Gift Certificates
Best of 2007

EditorsPick: Ok, so here's the line-up. The Tata Güines (who just recently passed away), Pello El Afrokan, Jr., Fariñas, Joaquin Pozo, Papiosko, Francisco Pérez and a few more on percussion and a coro that includes Ciso Guanche, Barbaro Lopez, Carlos Amores and others. It's an Envidia all-star group, goosed by some big names, and the question is, does it work? It sure does, and the ease with which the coro, for instance, often heard on commercial projects, fits into the rumba, shows how connected the forms are. The younger musicians sound good, too, and yet again a rumba recording reminds me how lucky we are to have this music, and that rumba should be more often taken into the studio. Highly Recommended. (Peter Watrous)
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EditorsPick: Back in stock! José Alberto continues to produce salsa that is, arguably, some of the best to be produced in the United States. With his crisp, totally danceable arrangements and a sparkling band that includes many special guests (Cuco Valoy, Papo Lucca, Alfredo De La Fe, Nelson Gonzalez, Eddy Zervigon, Julio Carvajal, Jimmy Bosch), El Canario offers us an infectious, tasty blend of capital "S" Salsa which boils over on "Quiero Salsa." Listen to his interpretation of the African "Fatimata." Highly recommended. (BP)
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EditorsPick: What a great, special little record. The band, from Guantanamo, works through a bunch of the styles of the eastern part of Cuba, including the Changüí. The musicians use traditional instruments, including the marimbula, a large version of a thumb piano to take the bass parts, and the tres, plus smaller percussion instruments. They throw in other rhythms, like sucu-sucu, as well, and rap cadences, and references to the Lion King and the music has both rhythmic strength of local dance musics, and the lightness of acoustic music. It's pretty amazing, the sort of music that often shows up over-sweetened. Not here: hard acoustic music, super refreshing, Changüí Duro. I'll listen to this all day. Highly Recommended. (Peter Watrous)
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EditorsPick: Baez is a guitarist from Venezuela living in New York, and he writes complicated music that takes classical and local sources and mixes them up. It's often beautiful and he's joined by Anat Cohen, a young hotshot in New York on clarinet and a varying group that includes Roberto Koch on bass, the percussion of Alexander Livinalli and the drums of Adolfo Herrera, all adept at the tricky rhythms of Venezuela. This is an art project, but like so many works like this it draws from the streets. On La Patilla, 20th century modernism comes out, with saxophonist Pablo Gil taking snake-like lines in front of the band and Baez answering with modern, chromatic harmony. When he plays solo, the classical foundation of what he does shows up, as on the intro to "Choro." It's all elegant, kind of uptown, and I like it's sophistication. Also with flautist Huascar Baradas, and conguero Gerardo Rosales. Highly Recommended. (Peter Watrous)
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EditorsPick: The great Senegalese dance orchestra, its tracks collected from a period between 1972 and 1978, illustrates the connection, or reconnection between African music and Cuba. The son is all over the music, the melodies taken from Cuba and made African, with pitch re-Africanized. And, man, what a band, what an allegiance to the groove. The electric guitars playing montunos, the dual singers wandering from Hispanic styles, to Arabic styles and black African singing. In some ways the music reminds one of Afro-Cuban music made for the African market - the Areito All-stars - in that the music is made for the long distance haul with some tracks weighing in at 7 and 8 minutes, and the listeners knowing full well that in person the performance would last half an hour. It's glorious, electric dance music, with horns and electric guitars and bass and it is special. Good place to begin an exploration into one of the better bands of the time, anywhere. Highly Recommended. (Peter Watrous)
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EditorsPick: Another double disc, cd/dvd extravaganza from Egrem, and this one has non-stop driving music from one of the better working bands in Havana. Kemell's band has the energy of the best timba orchestras, leavened with salsa, and it swings heavily. The singer, Yury Tejeda, can really rock, and the coros, constantly changing, make each piece epic. The band sings about Havana, girls and whatever else, and the arrangements are pretty nearly dance floor genius, with the singing constantly talking back to the coros, and the rhythm section charging forward, unstoppable. Jenny Valdes, who has sung with Van Van and Ng La Banda, joins the band also. This is the best Cuba can offer, with no apologies, or excuses, or missteps, and it's hard to believe that a better recording will show up with urban Cuban dance music. The dvd is filmed in the same space as the performances by Pedrito Calvo, with the same excellent production values and the same weird audience, and the same unbelievable grace on the part of the musicians. These things are strange artifacts, but man, there's nothing like this music, and it's filmed beautifully. Again, I can't imagine anything better showing up this year. Highly recommended. (Peter Watrous)
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EditorsPick: Blasini's a good, pinched singer who leads a local band around New York. The recording's straight ahead, salsa dura, and totally pleasing. There's some flute on it, and violin, but at its heart the project is a salsa dance record, and at that it succeeds well. At one time in New York there were hundreds of bands like this. Blasini's one of the last men standing, and he's good. With Raul Navarette, Karen Joseph, Ray Castro, Willie Amadeo, Roberto Quintero, Harry Adorno and others. Highly Recommended. (Peter Watrous)
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EditorsPick: This reissue of a sought after collector’s item from the mid-80s is a welcome addition to the little known story of Venezuela’s important role in salsa music in the 1970s and 80s. Orquesta La Bronko brings to mind a quicker, more tightly wound and less jazz inflected version of Manny Oquendo’s Libre. On first listen, the classic combination of bouncy flute and trombone riffs tips you off that Felix “Shakaito” Suárez’s La Bronko, though originally from Venezuela, is following in Oquendo’s Nuyorican footsteps. The fact that the band covers “Lo Que Se Da No Se Quita” only confirms my suspicions. But this is not a bad thing by any means – having Libre as your musical compass and aesthetic guide is to be lauded. There are plenty of great danceable cuts here, a mixed bag of originals and cover tunes, and the percussion is crisp and funky. The addition of jaunty rhythm guitar (listed as guitarra “fuzz”), played by José Luis “Kool Aid” Acosta, is a nice twist, and there is some tasty soloing for the flute, electric guitar, and piano on various selections. Vocalists Orlando Platt and Elly Ríos present a varied approach, giving the listener both the Afro-Caribbean inflection of a sonero like Oscar D’Leon and the more nasal high-pitched Spanish sound of a Lalo Rodríguez. Special guest José Mangual Jr., hugely popular in South American salsa circles, appears here singing coro and playing maracas and guiro; there is also a listing for a certain “Campanero” in the role of Executive Producer, which could be Mangual as that was his nickname from the song of the same name that he made famous in the early 80s. Overall a swingin’ little album that is great for both first time investigators into classic salsa brava, and for the heavy duty salsoteca collecionista as well. Though Venezuelan by birth, Felix “Shakaito” Suárez resides in Cali, Colombia, having moved there during the bad old days of the Cali Cartel when the gigs were plentiful; he still maintains the band there and is still making great music (check out their 20^th Anniversary album from 2004).
