rhap:artist-rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.17713</rhap:artist-rcid>
<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.17713&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.17713&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[Founded by Miguel Matamoros in Santiago de Cuba in 1925, Trio Matamoros helped revolutionize the Cuban Son by composing numerous classics and becoming internationally recognized performers. They specialized in a romantic style called bolero-son, which added a heightened rhythmic presence to the style's fundamental elements of guitar, voice and percussion. Matamoros' smooth, nasal-toned voice was cloaked in exquisite harmony vocals: combined with their songs' appealing lyrical content, it made them Cuba's most popular group well into the 1930s. As Cuban music changed, so did they, incorporating new rhythms and expanding the group to include a larger rhythm section and horns. When Matamoros' voice lost its magic in the '40s, they brought onboard new singers (such as the legendary Beny More) and continued performing until 1969. Their enduring contributions to the world of Spanish song -- and Cuban identity -- include such standards as "Son de La Loma," "Lagrimas Negras," "La Mujer de Antonio" and "El Que Siembra Su Maiz."
- Robert Leaver]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>Tito Rodriguez</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.37068&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Mambo</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 18 Dec 2009 12:08:06 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
<guid isPermaLink="false">art.37068</guid>
<rhap:rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.37068</rhap:rcid>
<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Tito Rodriguez</rhap:artist>
<rhap:artist-rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.37068</rhap:artist-rcid>
<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.37068&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.37068&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[Tito Rodriguez was the archetypal suave Latin nightclub singer. His distinct, resonant voice floated crystal-clear above the dense sound of his large orchestra. Born in Puerto Rico, Rodriguez came to New York City in 1939, where he sang with the eminent bands of Xavier Cugat and Noro Morales. His recognition established, he ventured off on his own in the late '40s. It was the age of the Mambo, and his gigantic band became a favorite that competed with Tito Puente and Machito for top billing in the '50s. His recordings usually contained boleros, slow romantic ballads and dance tracks. United Artists signed him in 1960 and his success quickly spread though all of Latin America.
- Robert Leaver]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>Bebo Valdes</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.32604&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Cuban</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 17 Dec 2009 10:45:01 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
<guid isPermaLink="false">art.32604</guid>
<rhap:rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.32604</rhap:rcid>
<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Bebo Valdes</rhap:artist>
<rhap:artist-rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.32604</rhap:artist-rcid>
<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.32604&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.32604&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[Bebo Valdes is a giant of Cuban music, but like many Cuban musical giants, he went into hibernation for decades after the revolution. A conservatory-trained piano prodigy, Valdes came of age in the 1940s and '50s, back when Havana was a playground for wealthy Americans and his club, the Tropicana, was a required stop. A sought-after arranger, bandleader and musical director, Valdes performed with a stellar cast of visitors that included Sarah Vaughan and Nat King Cole in the Tropicana's heyday, but as the revolution began, he left the club to avoid the escalating violence. Unable to find work, he formed an orchestra, Sabor De Cuba, as a pretext to leave the country and defected to Mexico. While touring in Sweden, Valdes met and eventually married a Swedish woman. He then spent decades in that country playing restaurants, cruises and hotels in obscurity until Paquito D'Rivera sought him out in 1994 for some recording sessions. <I>Bebo Rides Again</i> dropped that year, and suddenly the virtuosic pianist and bandleader was in vogue again -- he was featured in the film <I>Calle 54</i> and formed a trio with Patato and Cachao. In his ninth decade, Valdes continues to perform.
- Sarah Bardeen]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>Isaac Delgado</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.46769&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Salsa</category>
<pubDate>Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:59:34 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
<guid isPermaLink="false">art.46769</guid>
<rhap:rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.46769</rhap:rcid>
<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Isaac Delgado</rhap:artist>
<rhap:artist-rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.46769</rhap:artist-rcid>
<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.46769&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.46769&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[Isaac Delgado is one of the most loved singers to emerge from Cuba in recent times. He started his career in the early 1980s while working with famed pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba and the orchestra of Pacho Alonso. Graced with a velvety voice and seemingly perfect pitch, he joined NG La Banda, the group that forever changed Cuban music when they exploded onto the scene in 1988. Their funky, jazzy form of Salsa was punctuated by Delgado's cool stage presence. By the early '90s he was on his own, singing hit after hit with an even stronger band. Meanwhile, working with top arrangers helped him to become an internationally recognized artist. At times a bit soft with the Salsa romantica, his live performances have nevertheless secured his premier position as a Salsa heavyweight.
