Nostalgia Tropical (1994)

"This is a wonderful early recording. It's not just Celia with Matancera, but includes other Sonora Matancera hits from the 1950s."Cruz (1925-2003) is recognised by many as the "Queen Of Salsa". The voice, charisma, and talent of Cruz has created one of the most impressive music careers. Listing her accomplishments would require a book. Her more than 70 albums have yielded many gold and platinum records, and she has received more than a hundred awards from prestigious institutions around the world. Of Afro-Cuban decent, Cruz began singing in amateur contests at the age of 14 in her home city of Havana, Cuba, where she studied music theory, piano and voice at the National Music Conservatory. In 1950 she began singing with the conjunto La Sonora Matancera, and with that group she was a central figure in some of the most glorious chapters of Afro-Cuban music, recording a number of legendary songs, including "Yembe Laroco", "Yerbero Moderno", "Burundanga", and "Caramelo", among many." (Discogs)