Highly Recommended. (Pablo Yglesias)
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EditorsPick: Roberto Linares Brown, also known as "El Seña," was born on April 2, 1976 in the city Guaimaro, in Camaguey, Cuba. In 1996, he completed his formal schooling. Soon afterwards he began his professional career, playing with several bands ...and became a pianist for Orquesta Azucar Negra, finding some success. In June 2001, he became the keyboardist for one of the best bands in the country: Adalberto Alvarez y su Son. He was with them for 4 years and also became known as musical arranger on Adalberto's 3 last CDs. This solo album is his first as a leader, composer, and arranger, and Roberto plays keyboards and percussion, and handles the vocals on several tracks. It is so refreshing when a self-released album with so much maturity, stylistic breadth, fearless invention, and authentic sabor comes along from a relative unknown, beneath the radar. The disk feels like a revelation; this album has something for everyone. The intention with this CD was to forge ahead into new territory (combining rap, reggaeton, electronic beats with timba and salsa) while making sure that the 'essence is not lost' and that the traditional roots of Cuban music (son, rumba, charanga) are always there just under the surface. The album's signature song, "Que no se pierda la esencia" touches on this theme, and is ably sung by the young Cuban sonero Alberto Alberto. In addition, special care has been taken to create some tasty 'salsa dura' numbers that look back to the double trombone attack of classic Nuyorican sounds of the 70s like Willie Colon, Orquesta Harlow, and El Gran Combo. Just check out "Dale tumbao" as sung by the multi-talented "El Niño" Jesus Alejandro - raging trombones are in effect. There is also a tasty son montuno tradicional, with beautiful analog grand piano by Roberto, accompanied by the gravelly vocals of Roberto's uncle, Julian Jackson 'Tío' Linares, elder statesman of authentic Cuban son. My personal favorite dance floor scorcher is a jaunty charanga/salsa workout called "Open de Door." This tune fearlessly mixes genres at will, combining humorous lyrics about riding a bus (the perils are well known to all Cubans) with infectious Nuyorican trombones, strings, and a classic Cuban flute solo (by another prodigious talent from Cuba, Jesús 'El Niño' Alejandro). The vocals are handled by Luís Salgado, a well-respected sonero based in Canada. DJs beware: there is a whole scene of Cubans in Canada and they are taking over the dance floor. Overall a really fun and challenging album that will keep people talking for months to come. ¡A gozar - move your body! Highly Recommended. (DJ Bongohead)
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EditorsPick: A sparkling, old school Cuban Latin jazz recording. It's all acoustic, and isn't, weirdly enough, touched by fusion and Irakere - but there's a rapper on the album, too. Go figure. Cabrera's the heavy duty bassist, and he's been in a bunch of Cuban bands, including Iya, cabaret bands, the Ciso Guanche group, El Zun Zun de la Salsa, among others. He's leading a descarga band, with typically good dance musicianship (though the horns aren't always in tune); this stuff goes down easy, isn't dumb and has the sort of swing you need to keep people interested. The coros and singing, though taking a second position to the instrumental solos, are the motor to the whole thing, which occasionally hints at timba. It sure is good, whatever you want to call it; I'd turn this into a timba band and get it over with. Have to love John Coltrane's workout, "Giant Steps," done Cuban style, even if the soloists come out of the experience a bit bruised. Highly Recommended. (Peter Watrous)
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EditorsPick: What a nice surprise. This circa 1980 sizzling salsa album by veteran singer Santiago Cerón sports wonderful 24 channel sound and is churning with sabor. Cerón, who sang with La Protesta, Pete "El Conde" and Arsenio Rodriguez, has surrounded himself with some of New York's legendary musicials: percussionist Luis Mangual, trombonist Lewis Kahn, conguero Eddie Montalvo, tresero Charlie Rodriguez, trumpeters Bomberito Zarzuela and Luis "El Perico" Oritz (who is also the album's producer), and others. Rootsy, urban and powerful - listen to Sonny Bravo's treatment of the Tony Pabón composition "Vacio" which typifies the Cerón driving sound. The track leads right into his own tough, leathery, salsa composition "El Diablo," arranged by José Febles. Other arrangers on Navegando? Louie Ramirez, Willie Rodriguez, and Perico Oritz. This is classic stuff that is a must-have for any serious salsa collection. Essential, pure, salsa. Highly Recommended. (BP)
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EditorsPick: On a corner in Brooklyn stands Barbes, one of the great bars of New York, and Chicha Libre plays there regularly, cranking out the camp sounds of Peruvian Chicha music. The record's pretty cool, an homage to a lost style of music that mixed rock and pop with cumbia and other rhythms from around those parts. Sonido Amazonico is great music for cleaning the house, drinking a beer etc., i.e. it's fun, and has lots of twangy guitar, raining reverb. It's atmospheric, and has a Farfisa organ, which puts it in rarified company. Great music for a party. Highly Recommended (Peter Watrous)
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EditorsPick: A duo project graced with depth and elegance. Recorded in Madrid during the summer of 1995 by two generations of jazz mastery: Tete Montoliu (Barcelona, 1933) and bassist Javier Colina (Pamplona, 1960). The repertoire includes standards like Jerome Kern's "Yesterdays," Arlen and Mercer's "Come Rain or Shine" and "Laura," the David Raskin classic. There are also original compositions: a handful by the musicians as well as a gorgeous collaborative effort, "Un Blues." Unassuming, essential and replete with heart and soul. Highly Recommended. (BP)
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EditorsPick: Whoa! Just in... With "Chino" Nuñez, "Pequeño" Johnny Rivero, Wilson "Chembo" Corniel, Richie Bastar, Ramon "Ray" Martinez, Héctor "Popote" Jiménez, Jorge Maldonado and many others! A huge DJ Alert for salsa and Latin jazz fans alike. A must-have... not to be missed.
Very highly recommended.
Full review to follow shortly.

Pulpo's piano is the proverbial icing on the cake, the piéce de resistance. His melodic yet "right on clave" solos are a joy to listen to and his montunos are the stuff that dreams are made of, the very essence of our music. The montuno section is the hypnotic groove that keeps it all tightly knit together while everything else is happening around it, and it is also the dough that makes this music as tasty as "HOT BREAD".
- Chico Alvarez (WBAI, 99.5FM, NYC)

"Pulpo's Hot Bread" es una producción que recurre al ingrediente que está frecuentemente ausente en la industria del jazz latino y la salsa moderna: El Sabor... En esta producción la excelencia es colectiva y se funde para brindarnos un compendio de jazz latino y salsa brava, para el oído, para la pista y para el coleccionista. Esta primera producción como solista confirma que regresó a sus raíces ya que con su nuevo trabajo musical convierte la nostalgia de los buenos discos en esperanza que ya esta disponible en la tienda de discos de su preferencia.
- Robert Padilla (Musicologist, Latin Music Authority) (BP)
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EditorsPick: Here's some classic big band swing with guaracha-guaguanco (think salsa), bolero, mambo, jala-jala and other dance rhythms from the Puerto Rican bandleader. For Esta Noche, Cotto enlisted some top tier singers like Marcos Millan and Chivirico Davila. The sound here is pretty darn good, and some of these tracks, like the sizzling "Silencio" simply rock. Also with "La Casa Del Jabonero," a plena-bomba, "Cuando Yo Me Muera" -- another uptempo dance track, and the tipico salsa track, "Son Borincano." Nice! Originally on the JMC label, reissued here by Salsa International. Highly Recommended. (BP)
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EditorsPick: Here's a non-stop recording dedicated to beauty. The clarinet quartet, founded in 1988, works through a series of tunes and compositions by Venezuelan composers to Paquito D' Rivera, Lecuona, Revueltas and a bunch of young writers from around the Latin world. They're occasionally joined by other instrumentalists, including El Negro on drums, Anat Cohen on clarinet and Jorge Glem on cuatro. It's often stunning music, clear and warm, full of dynamics, and as is the case with Latin classical music, more than a little influenced by the music of the streets. It's music for a quiet Sunday morning, resonant with intelligence and ability. Yet another Cacao achievement. Highly Recommended. (Peter Watrous)
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EditorsPick: What a band! Rivera writes in the liner notes about how his quintet's the basis for all sorts of different sized units, and pieces on the recording range from duets to septets, and it's all very, very good. In part that comes from the band, which includes Diego Urcola on trumpet and valve trombone, along with the pianist Ed Simon, both being some of my favorite jazz musicians on the New York scene. Oscar Stagnaro is on bass, and Mark Walker and Pernell Saturnino play percussion. Fernando Otero and Alon Yavnai sit in on piano. They play music from across Latin America, including tangos, contradanzas and milongas, mostly original compositions; there's one piece by Astor Piazolla, the Argentinian genius. D'Rivera plays some clarinet and saxophone and the band grooves happily. Highly Recommended. (Peter Watrous)
