Yomo Toro: Las Manos de Oro CD

"Yomo Toro has taken Jibaro music, a rural form from Puerto Rico, and a folk instrument, the cuatro, and combined them with modern salsa dance music and the crackle and hum of electric amplification. Playing his small, guitar-like electric cuatro, which has five double sets of strings, he's a formidable improviser, a sort of Puerto Rican hillbilly Jimi Hendrix."
Robert Palmer, The New York Times.
LAS MANOS DE ORO is a tour de force of stunning Latin music by one of the undisputed masters of jibaro (pronounced "Hee-ba-row"), a traditional form of Puerto Rican folk music with Spanish and Moorish influences. The cuatro virtuoso sizzles on an album of joyful diversity mining a great wealth of styles including salsa, bolero, mazurka, and, of course, jibaro, with full band accompaniment and featuring the smoldering vocals of Dalia Silva.

"The flowing melodicism recalls Django, the passion in his playing recalls John McLaughlin's fiery acoustic guitar flurries... call it Puerto Rican pyrotechnics."
Bil Mikowski, Spin Magazine.

Since arriving in New York in 1956 from his native Puerto Rico, Yomo Toro has been one of the most prominent musicians on the Latin music scene. He has graced over 150 recordings including the soundtrack to Woody Allens' BANANAS and David Byrne's REI MONDO, as well as recording with such luminaries as Celia Cruz, Ruben Blades, Willie Colon and Hector Lavoe.