Lo Ultimo En Vivo
This is the way to hear what one of Cuba'stop bandscan  do--live. Under the leadership of bass player Juan Formell, it's a nonstop  party, recorded in 1996 on their home turf, in Havana's Salon Rosado de  la Tropical, before a decidedly partisan crowd. And the band certainly  rocks the house, with the closer, "Herbiero, Ven" especially potent, a  sweatfest propelled by the irresistible beat of timba. While some of  the material had surfaced elsewhere, obtaining it in the U.S. had been  well-nigh impossible--and these explosive versions are close to  definitive in any case. The excitement captured here helped pave the  way for the likes ofCubanismo!, who  still can't match the energy of Los Van Van. The band's songo style,  still rooted in the traditional changui form, is like an electrical  jolt, and the nostalgia ofBuena Vista Social  Clubseems very old. If you can't dance to this one, you're  probably dead.--Chris Nickson