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EditorsPick: This is very big, and what a start to the new year! Descarga Boricua, the brainchild of eclectic producer Fran' Ferrer, first hit the scene in 1993 with their hugely popular and critically acclaimed ¡Esta, Sí Va! project that was, arguably, the decade's best salsa release. Descarga Boricua was more vision and concept than a specific group of musicians. Orchestra sized power salsa, top arrangements, and a ton of in-your-face swing epitomized the essence of the band. The lineup always included the best musicians from Puerto Rico as well as a ton of special guests. The band released a few other albums over the subsequent five or so years, but the amazing energy, power and finesse of ¡Esta, Sí Va! was never quite equaled. Until now. Something must have been percolating in the ten years since the last Descarga Boricua release, because Fran' Ferrer has outdone himself here. With Salseando, he summoned the Gods of Salsa to help create a blast of swing that packs more fuerza y sabor into two cds than most bands can muster in a lifetime. This live performance, recorded in San Juan in 2007, musically directed by tresero Louis Garcia, brings Fania All Star composer and pianist Larry Harlow and trombonist Jimmy Bosch into the fold. Bosch never sounded better. And, damn, the singers are good: Adalberto Santiago, Hermán Olivera, Wichie Camacho, Ray De La Paz, Frankie Vazquez, Tito Allen, Darvel Garcia y Caco Senate. You heard right. The compositions are mostly all revival classics from the songbooks of Fania, Conjunto Libre and others of that caliber. There's an eleven minute "Que Humanidad" sung to perfection by Olivera, "La Cartera" the Arsenio Rodriguez classic made gold by Harlow, Ray Barretto's "Fuerza Gigante" interpreted with pure fire by Ray De La Paz, Chamaco Ramirez' powerhouse "Trucutú" styled by Frankie Vazquez, "Sabor Sureno," "Ariñañara," "Quitate La Mascara" as well as the Adalberto Alvarez classic "Lluvia." There is a ton of power here, and Salseando should be looked upon as DJ First Aid - the secret weapon. Some of the players are pianist Luis Marin, timbalero supreme Rafael "Tito" De Gracia, conguero William "Cachito" Thompson, trumpeter Angel "Angie " Machado (there are four trumpets, four trombones), and bassist Pedro Pérez. Descarga Boricua is clearly Puerto Rico's answer to the Spanish Harlem Orchestra: and what a statement it is. Here's is a DJ Alert of the highest order... Very Highly Recommended. Also available as a live DVD. (BP)
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EditorsPick: Previously released on CD, now here's the DVD! It's a fiery live performance that spotlights the singers Adalberto Santiago, Herman Olivera, Frankie Vazquez, Ray De La Paz, Tito Allen, Willie Camacho and Darvel Garcia. Good quality sound and picture. Oddly, the vocal parts by Camacho-Garcia track "Caridad" is studio footage edited into the live show. One wonders what happened to the original show footage. Aside from that track, you get what you might expect: pure fire. Below is our review of the 2-CD set, the same show, so it's mostly all applicable... This is very big, and what a start to the new year! Descarga Boricua, the brainchild of eclectic producer Fran' Ferrer, first hit the scene in 1993 with their hugely popular and critically acclaimed ¡Esta, Sí Va! project that was, arguably, the decade's best salsa release. Descarga Boricua was more vision and concept than a specific group of musicians. Orchestra sized power salsa, top arrangements, and a ton of in-your-face swing epitomized the essence of the band. The lineup always included the best musicians from Puerto Rico as well as a ton of special guests. The band released a few other albums over the subsequent five or so years, but the amazing energy, power and finesse of ¡Esta, Sí Va! was never quite equaled. Until now. Something must have been percolating in the ten years since the last Descarga Boricua release, because Fran' Ferrer has outdone himself here. With Salseando, he summoned the Gods of Salsa to help create a blast of swing that packs more fuerza y sabor into two cds than most bands can muster in a lifetime. This live performance, recorded in San Juan in 2007, musically directed by tresero Louis Garcia, brings Fania All Star composer and pianist Larry Harlow and trombonist Jimmy Bosch into the fold. Bosch never sounded better. And, damn, the singers are good: Adalberto Santiago, Hermán Olivera, Wichie Camacho, Ray De La Paz, Frankie Vazquez, Tito Allen, Darvel Garcia y Caco Senate. You heard right. The compositions are mostly all revival classics from the songbooks of Fania, Conjunto Libre and others of that caliber. There's an eleven minute "Que Humanidad" sung to perfection by Olivera, Ray Barretto's "Fuerza Gigante" interpreted with pure fire by Ray De La Paz, Chamaco Ramirez' powerhouse "Trucutú" styled by Frankie Vazquez, Adalberto Santiago's anthem "Quitate La Mascara" as well as the Adalberto Alvarez classic "Lluvia." There is a ton of power here, and Salseando should be looked upon as DJ First Aid - the secret weapon. Some of the players are pianist Luis Marin, timbalero supreme Rafael "Tito" De Gracia, conguero William "Cachito" Thompson, trumpeter Angel "Angie " Machado (there are four trumpets, four trombones), and bassist Pedro Pérez. Descarga Boricua is clearly Puerto Rico's answer to the Spanish Harlem Orchestra: and what a statement it is. Here's is a DJ Alert of the highest order... Very Highly Recommended. (BP)
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EditorsPick: Two terrific singers, Nando Nodarse from Cuba and Nando Vanin from Columbia, based in the Netherlands, and produced by the pianist Marc Bischoff (part of Our Latin Groove), have put out a rocking little salsa album. Totally amiable, modern salsa, ready for dance floors around the world. On tunes like "Te Lo Dire Todito" the singers and the band really get going, verging into timba territory. Good deal. Highly Recommended. (Peter Watrous)
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EditorsPick: Singer and pianist Tirso Duarte, along with a few others (Michel Maza comes to mind), leads the current pack of modern Timba dance bands in Cuba. Last years Timba Cubana cemented his reputation as a "hard" timba artist who is here to stay. Duarte, who wrote most of the songs for this project, including the sizzling cover track "Fin Del Juego," has an almost instantly recognizable voice -- a combination of nervous urgency and combustible energy -- that mirrors the qualities of Timba itself. It's a quality that was seen by the leaders of the high profile bands he sang for before going solo: Charanga Habanera, NG La Banda, and Pupy Y Los Que Son Son. He's made for this stuff. With bassist Pedro Pablo, conguero Yosvanlys Perez Herrera, trumpeter Frank Padron, trombonist Ulises Benavides, sax player Orestes Valido and others. Highly Recommended. (BP) Timba's young genius comes up with another masterpiece of modern Cuban dance music. On track after track Duarte, a singer, composer and pianist, exposes his version of modern timba. Duarte worked with both Charanga Habanera and Pupy - the two best working bands in Cuba today - and it shows with brilliant choice after choice in coros, tumbaos, the mixture of singing and a type of rapping, the breakdowns, Duarte's own pitch specific singing, and on and on. Lots of street wisdom, bitter harmonies at times, and a wide range of rhythms; it's music that brings so much to the table it's a paradigm for modern dance music, one that subverts the idea that dance music is limited. Highly Recommended. (Peter Watrous)
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EditorsPick: Richard Egües (1924-2006), known for his long tenure with Orquesta Aragón, is considered by many to have been the finest flautist of Cuban popular music of all time. This cd, presumably his final project, is a descarga session full of improvisations and rich Cuban dance rhythms that features musicians that can also be considered legendary. Among them are pianist Ruben Gonzalez, bassist Orlando Lopez (Cachaito), percussionists Blas Egues and Guido Sarria, violinists Pedro Hernandez and Eneldo Sanchez, viola player Jorge Padilla and others. In the classic sense of traditional Cuban descargas, many of the tracks start off as sweet danzons that slowly build towards harder swinging jam sessions. With the participation of vocalists Jose (Pepe) Olmo and Javier Olmo. Includes a bonus DVD disk that features the fascinating documentary "Suena La Flauta Richard" produced by Guillermo Piñeyro Álvarez and narrated by Egües daughter, Gladys. Descargando con... is an eventual classic that should not be missed. Very Highly Recommended. (BP)
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EditorsPick: Here it is: the first great Puerto Rican recording of the year. From the first notes of the first track you can hear a great tempo, tons of energy and fantastic singing and arrangements. This is the sort of music you hear live, but rarely hear on recordings; it's that vital, full of dance floor energy, driving coros and great playing. The musicians, some of the best to be found in Puerto Rico include William Thompson on congas, Tito De Gracia on timbales, Pedro Pérez on bass, Willie Sotelo on the keyboards - and as producer, pretty much guaranteeing a hot rod project. It has that baritone sound to the arrangements; the music's beautiful and thick and humid. It's also fast - this stuff is perfect for the dancefloor and the radio. It's the sort of thing you want to keep you awake, driving long distances. Listen how the band and the singers (actually Papo Sanchez singing) blow open "El Viernes Social" with long, percussive improvisations in between tight, explosive coros. Or how on "La Mitad," Jerry Medina pounds out the melody. It's nothing short of amazing. This music to live with. Highly Recommended, and a gust of light and fresh air. (Peter Watrous)
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EditorsPick: Limited quantities! Back in stock! Incredibly, Salsoul has recently discontinued their line of superb Latin reissues from the '70s. This classic is one of the more important casualties to take note of. We have a limited supply of this gem and, unless another label picks it up, once it's gone, it's gone. It is a must-have for your collection -- an important piece of Latin music history. An absolute classic, virtually impossible to find in its original double LP format (both LPs make up this single CD). Some consider these sessions, which are some of the finest examples of Afro-Cuban and Afro-Puerto Rican artistry, to be the embryo of Conjunto Libre. Manny Oquendo, Andy and Jerry Gonzalez, all Libre veterans, are central to this production. Those looking for this release were waiting for years for it to be reissued on CD. Well here it is. It's thrilling, it's lovely, and, it's a must have. Highly recommended. (BP)
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EditorsPick: In celebration of its ten years as the premier salsa dance instructional, Eddie Torres Teaches Salsa Nightclub Style has just been released as a 2-DVD set. As one of salsa's first professionally produced dance instructionals, this package created quite a stir when originally released on video in 1995. Now, a decade later, this much sought after learning tool is made even better with its availability in convenient, crisp, DVD form. This 2 DVD set will equip you with all of the necessary elements to help turn you in to the dancer you always wanted to be. Eddie and his crew of top-notch dancers reveal all the secrets of his award winning dancing technique. Mr. Torres is an articulate, enthusiastic, and nuanced teacher who exudes style. On these DVDs the couples demonstrate their moves together, and afterward the ladies and mens parts are detailed separately. There is, thankfully, a picture-within-a-picture close-up of the dancer's feet that appears in the lower right corner of the screen. Eddie Torres' technique is well thought out, and scripted here — with the help of producer Tony Shor — with a directness that makes it seem simple. The featured dancers are Janice Bruno, Argelio Diaz, Glenda Heffer, Angel Ortiz, Mati Portes, Delille Thomas, Eddie Torres, and Deplessey-Monic Walker.
