Born in 1923, singer-guitarist Jose Manuel Cobles, alias Puerto Plata, recorded his first album in... 2006! At the very least, we know this music was ripe for the picking! Indeed, it was worth the wait: his blend of merengue, ranchera, gauracha, and bolero is simply irresistible! La Presse reserved a spot for Mujer de Cabaret on its list of the 10 best world music albums of 2008. A rare survivor of the golden age of the bachata, Puerto Plata is, despite his 85 years, a fountain of youth, delivering a music of undeniable authenticity and sensuality! Rest assured, he arrives with a sense of purpose, doubly ready to celebrate with us on this, the National Day of his native Dominican Republic!