Blen Blen Blen is a greatest-hits compilation of sorts from
Machito, one of the primary leaders in the Cubop movement but largely ignored since his prime in the later Latin revivals. The arrangements are tight, with a punchy brass section taking shots throughout in the style embraced as Afro-Cuban jazz soon after.
Machito and co-leader
Mario Bauza lead the Afro-Cubans on a tour de force through number after number of high-energy Cuban jazz and more straightforward bits of son here and there. Countering
Machito's rapid delivery on vocals is his sister
Graciela, who provides a slower but more impassioned delivery. There is little room for soloing on many of the arrangements, with the solos taken being largely interchangeable with one another. The focus is on the band as a whole, holding a basic Cuban rhythm in the back and shooting melodic lines and punches of punctuation over the top with the piano and horns. It's a nice romp for fans of classic Latin music, though it might be a bit of a disappointment for those looking for a reprise of the
Afro-Cuban Jazz Moods album done previously by
Machito along with
Dizzy Gillespie. It's more Afro-Cuban than Afro-Cuban jazz, but the cross-pollination is certainly there. Give it a listen for the history of the form.