Search - Bustle Up & Out :: Vol.1-Rebel Radio Master Sessions (Includes Book)

Bristol, England's eclectic electronicists Up, Bustle and Out traveled to Havana, Cuba, to collaborate with the Orquesta Richard Egües. Flautist and pianist Egües has been a leading figure in Cuban bands for decades, and formed his own group in 1984. The results are fascinating, but not particularly a blend of Cuban music with electronica--it's more like flipping around the dial in some city where all the radio stations are cool. The first two tracks, "The Educators" and "Hip Hop Barrio--Who's Gonna Take the Weight" are fueled by Up, Bustle and Out's trademark groove-organ funk, with guest sax on the former and a mixture of sampled emcee shouts and a spoken interlude on the latter. Egües's group takes over the next two tracks--"Los Locos Cubanos" is a short percussion workout and "Mami" is a straight-ahead Cuban salsa number with a four-man vocal lineup, lilting piano rhythms, and Egües's breezy flute. Another change of gears follows as two tracks of stripped-down funk drumming provide the underpinning for "Kennedy's Secret Tapes," which incorporates various Cuban Missile Crisis-era spoken-word snippets and guest Keith Warrington's bluesy harmonica on "Rebel Satellite." The Orquesta returns for a few more tracks. Former Up, Bustle collaborator Martin Genge recites a poetic evocation of "Havana's Streets" over a Fender Rhodes piano, there's a not too compelling Smith and Mighty remix, and the CD closes with a nice breakbeat and flamenco guitar piece and a short sound collage. Fans of Up, Bustle and Out's type of stylistic boundary-pushing are sure to be pleased with the CD, but listeners mainly interested in the more traditional Cuban sounds might find the variety a bit distracting. --Bob Bannister