Malecón Street / Malecon Street

Pitingo became known for his fusion of flamenco and soul, but for his fourth album, the cantaor turned his attention to Cuban music, most specifically its forgotten composers. Malecón Street was conceived as a tribute to the likes of Pedro Junco, Osvaldo Farrés, César Portillo, Frank Domínguez, and Moisés Simons, all responsible for songs that became world-wide classics such as "El Manisero," "Tú Me Acostumbraste," "Contigo en la Distancia," and "Quizás, Quizás, Quizás," and yet their authors received little recognition and often died in poverty. In this elegant collection produced by Yadam, Pitingo offers his personal flamenco-style interpretation of 12 such standards of the bolero and son by 12 different composers, mostly arranged for guitars and percussion. [The deluxe edition adds a DVD with a 60-minute documentary on these unsung heroes of Cuban music.]