In recent times it seems as though quite a bit of music previously unavailable to American audiences has been making its way over. We’ve heard the long running Chicha music of Peru that had previously been only available in its native area, and now with the release of Puerto Plata’s Mujer de Cabaret listeners everywhere can now experience traditional, acoustic Dominican music. The 84 year old guitarist (named after his hometown) has been playing for quite some time now, and though his style is fairly popular in the Dominican Republic it has not been heard that often in the US. But with this release, fans of Hispanic music will find another new style to enjoy.

Iaso Records did one of the best things possible for this release; they recorded both sessions live. The only difference between the sessions is the songs and who is accompanying Puerto Plata, though each one features plenty of enjoyable tunes. By recording Puerto Plata in a live setting rather than a studio, the record label was able to properly capture the spirit of this timeless music. The focus on this Dominican Republic is often on fast guitar work combined with support from vocals and bongo and conga drums, making it slightly different from other Hispanic music out there.

I must also complement the record label on including a wonderful booklet that not only explains Puerto Plata’s background, but also gives Spanish and English lyrics and explanations of the various songs and their lyrics. The singing on this release is very laid back, but you can tell that each person is truly putting their heart and soul into every song.

Mujer de Cabaret is an excellent and enjoyable album from a Dominican guitarist who has been making music for many, many years now. Though Puerto Plata may not be looking to make it big or anything like that, his music is a welcome addition to any Hispanic music fan’s collection. Hopefully this signals more music from the Dominican Republic to make its way over here, as if this album is any indication the music will be very enjoyable.