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Soundcheck

Tuesday, September 18, 2007
  • Gloria Estefan's new album "90 Millas"
    Gloria Estefan's new album "90 Millas"

    Son Cubano

    Gloria Estefan's new album "90 Millas," an homage to the old sounds from her native Cuba; and a new musical about Celia Cruz, "The Queen of Salsa," are just a couple examples of a U.S. obsession with a pre-revolutionary idea of Cuba. Today we investigate this romantic fascination, and what we are missing about the real Cuba. Later: Acoustic guitar virtuoso Leo Kottke became a cult figure for his lightning-fast playing and folk-blues records. He performs live in the studio.

Rhythm is Gonna Get You

Pre-revolutionary Cuban remains an endless source of nostalgia as several new albums reveal, including "90 Millas" by Gloria Estefan. We find out what it's about when we speak with Carolina Gonzales, a contributor to Viva NY, a Latino-themed section of the New York Daily News; and Sandra Guzman, editor of Tempo, the Latino section of The New York Post. She is also the author of The Latina's Bible: The Nueva Latina's Guide to Love, Spirituality, Family, and La Vida.

Soundcheck CD Picks of the Week

Every Monday, the Soundcheck staff digs through their inboxes for the best, catchiest, or strangest music they can find.

Shivaree, Tainted Love: Mating Calls and Fight Songs (Zoe) Indie group fronted by Ambrosia Parsley covers songs penned by some of love's most notorious outlaws: Phil Spector, Ike Turner, Gary Glitter, R. Kelly, Michael Jackson and more. --Joel Meyer

Tainted Love: Mating Calls and Fight Songs is available for purchase at amazon.com

Manu Chao, La Radiolina (Nacional) Chao's first studio album in six years is a typical -- for him -- blend of multilingual and multicultural music and politics. And of course, it's very danceable. --Gisele Regatao

La Radiolina is available for purchase at amazon.com

Erik Friedlander, Block Ice and Propane (SkipStone) One of the most versatile cellists around, Friedlander here evokes American roots music, inspired by the family road trips he took as a kid in a ’66 Chevy pickup with a camper on top. --Brian Wise

Block Ice and Propane is available for purchase at amazon.com

Simone Dinnerstein, J.S. Bach: Goldberg Variations (Telarc) Fans of the legendary Glenn Gould felt (as I did) that we didn’t need another pianist recording the Bach Goldberg Variations. The 34-year-old Dinnerstein’s personal, idiosyncratic approach shows how wrong we were. --John Schaefer

J.S. Bach: Goldberg Variations is available for purchase at amazon.com

The Real Tuesday Weld, The London Book of the Dead (Six Degrees) Stephen Coates loves old instruments and old song styles, but he creates something completely modern with them. It's as if Serge Gainsbourg and Cole Porter have been hitting the absinthe and then decided to write an old-fashioned radio play. --John Schaefer

The London Book of the Dead is available for purchase at amazon.com

Leo Kottke

Leo Kottke overcame a series of personal obstacles including partial deafness and a nearly career-ending bout with tendon damage to become a virtuoso of the acoustic guitar. He shares with us his idiosyncratic fingerpicking style, which draws on blues, jazz, and folk music influences.

Leo Kottke's Web site

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