Decades before that, Ferrer specialized in boleros, slow, romantic songs that were the popular music of Cuba in the 1950s.

NPR: Buena Vista Social Club Singer's Last Album

This was based on the rhythms of Cuban music rumbas, boleros, mambos which reached Africa in the 1930s, or rather returned there, having their roots in the songs of west and central African slaves.

ECONOMIST: Papa Wendo

The disc is wall-to-wall, slow, romantic boleros.

NPR: Buena Vista Social Club Singer's Last Album