Irakere

Irakere was inarguably one of the most important groups in Latin jazz and Cuban music history. Its eclectic, often experimental approach employed traditional percussion instruments -- bata drums, güiro, claves, maracas, bongos, congas, cowbells, and erikundis, alongside brass, reeds, winds, electric keyboards, bass, and guitars -- to wed traditional Afro-Cuban folkloric sounds from Yoruba, Abakua, and Arara traditions with jazz, rock, and funk. 1975's Grupo Irakere quickly won fans at home. They recorded 1979's Irakere on Columbia and Chekeré Son on Japan's JVC, spreading their fame across the globe. Between 1975 and 1991, Irakere issued at least one recording annually. After a four-year break, they released 1995's Bailando Asi and resumed annual releases through 2001's Pare Cochero; they continued performing and touring occasionally for a decade. In 2023. Mr. Bongo began reissuing the band's early catalog as part of its Cuban Classics series.