Woman on Fire: Mujer Ardiente

Special guests include Carmen Lundy, Regina Carter, Jon Lucien and David Budway. Woman on Fire, "Mujer Ardiente", the debut solo album of latin jazz percussionist Mayra Casales, features an ensemble of musicians who are dear to Mayra's heart and soul, and have ignited the musical passion Mayra has felt since her early years in Havana, Cuba. After completing a 9 year world tour with violinist Regina Carter (one of the featured guests), Mayra has been creating this release, the stunning culmination of the vast spectrum of her musical experiences. Mayra is one of the most versatile and well-rounded percussionists of her generation. (Previously deleted: 1/1/08. Original release date: 10/17/06)Born in Havana, Cuba and raised in Miami, Florida, Mayra's earlier influences began with the Afro-Cuban musical culture of her surroundings. In Miami, Mayra studied with Carlos "Potato" Valdez. Before long she was performing with some of the biggest names in Latin and Cuban music such as Celia Cruz, Machito, Joe Cuba, and Miguelito Valdez, and in 1978, Mayra moved to NYC where she played with legends such as Ray Baretto and Dizzy Gillespie.