On Rumba, Mambo, Cha Cha Ch, Putumayo explores retro-flavored Latin dance music with these timeless genres from the Cuban family tree. Rumba, mambo and cha cha ch are familiar names to ballroom dancers the world over. Originating in Cuba from a blend of African and European influences, they have become immensely popular around the globe. On this album, Putumayo has collected songs that demonstrate the universal appeal of these musical styles, with informative liner notes in English and Spanish accompanying the CD. Marseille-based Conjunto Massalia opens the album with Guajira y Chachacha, a song about the birth of these two related genres. Cuban group Tradicubas “Potpourri de Cha Cha Cha is a medley of some of the most memorable cha cha ch’s in the history of this venerable style. Internationally celebrated Colombian band Fruko y Sus Tesos, whose Latin dance tunes are popular with salsa DJs around the globe, offer their own spin on a classic of the mambo repertoire, Mambo #5. Salsa Celtica adds Celtic flavors to son and rumba rhythms on Esperanza. Blending soulful Afro-Cuban percussion with elegant melodies on Mi Chachacha, Orquesta La Moderna Tradicin has earned accolades for preserving and updating the classic Cuban ballroom music style danzn, a forerunner of cha cha ch and mambo. Grammy Award nominated, Chicago-based Angel Melndez and The 911 Mambo Orchestra perform the classic “Cereza Rosa” in a mambo-meets-cha cha ch style.