Havana Meets Kingston Part 2
Cumbancha, 2022
8/10
Listen to Havana Meets Kingston Part 2
The follow up to their well received 2017 debut album, this installment from Mista Savona collects exceptional musicians from Cuba and Jamaica for 15 energetic tracks that span reggae, dancehall, rocksteady and with plenty of Cuban son, timba and salsa present.
“The Fire From Africa” starts the listen with PunchoMan, Micah Shemaiah, The Gideon, and Anyilena working together in warm, soulful ways that embrace hip-hop and reggae alongside fluid drumming and many skilled vocalists, and “Siempre Si” follows with Brenda Navarrette, Dayán Carrera Fernández and Randy Valentine emitting no lack of grooves in the very expressive, flowing climate.
Elsewhere, “The Human Chain” recruits Clinton Fearon, the lead singer of The Gladiators, for a powerful rocksteady anthem that makes great use of agile keys alongside Fearon’s gravelly pipes, while “La Grimás Negras” showcases Beatriz Márquez’s stunning voice in the beat driven, brass friendly album highlight.
Deeper yet, “Beat Con Flow” offers a mashing of old school, funk, hip-hop and reggae into a lively, dance floor ready jam, and “We Are One” exits the listen with a more intimate track, where a dreaminess surrounds Prince Alla’s roots reggae singing that again reiterates the theme of unity running through these uplifting songs.
An extremely rich and versatile listen that’s populated by unparalleled talent, Robbie Shakespeare handles bass, Winston ‘Bopee’ Bowen plays guitar and Jacinto Herrera contributes percussion. Under the vision of Mista Savona, they illuminate timeless sounds from the Cuba and Jamaica flawlessly.
Travels well with: Kolonien- Till Skogen; Lakou Mizik- HaitiaNola