Resolviendo Mix

Inspired by the “Cuba Is” exhibit at The Annenberg Photo Space in Los Angeles, I whipped up a symphony of tracks that inspire me on the island today, with a sprinkle of legendary ancestors whose shoulders we all rest on.

If you visit the Skylight studio at “Cuba Is”, you’ll enter the Resolviendo exhibit, which deep dives into Wifi Parks, DIY Magazines, and modern day Cuban content (a collaboration I was honored to curate through Commonwealth Projects). After 6 months of boasting beautiful works from Cuba, both exhibits will end early March with a closing bash on March 3rd. To bottle the spirit of Resolviendo, I’m posting the mix online. Here is a bit of old-school meets new school — a mash-up of modern day Cuba.

Upon hearing the assemblage of tracks, it can appear seamless to move between the voices of the past and the voices of today. It’s evident the rappers are contemporary, but the percussion and words of the ancient Yoruba language are still woven into the fiber of todays Cuban millennial. Tradition is paramount in Cuba, and history is bookmarked through music, dance, and spoken word. First, it was through “cabildos”, the underground slave jam sessions of the 1500’s, all the way up to the Rumba’s and Cha Cha Cha’s of the 1960’s. Today, a Perez Prado mambo still roars on the streets, but instead, a DJ is flipping it with a remix, lifting the original to newer heights. Listen for yourself. Achè.

RESOLVIENDO (Track list)

Ellegua Invocation – Orishas

Rumba Pa’ofrendarle – Telemary Diaz

No te olvides de tu Son – Yelsy Heredia

Bonito y Sabroso – Beny More

Para Bailar el Montuno – Arsenio Rodriguez

Watermelon Man – Mongo Santamaria

Palabras Manuales – Danay Suarez

River – Ibeyi

Corazon de Melon – Rosemary Clooney with Perez Prado

St James Infarmary (Perez Prado vs Wichy de Vedado)

Fundamento – Edgar Productor’n’Jefe

Rico Vacilon – Orquesta American de Ninon Mondejar

Julian Monsieus – Bola de Nieve

Habanera Repartera – Soandry

Tu Seras – Danay Suarez

Cubanacan – Lecuono Cuban Boys

Madres – Daymé Arocena

The Rumba Experiment – Gilles Peterson’s Havana Cultura Band

Exhibit Diaz – Ibeyi

3 Mujeres – IFE Havana Remix Feat Con100cia, Positivo Siempre, Amehel Mission Raiz

Negra Caridad – Dayme Arocena

Fever – La Lupe

Lean On (Salsa) – Major Lazer with Havana Maestros

Mis Raices – Yelsy Heredia

Bossa Cubana – Los Zafiros

Soledad – Bahama Soul Club feat Telmary

Papa Aggun – Celeste Mendoza y los Papines

Encantamiento Yoruba

Guajira Guantamera – Joseito Fernandez

Weird Latin – feat Pedrito Martinez & Paul Carlon

Negro Mi Cha Cha Cha – Facundo Rivero