by Greg AdamsCuban bandleader Armando Orefiche made these recordings in Havana in 1959 with chanteuse Ana Margarita providing vocals on every track. Orefiche's music is popular rather than traditional, so the music includes orchestral arrangements of romantic ballads such as "Me Estoy Enamorando de Ti" as well as uptempo pop songs like "El Amor en Honolulu" and "Una Noche de Amor en la Habana" that prominently feature an electric guitar. Orefiche was a pianist and composer with the world-famous Lecuona Cuban Boys in the '30s before starting his own band, so it's interesting to hear him play piano behind Ana Margarita on quiet ballads such as "Madonina del Porto." The bonus tracks include a Spanish-language version of Frankie Avalon's "Venus" and six others that appear to have been recorded at the same sessions as the other tracks. These are rare cuts originally recorded for the Cuban market, some of which were noticeably mastered from vinyl for this CD release.