EditorsPick: Just in! Wow, what a pristine, highly swinging salsa project — the second release by percussionist Michael Tate's 3D orchestra. With a pan-caribbean feel and jazzy flavor, Tate sets out to define himself differently from the commercial pop salsa mold. And, on Que Siga La Rum ... continues

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EditorsPick: A recording like this will probably be overlooked today, though not tomorrow. The greatness of the groove, the explosion of the Puerto Rican/New York style so late in the day will be appreciated in historical terms — you know, a work of genius after the genre had flowered, e ... continues

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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. D ... continues

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EditorsPick: Here's a close-to-perfect Latin jazz project produced by the trumpet player Steve Gluzband. Gluzband knows what he's doing — he has backed Ray Barretto (to whom the project is dedicated), Jimmy Bosch, Nelson Gonzalez and many other giants — and on this tribute to the lege ... continues

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JOSE LUGO

EditorsPick: In one of the most ambitious projects of the year, pianist Jose Lugo has crafted a near perfect sequence of hard salsa dura with additional Latin jazz compositions and an intoxicating rumba, "Acá Y Allá," that will leave you in percussive euphoria. Lugo, whose piano master ... continues

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CESAR PEDROSO "PUPY"

EditorsPick: Those of us fans of modern Cuban music pretty much pray at the alter of Pupy, the man who helped invent the sound of the band Los Van Van, and who split off in 2001 to form his own group. We love the wall of sound of his group, the non-stop grind of the charanga/timba mix, t ... continues

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EditorsPick: What can one say about Don Perignon and the Orquesta Puertorriqueña crew? How's this: damn, they are good. Musical director and timbalero Perignon has done it again with this super high-octane brand of power-punch salsa. A good part of the soul of the orchestra belongs, in n ... continues

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MONCHO RIVERA

EditorsPick: Moncho Rivera, whose uncle was the legendary Puerto Rican singer Ismael Rivera (El Sonero Mayor), has assembled a top-notch band on this terrific Christmas salsa cd. Pianist Luis Marin is joined by bassists Ricardo Lugo and Efrain Hernandez, bongocero Sammy Garcia, conguero ... continues

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EditorsPick: Back in stock! This piece of Cuban high octane art comes in a disguise, a disguise of a son/salsa recording, dressed up with a tres and a bit of folk. In fact, this is explosive, modern Cuban dance music, the sort that will be part of the definition of our times. In theory t ... continues

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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 o ... continues

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EditorsPick: Collectors, mambophiles and listeners of amazing music unite. Emusica made a good decision hiring Puente's compadre Joe Conzo to curate a series of double cd sets that encompass the complete trove of TP's Tico recordings. This first volume, containing 40 tracks will leave yo ... continues

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EditorsPick: To all of you smart folks who already have Volume 1, here is the highly anticipated second batch of Puente's classic Tico mambos and cha cha chás. A collector's must-have. (BP) Below, read what Mr. Phil Riggio has t ... continues

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EditorsPick: Years in the making, this 6-CD set is the ultimate collector's box set... The very definitive work about this legendary and pioneer musician. This very limited luxurious edition contains: - 3 double digipacks with 6 CDs - 2 bilingual booklets (spanish/english): Arsenio Rodrí ... continues

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VARIOUS ARTISTS

EditorsPick: This might turn out to be the best Christmas gift of the season: Emusica has produced a lavish 4-CD boxed set consisting of the label's iconic salsa tracks featuring all you might expect and more: Alegre All Stars, Johnny Pacheco, Ray Barretto, Celia Cruz, Hector Lavoe, Will ... continues

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MAIKEL BLANCO

EditorsPick: Ah, the modern sound of Cuba led by the singer, percussionist, pianist and child prodigy Blanco. While this is called new generation timba, it’s something a bit more complicated, drawing on the sound of Van Van, and Pupy a bit; there’s even an updating of Chappotin’s Yo Como ... continues

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EditorsPick: A recording like this will probably be overlooked today, though not tomorrow. The greatness of the groove, the explosion of the Puerto Rican/New York style so late in the day will be appreciated in historical terms — you know, a work of genius after the genre had flowered, e ... continues