- Robert Leaver]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>Albita</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.17000&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Salsa</category>
<pubDate>Sun, 6 Sep 2009 09:41:33 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
<guid isPermaLink="false">art.17000</guid>
<rhap:rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.17000</rhap:rcid>
<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Albita</rhap:artist>
<rhap:artist-rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.17000</rhap:artist-rcid>
<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.17000&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.17000&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[Albita brought her powerful voice from Cuba to America and instantly became a star. Primarily singing in what is known in Cuba as "guajira" (a traditional form of country music backed by guitars and percussion, and the only style of music she recorded in Cuba), she entered a new world of music once she crossed the U.S. border. Merengue, Salsa, and other popular Latin rhythms soon entered into her music, and she continued to solidify her reputation with high-energy live performances. However, her vocal phrasing has remained that of the country singer from Cuba who doesn't require a microphone to sing her operatic projections. Friends such as Madonna and the Estefans have helped raise her profile as a modern "Latina," but she hasn't lost her Cuban essence.
- Robert Leaver]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>Jimmy Bosch</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.8121&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Salsa</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 14 May 2009 10:49:10 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
<guid isPermaLink="false">art.8121</guid>
<rhap:rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.8121</rhap:rcid>
<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Jimmy Bosch</rhap:artist>
<rhap:artist-rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.8121</rhap:artist-rcid>
<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.8121&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.8121&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[NYC trombonist plays something he calls "hard salsa." Involuntary booty-shaking is a side effect of this horn and percussion filled music, from an experienced Salsa veteran.
- Jessy Terry]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>Joe Cuba Sextette</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.46553&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Mambo</category>
<pubDate>Tue, 1 Sep 2009 02:39:00 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
<guid isPermaLink="false">art.46553</guid>
<rhap:rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.46553</rhap:rcid>
<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Joe Cuba Sextette</rhap:artist>
<rhap:artist-rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.46553</rhap:artist-rcid>
<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.46553&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.46553&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description />
</item><item>
<title>Ocho - Chico Mendoza</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.7406567&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Cuban</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:26:01 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
<guid isPermaLink="false">art.7406567</guid>
<rhap:rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.7406567</rhap:rcid>
<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Ocho - Chico Mendoza</rhap:artist>
<rhap:artist-rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.7406567</rhap:artist-rcid>
<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.7406567&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.7406567&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description />
</item><item>
<title>Machito</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.2378&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Afro-Cuban Jazz</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 8 Oct 2009 11:44:51 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
<guid isPermaLink="false">art.2378</guid>
<rhap:rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.2378</rhap:rcid>
<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Machito</rhap:artist>
<rhap:artist-rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.2378</rhap:artist-rcid>
<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.2378&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.2378&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[Machito's contribution to the development of Afro-Cuban Jazz can not be overstated. His band, the Afro-Cuban Salseros, were the first to fuse jazz with Afro-Cuban rhythm. The band's arrangements broke new ground with their use of contrasting rhythmic figures and dynamic contrast. Musical director, lead trumpeter and cousin Mario Bauza used the band's three trumpets to achieve piercing climaxes, while the saxophone section offered lush harmonies and counterpoint. Cutting-edge solo improvisations grounded themselves in the Bop innovations of Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker, both of whom served stints in the band themselves.The band maintained a rock-solid foundation in the traditional Cuban rhythmic pattern known as the "clave." Machito stood at the head of this musical juggernaut, leading the band with his maracas and rich, vibrato-laden baritone. This musical hybrid gave rise to a dance craze which was to last over a decade. Critics and fans labeled the sound "Mambo," which, in the Yoruba language, means "important matter." An important matter, indeed.
