Odara Original Afro-Cuban Music

Latin Beat Magazine, Sept, 2003 by Rudy Mangual

(Sol Music)

This debut from the Los Angeles-based band Odara* pays homage to the traditional organic sounds of Afro-Cuban folklore. Guided by the talents of master drummer/vocalist/composer Lazaro Galarraga--a native of Havana, Cuba, and former artistic director of the National Folkloric Troupe of Cuba--plus multi-instrumentalist/composer/arranger Guillermo Céspedes--former musical director of Conjunto Céspedes--Odara delivers nine original scores deeply rooted in the ancestral traditions of Afro-Cuban music. The selections vary in styles, with rhythms ranging from the son to the rumba, chachachá, guaracha, bembé and tumba Francesa. The profound musical eloquence of the ensemble is further enhanced by the talent of master drummer Humberto "Nengue" Hernández (Mango Santamaría, Mickey Hart, and Cachao). The ace musicians of Odara compliment the ritual singing and spirited savvy of Galarraga, resulting in a soothing exploration of sounds and rhythms irresistible to the dancer.

* Odara is a term used in the Afro-Cuban folkloric tradition to define something that is "firmly rooted" and/or "well grounded."