Live recordings at the Marciac Jazz festival in southwest France are rapidly becoming a thing, especially with Cuban artists: a set by hotshot pianist (and Valdés’ stepson) Roberto Fonseca was captured in 2012, before joining Malian guitarist/singer Fatoumata Diawara onstage among the sunflowers and vineyards for last year’s At Home. Here the estimable Valdés pays homage to his very own Irakere, a Grammy-winning outfit whose free-spirited residency at Ronnie’s last year proved that 40 years of blockades, bureaucracy and world travels has not wearied them. And while new young guns in the line-up keep energy levels high, chanting, invoking spirits, blasting brass riffs, thumping bass-lines, it’s the ship’s captain – the irrepressible 75-year- old Valdés – from whom they take their cue. Highlights include ‘Lorena’s Tango’, which sees the supple septuagenarian exploring melody and rhythm and quoting Piazzolla; ‘Afro Funk’, which tells it like it is, and ‘Yanga’, an electrically charged 18-minute wig out.