- Noah Enelow]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>Polo Montanez</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.42798&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Caribbean</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 24 Dec 2009 13:15:16 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
<guid isPermaLink="false">art.42798</guid>
<rhap:rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.42798</rhap:rcid>
<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Polo Montanez</rhap:artist>
<rhap:artist-rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.42798</rhap:artist-rcid>
<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.42798&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.42798&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description />
</item><item>
<title>Haydee Milanes</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.7514946&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Cantautor</category>
<pubDate>Tue, 12 May 2009 11:19:49 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
<guid isPermaLink="false">art.7514946</guid>
<rhap:rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.7514946</rhap:rcid>
<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Haydee Milanes</rhap:artist>
<rhap:artist-rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.7514946</rhap:artist-rcid>
<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.7514946&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.7514946&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description />
</item><item>
<title>Klazz Brothers/Cuba Percussion</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.5150473&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Latin &amp; World Jazz</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 29 May 2009 09:35:57 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
<guid isPermaLink="false">art.5150473</guid>
<rhap:rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.5150473</rhap:rcid>
<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Klazz Brothers/Cuba Percussion</rhap:artist>
<rhap:artist-rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.5150473</rhap:artist-rcid>
<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.5150473&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.5150473&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[The Klazz Brothers, best known for their work with the Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra, joined forces with Cuban jazz musicians Alexis Herrera Estevez and Elio Rodriguez Luis to create one of 2004's most unexpected releases under the rather simplistic rubric of Cuba Percussion. But there is nothing simple about this pairing. The group fuses Cuban sounds like salsa and mambo with the sawhorses of western classical music: Mozart, Brahms and Beethoven.
- Sarah Bardeen]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>Blanca Rosa Gil</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.23161&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Mambo</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:23:29 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
<guid isPermaLink="false">art.23161</guid>
<rhap:rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.23161</rhap:rcid>
<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Blanca Rosa Gil</rhap:artist>
<rhap:artist-rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.23161</rhap:artist-rcid>
<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.23161&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.23161&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[This Cuban torch-singer has one of those rare voices that's at once tremendously seductive and frightening. Wearing her heart on her sleeve, Blanca Rosa Gil sings romantic boleros with quiet, quivering passion. She also lets loose half-screams of spurned outrage, depending on which is appropriate for the song. Making her mark in Cuban cabarets in the '50s, Gil performed with a Mambo orchestra that played melodramatic songs with great horn arrangements. Before the Cuban revolution she relocated to Mexico and never returned to her homeland. Her recordings stand as a testament to the musical integrity of a bygone age, while her assertiveness stands in contrast to the nostalgic image of the obsequious female singer. Although some of her contemporaries had long, visible careers, much of Blanca Rosa Gil's later life remains a mystery.
- Robert Leaver]]></description>
</item><item>
<title>Alberto Beltran</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.45511&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Cuban</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 18 Dec 2009 12:08:34 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
<guid isPermaLink="false">art.45511</guid>
<rhap:rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.45511</rhap:rcid>
<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Alberto Beltran</rhap:artist>
<rhap:artist-rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.45511</rhap:artist-rcid>
<rhap:play-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.45511&amp;variant=play&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:play-href>
<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.45511&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description />
</item><item>
<title>Hansel Y Raul</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.47972&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Salsa</category>
<pubDate>Mon, 5 Oct 2009 10:16:56 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Hansel Y Raul</rhap:artist>
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<description />
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<title>Cachaito Lopez</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.58873&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Cuban</category>
<pubDate>Wed, 8 Jul 2009 13:07:19 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Cachaito Lopez</rhap:artist>
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<description />
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<title>Frank Delgado</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.39871&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Cantautor</category>
<pubDate>Wed, 23 Sep 2009 09:48:50 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Frank Delgado</rhap:artist>
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<description />
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<title>Sierra Maestra</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.16867&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Cuban</category>
<pubDate>Sat, 6 Dec 2008 14:06:10 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Sierra Maestra</rhap:artist>
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<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.16867&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[Formed in 1976 at the University of Havana with the goal of preserving the traditional Cuban Son, Sierra Maestra have succeeded in their historical mission. Composed of nine musicians on instruments such as tres guitar, bongo, trumpet and percussion, they focus on classic material of the genre (such the songs of Arsenio Rodriguez). At their inception, the Son was in danger of being a lost form, as the big dance bands and jazz groups of the day dominated the scene; however, Sierra Maestra travelled extensively throughout Latin America and Europe in the 1990s, serving as Cuban cultural ambassadors all the while. Powerful lead vocals, tight, bouncy rhythms, soaring trumpets and tasty guitar riffs make their dance music irresistible. Trumpet player Jesus Alemany has since formed his own group, Cubanismo, while tres player Juan de Marcos Gonzalez was fundamental in the Buena Vista Social Club and its associated projects. The emergence of Cuban music on the international stage can be traced directly to this talented group.
