Deep Rumba - A Calm in the Fire of Dances (2000)

Another page is written in rhumba history, New York chapter. Kip Hanrahan's ever inventive, ever experimental (sometimes to their own detriment) American Clave label offers a follow-up to their first deep rhumba release, This Night Becomes a Rumba. In very much the same spirit, the percussion is thickly layered and pulsing, the arrangement ideas are out of the box, and the emotional tone is at times melancholy and searching, at others fierce and impassioned. With truly the very finest percussionists in the business at his disposal, including drummers Horacio "El Negro" Hernández and Robby Ameen, congueros Richie Flores, Giovanni Hidalgo, and Paoli Mejias (to name just a few), and timbalero Amadito Valdes, there is an overabundance of percussive talent. At times, the blanket of rhumba-funk can be so thick as to stifle the tune, but when used in more sparing measure, it's glorious. The unexpected standout of the record is the vocal styling of Haila Monpie, a former member of the Cuban vocal group Bamboleo. Her tone and improvisational talent are heart-wrenching and inspiring. All in all, there's enough variety and nuance in this record to captivate even those who are not rhumba obsessed. For those who are, say goodbye to friends and family for at least a week. You're going to be glued to the stereo. © Evan C. Gutierrez