Search - Tiempo Libre :: What You've Been Waiting for

Timba is the supercharged successor to salsa, and this Miami-based, Grammy-nominated group is one of hottest exponents of this still-evolving genre. Led by keyboardist/arranger Jorge Gomez, a graduate of Cuba's famed Escuela Nacional de Arte, and vocalist Joaquin (El Kid) Diaz , this unit lights it up with a fiery, Earth, Wind and Fire-style horn section, rap-friendly vocals, and killer Afro-Cuban percussion. Aside from a spirited update of the Aldalberto Alvarez classic cha cha cha, "A Bayamo en Coche," the selections are original compositions with a dancing agenda, including the title track, the infectious descarga "Manos Pa'rriba," and the Weather Report-like sound of "Ven a Bailar." All told, this disc is an excellent follow-up to their 2005 effort, Arroz Con Mango. With larger recording budgets and even more expansive musical vistas, who knows how far this band will go. --Eugene Holley, Jr.