This production features instructional music by Oscar Hernández (with Eddie Montalvo on congas), and the second DVD concludes with a sizzling performance as Eddie and his troupe dance to the explosive sounds of Tito Puente ("Fiesta A La King" and "Mambo Gozon") in a simulated dance club setting. Eddie Torres Teaches Salsa Nightclub Style is still the instructional set against which all others are measured. Whether you are a beginner, intermediate or advanced dancer and just want to brush up on your style, this one, folks, is a must-have. [NTSC All zones]
Very Highly Recommended. (BP, 2005-08-22)
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EditorsPick: High impact uptempo salsa direct from Puerto Rico. Sammy Garcia just may be the most widely sought after session conguero in our database. This guy has played with just about everybody: Willie Colón, Conjunto Clasico, Grupo Niche, Michael Stuart, Luis "Perico" Ortiz, Ismael Miranda, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Sonora Ponceña, etc., etc., etc. And Por Buen Camino is full of bright, catchy hooks and brimming with capitol "S" Salsa dance rhythm - it's perfect for your next party or the dance club. Zero filler, each track is a fistful of salsa dancing bliss. Check out "Amor Despiadado" - play it loud and check your heart rate. With the singers Wilfredo Colón and Joselito Hernandez. Produced in conjunction with Diego Gale's Salsa Power studios. Highly recommended. (BP)
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EditorsPick: Here's the ultimate collection of material from the Cuban singer. Include the tracks "Yo Soy El Punto Cubano," "Que Viva Chango," "Camina Y Ven," "Guateque Campesino," "Por La Loma Pa' Arriba," and many others. Thirty-two tracks in all. Highly Recommended. (BP)
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EditorsPick: Back in stock! In what might possibly be the finest text in English exclusively about Afro-Cuban Santeria, Katherine J. Hagedorn had thoroughly explored "the enduring cultural and spiritual power of the music of Afro-Cuban Santeria and the process by which it has been transformed for a secular audience." Includes an audio CD with examples of twenty songs to the orishas, or Afro-Cuban deities, performed by prominent musicians, including Lázaro Ros, Francisco Aguabella, Alberto Villareal, and Zenaida Armenteros. 296 pages, includes audio CD. Highly Recommended. (BP)
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EditorsPick: Wow! Here's a fully loaded arsenal of salsa fuerza that attacks the dance floor from every angle. Produced by salsa veteran Julio "Gunda" Merced in Puerto Rico, Entre La Noche y El Dia is singer Pedro Jesus' fifth offering, and he continues to demonstrate the brilliant power of the medium. This is dance inducing salsa at its infectious best. Songs like "No Puedo Olvidarla" and "Hoy Me He Vuelto A Enamorar," tumbao-packed grenades, will get them dancing. But once there, it's tracks like the insanely potent "No Me Interesas" that will keep them there. This track, written by Mr. Jesus, is the jewel in the crown. And the finale, "La De Los Ojitos Negros," features guest La Hill who provides a pseudo urban feel framed by a boogaloo jam. It's an adventurous stretch that works perfectly here. Features Luis Marin in piano, conguero William "Cachiro" Thompson, trumpeter Angie Machado and others. Three trumpets, three trombones. And a coro section that filled out by Papo Sanchez, Primi Cruz, Darvel Garcia, and Jose "Chegui" Ramos. DJ Alert. Very Highly Recommended. (BP)
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EditorsPick: Lapidus, a tres and guitar player, has been an intelligent, talented addition to the Afro Caribbean world for a few decades, and his newest project shows why. The tresero has been important in the exploration of the Jewish communities around the Americas, and his new recording is, as he puts it, "an imaginary creation that envisions a syncretic Spanish Caribbean Jewish Liturgical music." So on the first track he has a traditional Jewish tune sung in Ladino, over a bomba from Puerto Rico. There are a ton of Jewish traditional songs, plus a few originals by Lapidus, all done in a son style. It's totally amiable music, well played, and well felt. Highly Recommended. (Peter Watrous)
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EditorsPick: Here is the definitive collection of the masterful Cuban composer and pianist. The 2-cd set features thirty-seven compositions including such classics like "La Comparsa," "Malagueña," "Siboney," "Danza Lucumí," "Noche Azul," " Malageuña," and "Andalucia." Highly Recommended. (BP)
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EditorsPick: Now this is cool. Here's a compilation of rare material by the Peruvian pianist, arranger and composer Alfredo Linares who, according to John Child, "...initially made his mark in the early '70s with the quirky hits "Tiahuanaco" and "Mambo Rock" [both included in this compilation - Ed.]. He has made a string of albums as a leader that have become rare collectors items. Linares relocated to Venezuela in the late '70s, where, among other things, he produced an album for Grupo Mango, arranged for Salsa Mayor (Oscar D'León's former band) and Mango's ex-vocalist Joe Ruiz, and made the album Alfredito y sus Estrellas. Linares took-up residence in Colombia in the mid-1980s, where he worked on recordings with Piper Pimienta, Los Del Caney, Conjunto Renacer, Grupo Calima, La Cali Charanga, Lucho Puerto Rico, Conjunto Son del Barrio, Orquesta Matecaña, Daisy and Grupo Los Conquistadores." It's all swanky, driven, and full of fine, fine Latin dance grooves. Highly Recommended. (BP)
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EditorsPick: Compilation of vintage hits by the Peruvian bandleader and pianist. Includes "Tumba La Caña," "Lluvia Con Nieve," "Besito De Coco," "Mambo Borracho" and others. Wonderful. Highly Recommended. (BP)
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EditorsPick: In the vein of the great Cuban orchestras like those of Miguelito Valdés, Rolando La Serie, Pupi Campo, and Peréz Prado, here's a terrific compilation of material by the Peruvian pianist pianist-composer and bandleader Lucho Macedo. Althought the documentation is minimal at best, I would guess that the bulk of the material derives from the '50s and '60s. With the fiery "Yo No Bailo Con Juana," "Compay Lobo," "Sabor A Mi," "Caramelo," "Ave Maria Lola" and many others. With Rosita Negreiros, Cesar Gonzalez and Manolo Castro. Rare material, and Highly Recommended. (BP)
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EditorsPick: Very Limited Quantities! What a nice compilation of dance material from Boncana Maiga, flautist and vocalist form Mali. With the help some of New York's finest musicians like Manny Oquendo, Jerry Gonzales, Chombo Silva, Orestes Vilato, Oscar Hernández, Alfredo Valdés Jr., Barry Rogers, Alfredo De La Fé and many others, Maiga manages to tap into the heart and soul of rootsy Afro-Cuban flute and tres tinged salsa and charanga. Late seventies, early eighties I assume? Also with Felo Barrios on vocals; there is some wonderful material here. Highly recommended. (BP)
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EditorsPick: What a great little project of tasty salsafied mambos, cha cha chás and jazzy charangas. The band interprets covers like Rafael Hernandez' "Cachita," and "El Cumbanchero," "Noro Morales"Maria Cervantes, Miguel Matamoros' "Lágrimas Negras," Mark Levine's "Serengeti" and the Africando classic, hard driving, "Yay Boy" composed by Pap Seck. "Long Island based Mambo Loco has been together for four years. Larry Belford, conga and lead vocal, has performed with The Bad Street Boys, Grupo Facinacion, Johnny Pacheco, Charlie Rodriguez, Celia Cruz and Tito Puente. On keyboards, melodica and vocals, Berklee graduate Bill Smith performed with Monty Alexander, Blood Sweat & Tears, and Dr. John. Puerto Rico native Alfredo Gonzalez on trombone, violin, percussion and vocals, was a member of Orquesta Mulenze, and in NYC performed with Manny Oquendo y Conjunto Libre. Berklee alumnus and band leader Wayne Burgess (bass and vocals) is a longtime pro who has performed with The Drifters, The Coasters, Johnny Martinez Orquesta and Billy Ekstine. Mambo Loco performs an impressive array of Latin classics which originated in Puerto Rico and Cuba during the golden age of the 1940s to the 1960s. The rhythms run the gamut from danzon and bolero to guajira and mambo." Also with sax players Julie Bluestone, John Pinto, and Mark Gatz (also flute), and violinist Steve Shaugnessy. A whole lot of fun, highly danceable and... Highly recommended. (BP)
