Pablo Milanés (Cuban singer and poet, played an important role in the development of the Cuban Nueva Trova, along with Silvio Rodríguez and Noel Nicola) and Chucho Valdés (Cuban pianist, orchestra conductor and composer, who founded the famous Cuban band Irakere) have been friends for years, but thus far that never resulted in a creative collaboration. However now there's 'Mas Alla De Todo' for which Milanés and Valdés take the listener along to the lounge of the legendary Hotel Nacional in Havana presenting an hour long minimalistic but virtuoso interplay of piano and voice. Everything about this album screams these gentlemen recorded 'Mas Alla De Todo' first and foremost for themselves, but the result is timeless.