With 'Nueva Era', her 2015 debut album, Giles Peterson-protégé Daymé Arocena already announced a new era in Cuban music, and on 'Cubafonia', for which she collaborated with Dexter Story, she once again offers that delicious mix of Cuban rhythms like changui, guaguanco and ballada, with jazz, samba, nu-soul ('Mambo Na' Ma', 'Como') and a pinch of santeria (opener 'Eleggua'), alternating between Spanish, English and, in closing track 'Valentine', even a few lines in French. As her musical heroes Daymé cites, among others, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Nina Simone, Elis Regina and Erykah Badu, and, as far as we're concerned, this Cuban diva can easily complete that line-up. We'll have a hard time finding you a better Cuban this year!