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EditorsPick: Ismael Miranda is one of the few former Fania All Stars who has been able to transcend the '70s and go on to produce vital and modern salsa for a new generation. Now he shows how Salsa Espiritual should be done. Christianity and salsa have mixed in the past, most notably by Richie Ray and Bobby Cruz. But while religious subject matter has, at times, added extra weight to an otherwise fine salsa session, Miranda's Buscando El Camino is a power-packed salsa album with a fire that is actually fortified by his spirituality. The record features several compositions by Victor Manuel as well as other heavy hitters. Produced, in part, by Diego Galé the entire session oozes with the vitality and urgency that only a Galé project can imbue. Careful, tracks like "A Que Se Te Quita" and "Como El Águila" are so darn powerful that countless religious conversions are inevitable. With Sammy Garcia on congas, bongocero Richie Bastar, tresero Luis Garcia, trombonist Morist Jiménez and Galé on percussion, too. And feel the pure force of this coro section: Darvel Garcia, José Luis "Chegui" Ramos, Wichie Camacho and Juan José. Highly Recommended. (BP)
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EditorsPick: Ah, Haila. One of the great pleasures of the Caribbean, an iron-voiced singer whose clarity, invention and distinction make her the best candidate for Celia Cruz's old position as the Best Female Singer in Afro Cuban Music. As the real lead singer of Azucar Negra, she was a hard-assed, tough improviser, a position she mostly took on her own sometimes-uneven records. Along comes David Calzado, who as a leader of Charanga Habanera has put out some of the best music Cuban music ever recorded (and continues to do so; listen to the last two Charanga recordings) to produce her newest recording. And uh, well, it's half good, Tal Como Soy being part pop, and part dance music. Go back to Charanga Habanera's pop project, Light, to understand; lots of acoustic guitar and emotionalism. On the tracks that do rock, "Soy Tuya," "Una Loca Como Yo," you get the idea that what should have happened - and what gets hinted at - is a Haila/Charanga Habanera project; hell, they could even do older Charanga tunes, and she could rip it up. She's one of the few woman singers I've heard in Cuba that can shout back at Charanga, handle that extraordinary explosion of ability and rhythmic fervor. And some of it's there on Tal Como Soy, on half the tracks, and even then, not all the time. Too bad. Half Highly Recommended. (Peter Watrous)
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EditorsPick: If you are getting tired of the vocals and repetitive arrangements in your salsa collection, turn to the dynamic duo of Japanese pianist Chiemi Nakai and French percussionist Emmanuel “Manu” Bizeau for a fresh look at our music. Bridges is a really solid Latin jazz album with some great performances and a pleasing, clean sound overall. The Zen quality of complexity in simplicity is evident throughout, and each musician gets a chance to shine in an uncluttered environment provided by Nakai and Bizeau. Chiemi is a master of her instrument and can play mellow or extremely hot; she has played with members of Orquesta de la Luz in Japan, and joined Jimmy Bosch’s big band on tour in Europe in 2002. Playing Latin piano since 1993 in her native Osaka, Nakai came to the U.S. in 2000 to enter the Aaron Copeland School of Music at Queens College to study big band jazz arrangement under Michael Phillip Mossman and take lessons with Sir Roland Hanna. She graduated fromQueens College with an M.A. in Jazz Performance in 2002. Currently active on the New York scene, she is joined on this date by some heavy hitters, friends with whom she has performed in the past: multi-talented Cuban singer songwriter Juan Carlos Formell, the incredible Richie Flores on timbales and bongos, Carlos Del Pino on bass, Marvin Diz (on a withering timbales solo), the seriously talented Jimmy Bosch, and Roberto Pitre on flute, to name a few. Sultry singer Mari Koga adds her winsome vocals to the contemplative jazz-bolero “The Moon On The Water,” accompanied by some outstanding bass playing by Noriko Ueda. A particular favorite is the funky “Más y Más” where my man Jimmy Bosch blows some sabroso ‘bone – my only quibble is the fade. On the standout track “The Flying Grey Cat,” Manu Bizeau’s itolete batá drum is joined by Jerome Goldschmit on iya and okonkolo, and Formell plays some very expressive and Yoruba-inspired bass. Quite mesmerizing and joyful. Manu, a leader in his own right for the band Grupo Omelenko, keeps the percussion snappy and authentic throughout, with a fiery rolling bata/conga solo featured during a tasty take on the Pedro Flores chestnut “Obsessión.” As a younger man Bizeau followed his Latin muse and traveled to Cuba to dedicate his life to el tambor, learning from the likes of José Luis “Changuito” Quintana as well as Alberto Villareal of Conjunto Folklorico Nacional de Cuba. He went on to play in Europe and South America with Yuri Buenaventura, Azuquita, Miguel “Angá” Díaz, and Afredo Rodríguez. Bridges seems like a match made in heaven, outlining the percussive and melodic connections that form a bridge between the piano and the drum, instruments that share African roots. Highly Recommended. (Pablo Yglesias)
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EditorsPick: Jose Negroni, the pianist, joins up with his son Nomar on drums, to work through highly ornate compositions, mostly by him. They're helped by Alex Acuña on cajon, Marco Panascia on bass, Quique Domenech on cuatro and Maria Nahima, a singer. This stuff's intricately arranged, and often quite beautiful, and always sophisticated. It's Latin jazz, I guess, or some variant thereof, and not meant to be explosive or overly improvised. It's super elegant. Highly Recommended. (Peter Watrous)
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EditorsPick: The percussionist who leads the band, Gerardo Rosales, is from Venezuela and Amsterdam, and he's put together a session that looks to New York and salsa (and boogaloo) for its inspiration - another example of how boogaloo has been percolating around the world, and showing up on a bunch of new recordings. Anyway, this is totally unpretentious dance music. Rosales is a historian, and included on the album is a tribute to Joey Pastrana, plus a rap in English about New York boogaloo and more. It has swing, and it works. Highly Recommended. (Peter Watrous)
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EditorsPick: Do you like classic jams from the golden age of Nuyorican salsa dura? As you can see from the cover art, so does orchestra leader, vocalist, and composer Jesús Pagan, and for his first album as a solo act and leader, he has assembled a fabulous team of ace musicians and top arrangers for your listening and dancing pleasure. Every tune on here is a bonafide salsa scorcher, hot and heavy - and written by Jesus himself. Though some of the compositions feature romantic lyrics, there is NO salsa monga - that is, no sappy romantic pop - every jam on here has plenty of moña, tumbao, and mambo to it. The brass arrangements are exceptionally well done, by Ray González, Hector 'Maximo' Rodriguez, Joe Velez and Lucho Cueto. Check out the dynamics on track 7, 'La Rumba Se Pone Buena,' and prepare for a dance meltdown. Pagan, who is from Ponce and is based in Massachussets, is joined by some East Coast heavies - Eddie Montalvo, Luisito Quintero, and Jorge González form the rhythm section; Hector Rodriguez & Ray Castro are on coro, Lucho Cueto plays a mean piano, and there are horns galore, with blasting trombones by Joe Fiedler and 1st & 2nd trumpets by the talented Richie Viruet. And, as an added salsa brava touch, there is even some great baritone work by Carl Corwin! To top it all off, Jesus sings with a warm classic tone, calling to mind everyone from Chamaco Ramirez to Victor Manuelle. With so much sabor and authentic feeling on this long playing album, I'm sure you will agree this is a killer collection - salsa de la mata! Highly Recommended. (Pablo Yglesias)
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EditorsPick: Poleo, a conguero from Venezuela comes out with his fourth recording, and it's a beast of a salsa project. The conguero has spent years in Paris, fronting a band from all over the place; Curate takes him back to Venezuela, and joins him up with Changuito and "El Negro" Hernandez. Oscar D'Leon sings a bit too, and the whole thing is hard salsa, with an international overlay, glittering with bits from Cuba, Puerto Rico and Venezuela. In that sense the project is futuristic, suggesting that the Caribbean is a diaspora. There are elements of bata drumming, and good singing, and fantastic arrangements for the horns and the rhythm section; the Venezuelan arranger Alfredo Naranjo helps out. The rhythm section breaks up time beautifully, and the whole project just swings and swings and you want it to last all night. Another great recording from the Venezuelan/New York label Cacao. Highly Recommended. (Peter Watrous)
