El Bardo

Complete with standard-issue retro graphics, here is another senior discovery from Cuba by a gringo record company, in this case a New York-based one specialising in jazz with a Latin sub-strand. Fourteen years ago, the record company heard Aldo del Rio, a tres player, recorded this disc and a mere decade-and-a-half later released it. Was it worth the wait? Yes, it's a perfectly pleasant disc, showcasing Señor del Rio's old-fashioned, nasal voice and tres playing which, while as accomplished as you’d expect from a professional Cuban tres player, gives no hint of the awesomeness the American label claim of their discovery. The material comprises a collection of the usual-suspect classics and the small backing group is passable.

The energy level is mainly relaxed, though a Congo-infused Arsenio Rodríguez number lights a bit of fire. But then again, an Arsenio Rodríguez song could make Julio Iglesias sound incandescent. A nice record then, but only a touch extraordinary and only very slightly amazing.