Here is an exciting song by the great yet forgotten Cuban singer Elena Madera.
The daughter of a Philadelphian bandleader and a Cuban dancer, Elena Madera was born in Cuba with all the fire and passion a singer with that background might have. Her debut album for Decca revolves around a hit, "Pepito," which is one of four rock-tinged songs. The rest incorporate Afro-Cuban and flamenco elements to varying degrees. Able backing is provided by Johnny Conquet, who contributes an original, "Mas Piano Merengue." Elena Madera sounds perfectly crazy, which is what many a female vocalist had to be to stand out in the frenetic nightclub scene of the day. Eloise Lewis, Francis Faye, Josephine Premice, Enid Mosier and Yma Sumac come to mind (particularly "Pu-Chun-Ga"). Elena Madera certainly is an odd Latin, Latin-rock, or female-vocal album, not to mention an unusual setting for Johnny Conquet and his orchestra.
Enjoy!
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