Quimbara

"Quimbara"
Single by Celia Cruz and Johnny Pacheco
from the album Celia & Johnny
Released	1974
Recorded	1974
Genre	Salsa
Length	4:51
Label	Fania
Songwriter(s)	Junior Cepeda
Celia Cruz singles chronology
"Quimbo Quimbumbia" (1969) "Quimbara" (1974) "Toro Mata" (1974)

Celia Cruz in Havana, 1957

"Quimbara" is a song performed by Cuban recording artist Celia Cruz and Dominican recording artist Johnny Pacheco. The song written by 20 year old Junior Cepeda from Puerto Rico, was released as the lead single from Cruz and Pacheco's joint studio album Celia & Johnny (1974).

Cover versions

In 1997, American salsa group Dark Latin Groove covered the song in a duet with Puerto Rican recording artist Ivy Queen, on their second studio album Swing On.^[1] This version of the song peaked at number twenty-five on the Billboard Digital Tropical Songs chart in 2010.^[2]

American entertainer Jennifer Lopez performed the song live as part the tribute to Cruz during the American Music Awards of 2013.^[3] Lopez also added the song to the setlist of her Las Vegas residency, All I Have.

In 2004, Gloria Estefan, Patti LaBelle, and Arturo Sandoval covered the song on ¡Azúcar!, a DVD musical tribute to Celia Cruz.

In 2015, Ivy Queen covered the song, in a medley, along with "Bemba Colora", on her ninth studio album, Vendetta.^[4]

In 2019, Angélique Kidjo covered the song on her album Celia.

In 2020, Lizbeth Román covered the song on the album Nuestra Isla, Nuestro Encanto.

Charts

Celia Cruz version

Chart (2013)	Peak
US Tropical Digital Songs (Billboard)[5]	15

Dark Latin Groove and Ivy Queen version

Chart (2010)	Peak
US Tropical Digital Songs (Billboard)[6]	25

References

1. "Swing On - DLG (Dark Latin Groove): Songs, Reviews, Credits: Allmusic". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
2. "Tropical Digital Songs: 17 July 2010 - Billboard Chart Archive". Billboard. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
3. "Jennifer Lopez's Amazing Tribute To Celia Cruz". The Huffington Post. 25 November 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
4. "Ivy Queen rinde homenaje a Celia Cruz en su nuevo material". Uforia Musica. Univision Communications. 20 January 2015. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
5. "Tropical Digital Songs: Dec 14, 2013 − Billboard Chart Archive". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
6. "Tropical Digital Songs: 17 July 2010 - Billboard Chart Archive". Billboard. Retrieved 19 April 2016.