Universal

There is so much to say about the Márquez sisters. A prominent act in the Cuba of old, the trio of sisters -- initially composed of Nerza, Trinidad and Cusa -- were a sensation from the very start, being hand-picked by none other than Ernesto Lecuona as the voices for his Concerts Series in Havana.


Later joined by sister Olga, they were a feature at the Marquesina del Prado in the late 30s and joined luminaries such as Josephine Baker, Los Chavales de España and Celia Cruz at the Tropicana Cabaret. Soon their fame brought them under contract to star in cabaret acts in Las Vegas and Atlantic City. Arriving in New York in 1951, the sisters have maintained their traditional folkloric style and today Nerza and Trinidad continue to play regularly with the Soneros de Oriente in New York.


The vision of saxophone virtuoso Paquito D'Rivera rejoined the sisters, one more time, for their debut recording as a duo in a production which has been --very deservedly -- nominated for a Latin Grammy. The septuagenarians have once again found their niche by recording some of the traditional montunos that gave them recognition as one of the best during the golden era of traditional Cuban music.


Joined by a group of musicians that are at the top of their game, this is a recording that should be a part of your collection because the sisters depict the classical sound of Cuba in a memorable rendition. Paquito D'Rivera, formerly of Irakere and now a renowned jazz musician, directs guitar virtuosos David Oquendo and Joan Bibilioni, percussionist Chinchilla Machado, bassist Alex Alvear, and the sisters in a truly great recording.


There are fourteen cuts that bring you on a fabulous trip through a long gone but far from forgotten era. "A Toda Cuba le Gusta", "Adios Company Gato", "Con Medio Peso", "Esto es Felicidad", "Negro de Sociedad", "La Firulítica", "La Comparsa" and "Parampampam" are just some of the cuts that will lead you on this musical tour.


Following the example of the Buena Vista Social Club, this recording proves once again that the classics are bound to live forever. This is an ingenious recording that might just win that Grammy for the Márquez sisters which, in itself, would be quite an accomplishment.