Raúl Gómez

Raul Gomez's 1977 instrumental album, part of Mr Bongo's Cuban Classics series, is a neat blend of orchestral disco, jazz-funk and Afro-Cuban rhythms. Released on Cuba's Areito label, it showcases Gomez's talents as a composer, producer, and arranger. The record defies categorization, seamlessly transitioning between mood music, library/soundtrack mastery, and cosmic-Latin funk. With the Orquesta EGREM in full force, the album features soaring strings, vibrant horns, and infectious rhythms. Standout tracks like 'Mi Samba Carnaval' and 'Tema De La Sierra' offer breathtaking drum breaks and romantic film music impressions, while '6 Son' delivers a mind-bending psych guitar experience. 'Dacapo' adds Brazilian percussion and scat vocals to the mix, creating a dynamic and energetic Latin shuffle. Instrumental is a great example with Cuba's rich musical heritage thanks to Gomez's exceptional creativity.

Cuban composer and singer Raúl Gómez is most known for featuring in the groups Mirtha Y Raul and Los Bucaneros alongside producing the Cuban classic Los Reyes 73 album, amongst a whole host of other incredible productions over the years. Released on Cuba’s state-owned label Areito, Instrumental sees Gómez not only as an instrumentalist and author, but also as a producer and arranger.

It's an album that deftly evades pigeonholing. Floating between instrumental mood music and library/soundtrack mastery, followed by explosions of cosmic-Latin funk, psych guitar workouts and compositions that reflect the orchestrated disco coming out of the US at the time, from greats such as Love Unlimited or MFSB. Lace that together with a healthy serving of Afro-Cuban magic to underpin the tracks and it’s a recipe for a record that captivates from start to finish.

Predominantly an instrumental album as the title suggests, the record showcases the Orquesta EGREM in full flow, soaring strings and vibrant horns at every turn. Highlights include 'Mi Samba Carnaval' with its breathtaking drum break, bubbling synths and sublime arrangements and the romantic film music impressions of ‘Tema De La Sierra', that have been a sampling source for many a producer. Elsewhere, ‘6 Son’ is a mind-melding psych guitar powerhouse, with 'Dacapo', written by Gilberto Peralta, offering up a slice of atmospheric and energetic Latin shuffle. One of only a handful of tracks where scat vocals compliment the orchestral tones, a Brazilian percussion theme marries with dancefloor sensibilities for a dose of feel-good, brilliance.

A wide-ranging, multi-dimensional release, Instrumental exhibits musicianship, composition and creativity at its finest and demonstrates another key example of the rich output of music that flowed from the island of Cuba post revolution.