Very sophisticated lyrics for pop music, especially from New York. I would be interested in hearing some of the original Bachatas from the old country.

Very different from Cuban and Puerto Rican music, which, unfortunately, is all I'm familiar with from Latin America. My favorite Cuban style is the danzón, mostly instrumental dance music still played occasionally in Cuba and even in some parts of Mecico, but most popular from 1880-1950.

If you want to know what a danzón sounds like, the long, breathtaking piano and slide guitar duet that fills the last half of Derek and the Dominoes' "Layla" is a danzón. I have no idea where Eric Clapton and Duane Allman picked up that style, but it WAS recorded in Miami!

The traditional danzón band is the basic Cuban són ensemble: flute and piano sharing lead, violins playing rhythm, bass fiddle and timbales (small drums played with drumsticks, with a cowbell for accents) for percussion.

Unfortunately, I can't play you any, but I wrote some décimas in their honor...

Será mi último danzón Is it my last danzón
este baile peligroso, this dangerous dance,
un ensayo doloroso a painful rehearsal
del fatigado corazón? of a tired heart?
O las chispas de un fogón Or the sparks of a furnace
que de nuevo se alumbra newly illuminating
esta noche tan profunda, this night so deep,
negra e interminable, dark and endless
de sombra impenetrable of impenetrable shadow
que esconde a mi vida. that hides my life?

Si es el último danzón, If it is the last danzón
el que termina la fiesta that ends the dance
y despide la orquesta and bids the orchestra goodbye
y las parejas del salón. with the couples from the ballroom;
Entonces besa sin perdón then kiss without shame
a tu dulce compañera, your sweet partner,
abrázala de tal manera embrace her so that
para que nunca olvide she will never forget
lo que dio y lo que pide what she gave and what she asked
esta noche tan perfecta. this perfect night.

Bailo un último danzón, I dance a last danzón,
la música se acaba, the music ends,
luz alegre se apaga gay lights dim,
y hasta bajan el telón. and even the curtain falls.
Adentro de mi corazón Inside my heart
oigo violines sonando, I hear the sound of violins,
un contrabajo tocando. a contra-bass plays.
La triste melodía The sad melody
me persigue todavía follows me still
y más nunca te olvido. and I will never forget you.