AMG Review of Legends of Cuban Music

Marisa Brown
All Music Guide

Being that the late bandleader, composer, tres guitar player, and percussionist is one of the biggest names in conjunto, son montuno, and guaguancó, it makes sense that the EMI compilation Legends of Cuban Music documents those styles. This is also because all of the tracks from the album were taken from the period between 1946 and 1953, one of Arsenio Rodriguez's most prolific and important periods. This does mean that the songs all have an older sound to them in terms of recording quality, but that just adds to the overall experience of listening to the guitar and horns swing dustily along in a very positive way. "Juventud Amaliana" "Llevatelo Todo," "Pueble Nuevo Se Pasó," and "Dame un Cachito Pa' Huele" are some of the more well-known pieces included, but "Arpergio por Arsenio," "Meta y Guaguancó," and "La Gente del Bronx" hold up just as well as anything else. The record's a lot of fun, and showcases an extremely important figure both in the Cuban and Latin music scenes, and a great listen for fans and neophytes alike.