The second volume of Arhoolie’s exceptionally well assembled survey of Cuban roots music, Sextetos Cubanos: Sones Vol. 2, focuses largely on the work of the Sexteto Boloña, one of the most prolific and influential of the many popular combos practicing in Havana in the ‘20s and ‘30s. The diminutive Tres virtuoso Alfredo Boloña Jiminez formed the group in 1910, and they quickly became one of the most popular groups on the thriving Havana club circuit. In the early 20th Century many performers were skeptical of the still fledging record industry and it wasn’t until 1926 that the Sexteto Boloña were lured into the New York studio where they cut these remarkable recordings. Even listeners with only a passing familiarity with Cuban music ought to immediately recognize the import of songs like “Que Desdichado Naci (How Unfortunate I Was Born)”, with its infectious rhythms, virtuosic string work, and lovelorn vocals. A generous selection of recordings from The Sexteto Occidente, The Sexteto Nacional, and The Sexteto Matancero round out this remarkable compilation.