Cachao - Master Sessions, Vol. 1

CD Details

Cachao is a Cuban bassist, composer, and bandleader who helped shape modern Latin music. In the late 1930s, he and his brother Orestes reworked the traditional danzón form to create the mambo, a revolutionary sound that would influence music worldwide. By the 1950s, Cachao moved on to leading descargas, Latin jam sessions that became legendary. Over decades, he anchored major groups across the U.S. Latin music scene, from Machito to Gloria Estefan. Master Sessions, Vol. 1 marks his long-overdue rediscovery, bringing together a stellar ensemble including reedman Paquito D’Rivera, percussionist Francisco Aguabella, flutist Nestor Torres, and timbalero Orestes Vilato.

Released in 1994 on Crescent Moon/Epic, this CD showcases traditional Cuban dance forms across eight tracks: danzones like Isora Club, the mambo, son, rumba, guajira, and descarga jam sessions. The program spans from Al Fin Te Ví to Lluvia, Viento Y Caña, capturing music that is both deeply rooted and deceptively sophisticated. Grab this used copy and experience a masterclass in Latin jazz history.