Lecuona Plays Lecuona

Lecuona, Ernesto

album cover

Won't You Pour Me a Cuban Breeze . . .

Sometimes described as the "Cuban Gershwin," Ernesto Lecuona (1896–1963) wrote film scores and expansive pieces for a symphony orchestra he led, along with piano études and pop-song miniatures. Of these, it is the miniatures—songs that include "Malaguena," "Siboney," and "Andalucia (The Breeze and I)"—that had the widest circulation as staples of the 1950s-era easy-listening orchestras led by Ray Coniff, Percy Faith, and Mantovani.

Normally, that would be reason to stay away. But Lecuona is bulletproof: No matter how sentimental the orchestrations, his themes exude a quiet dignity, celebrating in the supremacy of a sturdy melody. Seek him out whenever you're dreaming of mojitos at a breezy old Havana café.

This two-disc set gathers Lecuona's solo piano performances of his primary works. Most were recorded in the 1950s, and show off his unique skill set: He was trained as a classical pianist, yet he was conversant in the popular musical forms that have enchanted Cubans since the 1920s. Specifically, Lecuona was adept at translating Afro-Cuban dance rhythm to the piano. Pieces like "Danza lecumi" turn on a lively ostinato figure in the bass, and atop that foundation Lecuona communicates crisp two-hand constructions that outline his chord sequences. Like Gershwin, Lecuona specializes in wistful, lyrical melodies that need no window dressing; their shapely slopes say it all. The spareness of these performances sometimes gives them cocktail-hour connotations, but that's okay: Calm, regal, and perfectly proportioned, Lecuona's themes completely transcend schmaltz, offering a window into the Cuban soul.

Genre: Classical, World, Cuba
Released: 1997, RCA
Key Tracks: "Malaguena," "Andalucia," "La comparsa," "Noche azul," "La brisa y yo."
Next Stop: Bola de Nieve: Y su piano
After That: Noro Morales: His Piano and Rhythm
Book Pages: 441–442