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EditorsPick: Just in! Volume II DVD & CD package of the legendary Sonora Ponceña's 50th anniversary concert at the jam-packed Coliseo Rubén Rodríguez de Bayamón, Puerto Rico. Recorded in February 2004, this is a well-produced multi-camera presentation featuring the Ponceña big band led by maestro Papo Lucca. With singers Héctor "Pichie" Pérez, Fernando "Wito" Colon, José Alberto "El Canario", and Danny Davila . On Volume I, the show included some pretty impressive on-stage salsa dancing by a young troupe, as well as some very special appearances by bassist Bobby Valentin, trumpeter Luis "Luisito" Aquino and pianist Lenny Prieto. We'll apprise you with details of Vol. II shortly. Review to follow shortly. Very Highly Recommended. (BP)
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EditorsPick: Damn, I want another hundred recordings like this. Pozo, a distant relative of Chano, is a mean, mean conga player, and this recording puts him in front of a heavy dance band, one that on "Auxilio, Socorro," a comparsa styled tune, has the band playing in a few tempos at the same time. The recording has Pozo, who runs a rumba band as well, mixed way up, and his sound is beautiful, and his swing just makes you want to get up and dance. On "Cayo Hueso Con Armonia," Pozo takes a rumba and adds piano and bass, and it's about as beautiful as Cuban music gets, flexible and deep, some sort of a meeting of the John Coltrane quartet and the rumba. Good singing, great grooves; lot of people try this, and don't get it. An instant classic. Highly Recommended. (Peter Watrous)
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EditorsPick: Miami's own son group comes up with a beautiful, long-distance affair. By long distance I mean that you want it to go and keep on going, the groove is so delicious. The session is a descarga, and the band, which in its expanded size now sounds like a mainstream salsa orchestra, just swings and swings, and the solos, especially by the pianist Michel Fragoso, expand the music, taking it into the 21st century. And that's the crux of the matter here: while this is a son group, and the material (check out the depth of swing on Maracaibo Oriental) dates back to the last century, the conception is different, modern, the tempos and the improvisations suggesting knowledge and modernity. Really good stuff, and clearly a party I'd like to attend. And I'd like to hear them do some writing, and stretch out in a way they're clearly able to do. Highly Recommended. (Peter Watrous)
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EditorsPick: Asencio, known as Tio Tom, was one of the more important musicians of the Cuban 20th century, born in 1919 and dying in 1991. He composed reams of rumbas full of humor and intelligence and verbal ingenuity, all brimming with street knowledge. He was taken to the cleaners by people more able to negotiate the copyright system, but a few decades ago musicians started putting his name back on compositions that had been claimed by others. And here's a tribute to his music, produced by René López, the famed musicologist/historian/producer and recorded in Havana, played by a pile of great rumberos, including Orlando Puntilla Rios. He's joined by Ernesto Gatel, Geovani del Pino, Juan Campos Cardenas, Miguel Chapotin, and more on vocals. Maximino Duquesne, Marcos Dias Scull, Mario Jauregui Francis and others are all on percussion. This is cool, cool, rumba, the percussion well-arranged, the coros precise and heartbreakingly beautiful. I like the fact that a Cuban music recording has been released on the Smithsonian Institution's own label. Highly Recommended. (Peter Watrous)
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EditorsPick: Here are fantastic sessions that feature the late conguero Tatá Güines... The late 1950s brought us the infamous jam sessions, or Descargas, led by bassist Israel Lopez. The last few years Cachao has finally enjoyed the notoriety and respect that he justly deserves -- is contribution is immense. However, there were other jam sessions taking place in the late '50s, led by other bandleaders. Originally, Panart records released a series of these historically significant sessions. Tres player Niño Rivera, was one of the other bandleaders, recorded by Panart, who was able to create the necessary environment that gave birth to some of the most amazing Afro-Cuban jam sessions on record. Using many of the same musicians as Cachao, including Tatá Güines on congas, Peruchin on piano and Negro Vivar on trumpet, Niño Rivera created, what some may argue, the finest, most exhilarating jam Descargas of that era. What a pleasure to cue up "Montuno con Swing" and find crystal clarity in reproduction. Each track is a gem. This one, folks, is a must have. Highly recommended. Repeat...Highly recommended. (BP)
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EditorsPick: As one might imagine from an all-star powered project, the recording just doesn't stop handing out good things. Albita joins with Rey Ruiz and Donato Poveda (Willy Chirino's in there, too) for music that takes its direction from the almighty son Cubano, with detours into classic big band dance music. There's a theme here, that each tune takes on a place in Cuba, and that allows the three singers to stretch out on the great traditional tunes like Marianao and Santa Isabel de Las Lajas, along with new material. The band includes Omar Hernandez on bass and Omar Hernandez Jr. on piano, Ed Calle on saxophone, Eduardo Rodriguez on percussion and more. There's a lot of variety here, including the tune "Hermosa Habana," featuring a vocal choir that has a lot to do with Vocal Sampling; it's amazingly beautiful. There's great singing here, and often enough the singers trade the lead; it's all perfectly executed, perfectly sung, with passion and a surplus of ability. An achievement, masked in casual friendly, even nostalgic music. Highly Recommended. (Peter Watrous)
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EditorsPick: Here's a nice surprise: It's a beautiful and danceable Latin jazz release by veteran pianist Willie Rodriguez. Rodriguez, the pianist for the Johnny Pacheco Orchestra, leads an ensemble that plays regularly at Willie's Steak House in the Bronx. This steamy, intimate and heartfelt live session is packed with drive and sabor. The band is made up of Rodriguez' long standing rhythm section: percussionists Rolland Guerrero and Richie Melo, Andy Gonzalez on bass, timbalero Nicky Marrero and, guesting on this session, Dave Valentin joins in on flute. They play some covers like "Green Dolphin Street," "Sabor a Mi" and "Lamento Borincano" in addition to original tracks like Rodriguez' own "Meet Me at Willie's." Listen to Marrero make his timbales sing on that track. Willie's Steak House, Live! is very well recorded, keeping that up-close and personal feel, and makes me pine for those days when New York City was full of clubs that hosted real players like these. A total pleasure. Highly Recommended. (BP)
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EditorsPick: Back in stock! Tempestad starts out just right: Saa singing against percussion, as if to say that he's not going to fool around with pop salsa. And the record bears Saa out; Saa, one of the lead singers of the Colombian band Grupo Niche, settles immediately into a great groove. At its best Tempestad gets the sort of explosive power of a classic Willie Rosario recording; the comparison doesn't end there, either. Saa's harnessed the horn power of the best of the Puerto Rican bands, using a heavy baritone sound to build a foundation for the trombones and trumpets. Saa pushes his voice to its limits, sounding a bit like a younger Tito Rojas, and the tempos never rush, always taking their time. The tunes have an all night swing to them, with good, melodic coros; this is manna for club D.J.s; it'll keep a club moving till the sun comes up. Highly Recommended. (Peter Watrous)
