Los Reyes 73 - Baila Mi Son (1981)

Cuba's Los Reyes 73 emerged to popularity in the 1970s, blending Afro-Cuban traditions with funk and psych rock. They released just two albums, 1975's Los Reyes 73 and 1978's Reyes 73, which garnered a cult following.

Hailing from Havana, Cuba, Los Reyes 73 was founded in 1962 by drummer Santiago Reyes and eventually included some of the major players on the scene at that time in bassist Andres Esteves, pianist Eddy de Atmas, bongo player Alberto Hernandez, trumpeter Ovidio Guerra, trombonist Jose A. Hernandez, drummer Santiago Reyes, percussionist Hector Mon, saxophonist/flutist Mariano Tena, and singer Manuel Morejon. The group debuted in 1975 with the Raúl Gómez-produced Los Reyes 73, showcasing their genre-bending mix of Afro-Cuban jazz, melodic pop, groove-based funk, and wah-wah-guitar-drenched psychedelic rock. They caught on locally and enjoyed success, leading to a second album, 1978's Reyes 73, before disbanding. Thanks to crate diggers, the group's albums gained a cult following, especially among aficionados of rare groove funk and Latin LPs. In 2024, the Mr. Bongo label reissued their 1975 debut.