Alejandro Almenares: Casa De Trova Cuba 50’s (Tumi Records)

By David Luhrssen

Alejandro Almenares rides a comfortable, lilting Cuban groove throughout Casa De Trova Cuba 50’s. The “Casa” of the two-CD set refers to the long-running club established by his father, the “House of Troubadors.” At age 76, Almenares is a veteran band leader and composer but a novice recording artist. Casa is his debut CD, a collection of smooth, agreeable melodies that waft like a gentle Caribbean breeze. The music fits the mental picture of a circle of musicians kicking back on a patio for a session as unhurried as a long summer day.