Marc Ribot Y Los Cubanos Postizos get Cadogan Hall grooving

New York guitarist Marc Ribot has built a career around eclectic genre-defying musical projects. But perhaps his most enduringly fascinating music has been within the Cuban genre, a sound which Ribot debuted on a duo of acclaimed albums released on the Atlantic label: The Prosthetic Cubans (1998) and Muy Divertido! (2000). These projects were dedicated to the musical legacy of Arsenio Rodríguez, the legendary Cuban guitarist who pioneered the son montuno subgenre during the 1940-50s.

Fast-forward nearly 25 years later, and Ribot is continuing to keep the flame of Rodriquez’s music alive. For this EFG London Jazz Festival performance live at Cadogan Hall, Ribot showcased the latest incarnation of his classic Los Cubanos Postizos lineup featuring Brad Jones on double bass, Anthony Coleman on keyboards, Haracio ‘El Negro’ Hernandez on drumkit, and EJ Rodriguez on percussion. The driving Latin rhythms and infectious personality of each musician made the music irresistibly danceable, and the new personnel ensured that the repertoire felt as fresh and engaging as when it was first released.

There was a significant degree of stylistic variety in the way that Ribot interpreted Rodriguez’s classic compositions. At times, they were very much a Latin-rock band, with Ribot’s overdriven pentatonic shredding and Coleman’s screaming organ sound blending with driving percussion in ways very reminiscent of early 1970s Santana. At other times, the music was more laid back, old-school, and groove-focussed, with moments of Ry Cooder’s Buena Vista Social Club shining through.

In terms of raw technical ability, Ribot may not be the flashiest guitarist on the scene. But he has an almost unparalleled ability to draw influence from, and freely experiment with, world music traditions. The whole gig was an absolute masterclass in groove and musical charisma, and Ribot had the whole of Cadogan Hall rocking.