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EditorsPick: Take the tasty, hard-driving piano playing and earthy direction of Ray Santiago, add the seasoned voice of Julian Llanos [who sang with the likes of Arsenio Rodríguez, Cortijo, and Héctor Rivera] and you get a gritty, very New York Latin dance and jam band that could go all night. Ray is not afraid to mix it up, offering unexpected tempos and montuno variations. Listen to his near turbulent treatment of the standard "Besame Mucho" as it morphs into a jazzy descarga. In fact, most of Santiago's arrangements bear, at the very least, the suggestion of going descarga on you. Here are musicians who are trained to think on their toes, and, if the stars are aligned just right, the swing goes where it takes them. Listen to it happen on "Amparame," and on "Oya Diosa" too. There's almost a Senegalese feel to "Lucha Por lo Tuyo," the opening track, what with its extended montuno, gritty sax and luxurious electric guitar (Frank Morin) riffs. There was a time when, on any given Friday night, you might stumble upon small clubs featuring bands like Conjunto Libre, The Fort Apache Band, Cruz Control, or Wayne Gorbea. Ray Santiago's band fit right into that scenario. He exudes the best of what was more common back in the day, mixing up the colors of Puerto Rico, Cuba, Africa and the diaspora with nuances of jazz and improvisation. This is true, rootsy, down-home New York Latin club music. With Kenneth Burney (congas), Nelson Burgos (bongo, percussion), Wataru Ochida (Saxophone), Yagil Barras (bass), Steve Gluzband (trumpet) and others. Highly Recommended. (BP)
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EditorsPick: Now here's a recording to hang out with, a descarga featuring the saxophonist Chombo Silva, recorded in 1971 in Panama, and reissued by some Japanese fellows. It's fascinating to hear how Silva makes sense of the dueling traditions of jazz and Latin music as he slips in and out of montunos. He's backed by Carlos Zulueta on piano, the trumpeter Rafael Labasta, the drums of Dr. Cedeño, congas by Tomas Plomo Espinosa, bongo by Santiago Labastid and the bass of Luis Freddy Anglin. It's as it appears, a hard rocking descarga by a small group of talented musicians. The tunes include the jazz standards "Invitation," and "Here's That Rainy Day," along with "Lamento Borincano" and "A Noro Morales." Highly Recommended. (Peter Watrous)
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EditorsPick: Back in stock! Son Boricua is back with a superb dance record that pays homage to some classic hits of the '60s including Eddie Palmieri's "Muñeca," Héctor Rivera's "At The Party," and Jimmy Sabater's own "A Las Seis." Mr. Sabater, one of Son Boricua's two fine vocalists -- José Mangual, Jr. is the other -- outdoes his original with this sparkling version. With their distinctive vibe-based sound, Son Boricua has created yet another party-ready dance record that should not be missed. With Papo Pepin, Ray Martinez, J.R. Hiram De Jesus, Ada Chabrier and others... Highly recommended. (BP)
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EditorsPick: Back in stock! Son Boricua returns with a beautiful second release dedicated to collaborative Puerto Rican legends Rafael Cortijo and Ismael "Maelo" Rivera. This vibe-based band cooks whether interpreting the classics or performing new material. Terrific vocals by Jimmy Sabater and Ada Chabrier. With José Mangual Jr., Papo Pepin, Eddie Montalvo, Hiram De Jesús, Frankie Morales and others... Highly Recommended. (BP)
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EditorsPick: Back in stock! Led by percussionist Jose Mangual Jr., this is a nice danceable vibe-based salsa featuring some of New York's best. With Jimmy Sabater, Frankie Morales, Papo Pepin, Ruben Rodriguez, Sonny Rivera, Lucho Cueto and many others. Highly Recommended. (BP)
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EditorsPick: They came roaring in from Costa Rica, riding a hard sound - a band that has backed Ruben Blades - and it all sounded good, with coros chopping away at the time, and the singer rising through the blows of the coro and the horns, the percussion slapping away, like wood hitting wood. And from Costa Rica they were, Son de Tikizia, a hot little salsa outfit that has no fear of strange stuff, like using computerized voices on a tune, or on "No me Importa" overdubbing the lead singer's voice, and manipulating it, and having the whole tune be like a sample, just a short fragment. Or playing a bit of Bach counterpoint against the rhythm section. Or on "Me Quite Las Vendas," laying down some 12 cylinder, salsa dura with shout outs to Johnny Pacheco and Pete "El Conde Rodriguez." At times experimental, and always grooving and right. This stuff's very, very cool, and very achieved. Highly Recommended, on the condition that the band does even more experimenting next time around. (Peter Watrous)
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EditorsPick: This radiates joy from the get-go, a project from a great Colombian band (well, based in Miami, with musicians from all over the world) that merges the power of Fania era salsa with modern Colombian blast-off swing. Great singing, cool nasal coros, Colombian style, great band, good material, including a medley of Hector Lavoe's "La Murga" and "Che Che Cole," plus classic tunes like "Nadie Se Salva da La Rumba," and a bunch of originals. This is letter perfect salsa, no mistakes, no bad tempos, no intonation problems; everything's for dance euphoria, percussion slapping away, the coros accentuating the proceedings, the singer winding his way through the backdrops, everything coming together in a non-stop festival. Put this one on, wash away the blues. Highly Recommended. (Peter Watrous)
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EditorsPick: It's in! The highly anticipated new project by the veteran bassist has the earmarks of a classic. Valentin knows exactly who he is and where he came from, at ease taking on past gems in a manner that is neither nostalgic or kitsch: with a purity of vision he makes them his own. With Evolution, an apt title indeed, he has produced one of the most intriguing and well-balanced salsa records I have heard in a long time: a class act that's smart, stylish, and packed with four decades of salsa know-how. The former Fania All Star brought in some special friends like Ray De La Paz, Luis Marin and Paoli Mejias to help give life to some savory new compositions and a crop of exemplary cover renditions like Silvestre Mendez' "Clotide," Enrique Bonnet's "Que Me Digan Feo" and Roberto Anglero's "Hace Tiempo Que Te Estoy Mirando." Valentin's singers, Julio Lopez and Kriptony Texeira, are both high caliber performers. Check out Lopez' vocal prowess on "El Doña Bella," the Raul Marerro composition. And Texeira does complete justice to Bobby Capo's "El Cucú." But there's no denying the excitement generated by any project that includes Ray De La Paz. This guy throws fireballs left and right, and the two Gino Melendez tracks he sings are clearly highlights on Evolution. The top notch band also features pianists Lenny Prieto and José Lugo, trumpeters Angie Machado and Julio Alvarado, bone player Eliut Cintron, and a coro section that boasts Luisito Carrión, Pichi Pérez, Chewi Ramos, Janira Torres, and Nino Segarra. There are invited guests, too: the singer Giselle and guitarist (and New York Yankee) Bernie Williams. The CD is so good I almost forgot to mention the DVD. (What you get is a special 2-sided disk with the audio CD on one side and the DVD on the other.) The DVD is a wonderfully produced and finely edited window into the recording sessions of Evolution. There are four complete tracks including Ray De De La Paz' blistering take on "¿A Que Se Debe?" and a Giselle's sultry and *very* sexy interpretation of Rafael Blanco Suazo's classic "Si-Si, No-No," made famous by Machito and Graciela. It's a killer not to be missed. Again, with Evolution, a new classic is born. Very Highly Recommended. (BP)
