Los Naranjos

It was 1926, on a warm April day, in the backyard of a house under an orange tree (arbol de naranjas), hence Los Naranjos, Gumercindo Soriano, a talented young singer, summoned together six of his musician friends and began to play the favorite music of Cubans of that era, the nativeson.

From those unpretentious beginnings, Los Naranjos matured to become one of the oldest (seven decades) and most respected son groups of their land, listing among their innumerable awards, the prestigious Best Interpreters of the Son in 1993 and the Alejo Carpentier Condecoration for Artistic Achievements in 1997.

This recording is an effervescent blend of the native Cuban son presented in the exceptional style of this spine-tingling group. From classics like "Nadie se Salva de la Rumba" (Miguel Matamoros) and "Amalia Batista" (Rodrigo Pratts), to newer standards such as "El Palomo" (Rafael Ortiz) and "Sabrosura" (Felix Molina), all the way to current compositions like the title song, "Respeta mi Tambo" (Pablo Justiz) and "La Reina del Guaguanco" (Alfredo Bolona), Los Naranjos offer a renewed and exciting vitality and vivacity to this time-honored genre.

Soriano passed on in 1990, but his musical legacy, and the characteristics that brought Los Naranjos together in the first place, has been amply fulfilled by the current members of this unequaled group. Que viva el son! (Long live the son!)

— Courtesy Calabash Music