"Irakere" the band was formed in Cuba some 25 years ago by, among others, pianist/composer "Chucho" Valdez. For the past 25 years they have been both carrying on the traditions of Afro/Cuban music and Latin Jazz, and redefining the sound into a musical language of their own. Their latest release, "Yemaya," adds another stellar album to their impressive catalogue.

There is a lot that is traditional about "Irakere," and a lot that isn't. Their music merges many different styles of music including Afro/Cuban, Latin Jazz, salsa rhythms, and bop and mambo rhythms, among others, and they often vary styles mid-song. Their songs provide a basic framework that allows the inclusion of the improvisational elements that make jazz music truly fun to listen to.

The album opens with the title track, "Yemaya." This is the listener's first glimpse of the amazing piano playing ability of Chucho Valdez, but the real stand-out on this track is the emotionally drenched vocal performance of Mayra Caridad Valdez. "Yemaya" also provides the launching pad from which all other tracks on the album spring. (In Yoruba cosmology, found in countries such as Cuba, Yemaya is the deity of the seas, and symbolizes, among other things, creation.)

The second track, "Mister Bruce," begins with a laid back piano melody that sounds like something one would hear at a restaurant's piano bar during a candlelit dinner. Then about 8-10 measures into the song, Chucho Valdez unleashes some of his piano fireworks, as he and the percussionists play a fast "catch-me-if-you-can" game of musical follow the leader. This track alone will make the listener wonder if by some trick of birth Mr. Valdez was born with more than two hands.

The third track, "Santa Amilia," a bouncy tribute to the neighborhood in which Chucho Valdez grew up, and is a bit more horn heavy than the two preceeding tracks. It is also heavily reliant on the percussion section, which features a trap drum player, a conga player, and a timbales player.

Styles once again merg on the fourth track, "La Explosion," which mixes bop and mambo rhythms. Tenor saxophonist Alfredo Thompson, and trumpet players Mario Fernandez and Basilio Marquez, get to add a little old brass magic on this track as they handle most of the solos.

The album finishes with a track which fuses Afro/Cuban music with rhythm and blues, "San Francisco," a track which wows the listener with the virtuoso stylings of guitarist Emilio Morales, "Son Motuno," and finally the fiery piano showcase, "Chorrino." I especially liked the smooth bass lines laid down in this song by bassist Carlos Del Puerto.

On this album, "Irakere" takes the listener on a journey to many new and exciting musical landscapes. At the end of the album, the listener is at once sad that the journey has ended, and grateful that the band has allowed them to tag along in the exploration process.