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EditorsPick: Finally, a superb quality DVD concert performance befitting the legacy of Juan Formell y Los Van Van. And what a legacy! Formell and his crew have been churning out major hits with infectious hooks for four decades. They're, in large part, responsible for the "new" Cuban sound of popular music, combining salsa with songo and inevitably enabling the advent of timba. That, folks, is no small feat. This performance, at the Teatro Karl Marx in Havana, had the packed-to-capacity crowed riveted and mouthing every word along with the singers Mario "Mayito" Rivera, Roberto Hernandez - who breaks the show in with a sizzling "Chapeando," Yenisel Valdes and Abdel Rasalps. "Que No, Que No," "El Baile del Buey Cansa'o," "Sandunguera" and "El Negro Está Cocinando" are a few of what is in store. There is something magical about a band that can attract people of such an extreme range of ages, and the staying-power of Formell's hits is palpable. Like the diversity of folks who shared an unlikely vision in Close Encounters of the Third Kind, they all gathered, drawn helplessly to Los Van Van -- completely mesmerized by the two hours of non-stop, highly charged rhythm. Contemporary Cuban music just doesn't get better than this. And when Pedito Calvo, Cesar "Pupy" Pedroso and Changuito, all former Van Van superstars, hit the stage a bit later in the show, the excitement level rose yet further. Calvo does a remarkable rendition of the early Van Van hit "Marilú," and the electric guitar work of Elmer Ferrer is both intense and beautiful. Samuel Formell, Juan's son and heir to the throne, does a pretty spectacular job on the drums. He is not to be underestimated. There are also guests, like the tresero Pancho Amat, flautist Orlando Canto, and singers Mario Valdes and Armandito Cuervo. The concert is brought to a close with a fissure inducing "Somos Cubanos." The audience felt it deeply, and glowed. I could be mistaken, but there appears to be a disproportionate quantity of gorgeous, highly gyrating, women in the first five rows. By far, Aquí El Que Baila Gana is the finest DVD concert by this venerable band. For those of you who have dreamed of a truly pristine quality Van Van DVD, your wait is over. Comes with two audio cds as well. Very Highly Recommended. (BP)
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EditorsPick: The trombonist Vasquez moved a big band into the Painted Bride Art Center in Philadelphia in March of last year, and put together a recording that offers a blueprint for some of the possibilities in the mash up of jazz and Latin music. Vasquez, who spent years with Batacumble, called on some local talent, too, including the tenor saxophonist Willie Weeks; the solos cruise through the music, harmonically sophisticated and very, very cool. Vasquez has been a big proponent of Afro Puerto Rican music, and the orchestra gets into bombas and plenas, helped by the percussionists Anthony Carrillo, Juan Gutierrez and Camilo Molina; the great John Benitez holds down the bass. At times there's a Mingus-like insistence to the music; check out "Blue Ray" and, surprisingly, "Pa' Mingus." Mingus would have liked Vasquez, who can make the trombone talk. A major piece of work. Highly Recommended. (Peter Watrous)
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EditorsPick: If anyone doubted the genius being produced in New York by the meeting between exile Cuban jazz musicians and their North American brethren, they'd only have to check out Villafranca's new album. With Dafnis Prieto on drums for most of the tracks, and Eric Alexander on saxophone, and Villafranca in between on piano, the music has to work, and it does. This is enlightened, modern jazz, the sort of thing that's become almost common around here, the sort of music that sets the standard for the rest of the world. Villafranca's into the Blue Note experimentalism of the 1960s, and suggestions of Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock waft through the music; it's all original music, including a suite dedicated to the Afro Cuban god Oddua (which features some pretty blow-out piano improvising). Yosvany Terry shows up on a few tracks; the bassist is Jeff Carney. Highly Recommended. (Peter Watrous)
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EditorsPick: Rock en Espanol, from Cuba, which is news in itself. Not a bad band, either, one that draws on all sorts of sources, including Manu Chao, and all the forgotten reggae-esque groups, plus a touch of big band horn writing etc., etc. Nice Dvd comes with the package, that features a bunch of their videos and a documentary. It's nicely melodic, and sometimes rockish, and the lead singer has the rhythmic accuracy one might expect, so the phrases have some nice sharpness and shape to them. Highly Recommended. (Peter Watrous)
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EditorsPick: Back in stock! This is a reissue of the terrific straight-up salsa release from the early '90s on TTH entitled "Como Nunca." This one, however, has two additional tracks that the original release didn't. Features a wealth of New York talent: Oscar Hernandez, Louie Ramirez, Isidro Infante, Sergio George, Adalberto Sanitago, Papo Pepin, Ralph Irizarry, Bobby Allende, Adalberto Santiago, Jose Mangual Jr., Tito Allen, Chris Washburn, Sam Burtis and on and on. What could be bad? Highly Recommended. (BP)
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EditorsPick: iASO Records' Bachata Roja is the first ever compilation of classic Dominican bachata. From the early 1960's to the late 1980's the legendary voices of Eladio Romero Santos, Leonardo Paniagua and Blas Duran spoke to the hearts of a generation. The dizzying guitar accompaniment of pioneers like Edilio Paredes and Augusto Santos charted the course of bachata's rise, and for three decades theirs was the sound of the streets of Santo Domingo. IASO has selected here some of the defining songs of bachata's pre-electric era. Initially the term "bachata" referred to an informal backyard party with food, drink, music and dance. In rural areas of the Dominican Republic in the 1950's and earlier, the music played at these events was more often than not guitar-based and included a variety of popular styles such as Cuban bolero, guaracha and son, Puerto Rican jíbaro music and Mexican ranchera. Drawing on all these influences, a bold new guitar style emerged in the heart of Santo Domingo's burgeoning urban shanty towns. Much despised by elite society - who controlled the island's television, radio and major recording studios - the new music was dubbed disparagingly "bachata," an allusion to perceived rural backwardness. Though boycotted by major media outlets, a grass-roots movement coalesced around favorite singers of the time - who expressed in unvarnished terms the pain, sorrow, humor and romance of daily life. Arising from the urban bordellos and the campos, bachata music grew to become wildly popular across all strata of society. Throughout this period, the defining sound of bachata was that of the Spanish acoustic guitar, whose florid phrasing seduced dancers, chastised faithless lovers and softly serenaded coy mistresses of the night. Today bachata has become part of the troika of popular tropical Latin music: salsa, merengue and bachata. Yet, many of bachata's newer fans are not aware of its humble beginnings, and most have not had an opportunity to hear what real bachata sounded like before it was "dressed up" to enter the mainstream. Bachata Roja is an extraordinary and long-overdue collection of some of early bachata's most exceptional and versatile musicians. It will, at long last, give devoted fans a chance to discover, or re-discover, the richness of bachata's roots. (from the iASO website) With "Muero Contigo" - Rafael Encarnacion, "Ladrona" - Felix Quintana, "Yo Pagare La Cerveza" - Julio Morales, "Asesina" - Juan Bautista and many others. Highly Recommended. (DR)
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EditorsPick: Finally available - the 9 Annual 2007 West Coast Salsa Congress! Dancers from the world over have come together to participate in this important event. Spain, Japan, Italy, France, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Australia, Colombia, Singapore, the USA and many other countries are represented here. We are offering the complete package, Volumes 1 and 2 - that's four discs in all for a total of nearly 8 hours of red hot spectacular salsa dancing. Combined, these two volumes contain over 100 uncut complete sizzling performances, some so sexy they might short-circuit your TV set. NTSC, all regions. Highly Recommended. (BP)
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EditorsPick: Terrific Latin funk compilation featuring tracks by Jose Conde Y Ola Fresca, X Alfonso, Nortec Collective, and a totally cool "Che Che Colé Makossa" by Antibalas. There's some obscure stuff here too, and it's all good - deeply funky. Thoroughly enjoyable, and infinitely danceable. Assembled by Pablo Yglesias. Highly Recommended. (BP)
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EditorsPick: Here's a fine selection of salsa that swims just under the radar. While some of the tracks represented here still maintain some of the qualities inherent in popular salsa styles, much of the stuff you'll hear on Salsa Clandestina has elements of alternative and world-beat music. Funk, hip-hop, electronica and soul drive the spirit of tracks by Ray Santiago, The Spam All Stars, Cuban Cowboys, Alex Wilson, and Los Amigos Invisibles. I especially liked the pseudo jibaro-charanga-rock "La Raiz" by Radio Mundial, and the driving Middle Eastern feel of Baku's "Desde Cuba Hasta Afghanistan" - the jewel in this crown. Compiled by Pablo Yglesias. Highly Recommended. (BP)
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