Reedman, arranger, and composer Jose Luis Cortes cut his teeth with Los Van Van and Irakere, two institutions of modern Cuban popular music, before breaking out on his own in 1988 with a new group called Nueva Generacion--NG. The group set out for a hook-and-groove dance-oriented music with sophisticated jazz harmonies and soloing. It was a hit. In fact Cortes and his group had several popular hits and, along the way, established themselves as the kings of timba--roughly, a sort of re-Africanized salsa. Veneno shows Cortes and NG in fine form--killer hooks, tight playing, fluid soloing, and a dash of humor (catch the quote from Maurice Ravel"s Bolero in the title track). Cortes"s smooth vocal arranging is assigned to female vocalists, setting a very effective contrast between the muscular playing of the group and their translucent sound. In tracks such as "Como Me da la Gana" ("Like I Want It"), "Cucalambe," or "Verano Habanero" (Havana Summer) the catchy refrains suggest Manhattan Transfer-goes-Cuban, via Juan Luis Guerra"s 440. Great dance music--but also worth listening to. --Fernando Gonzalez