Honest Jons' Son Cubano NYC is a compilation of very hot tracks released by mostly obscure artists during one wonderful decade of music, 1972-1982. It is an outstanding collection, and I hope you'll seek it out. The liner notes alone are worth the price of admission. Before going into harder language and larger claims, the notes begin with quiet strength: "Salsa is the sound of Cuba in exile."
I had no idea there was such a rift between advocates of salsa and others who simply wanted to preserve the traditional sounds of Cuba. Why should a rift even exist? It's not an…