- Robert Leaver]]></description>
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<title>Estrellas Caiman</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.7406619&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Cuban</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:26:01 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Estrellas Caiman</rhap:artist>
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<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.7406619&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description />
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<title>Manuel "Guajiro" Mirabal</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.6796515&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Cuban</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:25:30 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Manuel "Guajiro" Mirabal</rhap:artist>
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<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.6796515&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[Manuel "Guajiro" Mirabel played a supporting role in much of the Buena Vista Social Club's success, but he didn't step into the spotlight himself until 2005, at the tender age of seventy-one. His debut album focused on the same vintage Cuban music that made Buena Vista so appealing, but Mirabel narrowed the focus: the release is entirely devoted to songs by (or associated with) the groundbreaking Cuban trumpeter and band leader Arsenio Rodriguez. Mirabel picked up the trumpet at the age of eleven under the tutelage of his musician father. By eighteen he had turned professional and enjoyed long-running gigs with groups including the Orquesta Cubana de Musica Moderna and Rumbavana. He's also toured with major artists like Cheo Feliciano and Oscar d'Leon, and was part of the famed 1979 Estrellas de Areito descarga recording session.
- Sarah Bardeen]]></description>
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<title>Cubanismo!</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.68615&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Caribbean</category>
<pubDate>Mon, 28 Sep 2009 10:33:22 -0700</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Cubanismo!</rhap:artist>
<rhap:artist-rcid xmlns:rhap="rhap">art.68615</rhap:artist-rcid>
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<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.68615&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[Before there was Buena Vista Social Club, Cubanismo was on the road bringing classic Cuban dance music to the American and European public. Founded by trumpeter Jesus Alemany, a member of the seminal Cuban group Sierra Maestra, Cubanismo released their first album in 1996. Like a compact version of the classic Mambo orchestras of the 1950s, they are a stunning live band who combine the energy of young lions with the experience of legendary veterans. The rhythm section is anchored by the dance-steady bass of Carlos Del Puerto, an integral member of jazz giants Irakere, while the trumpets and saxophones play tight ensemble arrangements that also allow for inspired soloing. Drawing inspiration from classic Cuban material such as the songs of Arsenio Rodriguez, they also explore the Latin tinge of New Orleans music in a unique collaboration entitled <I>Mardi Gras Mambo</I>. They helped lay the foundation for the re-emergence of Cuban music on the world stage, breathing new life into timeless material.
- Robert Leaver]]></description>
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<title>Pio Leyva</title>
<link>http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.14955&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</link>
<category>Cuban</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 24 Dec 2009 13:15:38 -0800</pubDate>
<source url="http://www.rhapsody.com/charts?cat=artist&amp;category=genre&amp;genreId=422&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss">Top Cuban Artists on Rhapsody Online</source>
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<rhap:artist xmlns:rhap="rhap">Pio Leyva</rhap:artist>
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<rhap:data-href xmlns:rhap="rhap">http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.14955&amp;variant=data&amp;rws=%2Flatin%2Fcuban%2Fartist-chart.rss</rhap:data-href>
<description><![CDATA[One of Cuba's elder statesmen of Son, Pio Leyva is enjoying worldwide adulation thanks to his participation in <i>Buena Vista Social Club</I>. Known for his quick wit and improvisational singing ability, Leyva began his singing career in 1932, earning the nickname "El Montunero de Cuba." He performed with Beny More, Nora Morales and Compay Segundo in the '50s. His nasal-toned voice may have lost some of its raw power over the years, but he compensates with a seasoned sense of timing and his mischievous personality. His participation in the Afro-Cuban All Stars and Barbarito Torres' recordings show that this octogenarian is still capable of inspiring his fellow musicians.
- Robert Leaver]]></description>
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