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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 occasio ... continues

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ISSAC DELGADO Y SU GRUPO

EditorsPick: The second product of the great Cuban singer Issac Delgado’s stay in Miami has arrived in time for Christmas, and per usual with Delgado, it’s a masterpiece. Produced by Delgado and Sergio George and recorded in Puerto Rico with a cast of the best Puerto Rican musicians (Can ... continues

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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, ... continues

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EditorsPick: Oh man, another great record from the Venezuela/Cuba/U.S. matrix. Grau, a pianist and bandleader from Venezuela (by way of Berklee College of Music in Boston) and participant in a bunch of important projects (search this website and you’ll see what I mean), has changed the n ... continues

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ORLANDO VALLE "MARACA" Y OTRA VISION

EditorsPick: Yet another masterpiece by the Cuban flautist, who has put out a work that’s mostly that particularly Cuban style that’s part timba and part a bunch of other things, including charanga, and a bit of reggaeton and salsa, all brought together in a seamless way. The pieces are ... continues

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EditorsPick: It is impossible to overstate the importance of saxophonist and composer David Sanchez has had with respect to modern improvised music, whether it be jazz, or Latin jazz. It’s easy to forget that he in a sense opened the world to the sort of modern group improvising that’s a ... continues

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EditorsPick: Some of us loved Maria Victoria’s first album, Asi Soy Yo, from 2002, a rocking son/salsa slab of Cuban funkiness. Along comes Santa Lucia, and damn, this is someone who can sing, and while Asi Soy Yo was the sound of a sonera working out with ... continues

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EditorsPick: We are in a golden age of Latin jazz activity, and here’s more proof. Awake is the third project by the Puerto Rican saxophonist and like his earlier works, it’s full of intelligence, bristling with knowledge. Zenon, like a pile of younger musicians, works the two sides of ... continues

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BIO RITMO

EditorsPick: So many salsa albums today sound dead, prerecorded, vapid, without the joy or rawness of the old school. But the multi-cultural Virginia-based Bio Ritmo are the exception to the rule: they bring all the grit, sweat, and playful humor of all your favorite classic groups, with ... continues

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EditorsPick: Listen here. If you dig Nuyorican Latin Funk at its hardest, if you loved Eddie Palmieri’s “Harlem River Drive,” the Boogaloo Combo from Brazil, or Joe Bataan’s “Salsoul” album, then you will ... continues

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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 A ... continues

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EditorsPick: A recording like this will probably be overlooked today, though not tomorrow. The greatness of the groove, the explosion of the Puerto Rican/New York style so late in the day will be appreciated in historical terms — you know, a work of genius after the genre had flowered, e ... continues

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GRUPO FANTASMA

EditorsPick: Yet another terrific Venezuelan salsa project. This time Federico Betancourt Sr. and Jr. team up alongside percussionist Luisito Quintero, pianists Enrique "Culebra" Iriarte and Jesus "Menudo" Moreno, trombonists Hector Velasquez and guest Jimmy Bosch! A gagle of vocalists i ... continues

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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 ... continues

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EditorsPick: Just in time for summer, Mr. Polanco has given us this heavy salsa treat that is marathon in length and chock full of energy. So at your next dance party or BBQ, slap this slab of uncut salsa on the box and find out just what Conjunto Amistad and friends are all about. Since ... continues

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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 o ... continues

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YOKO

EditorsPick: Ms. Mimata, who Chino Nuñez called the Japanese Salsera, is making waves and turning heads. She’s got a great voice, sounds authentic, and sings with much joy and power. A native of Osaka but living and performing in NYC since 1997, Yoko majored in Spanish language studies, ... continues

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EditorsPick: British music man Dean Rudland at the new Fania label has been busy digging up and reissuing all the obscure Latin albums from the 60s and early 70s that DJs and collectors have been obsessing over for the last two decades, and he calls the series “Rare Grooves” – and I can ... continues

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EditorsPick: Once of the prized gems of classic salsa, the 1972 Que Viva La Musica is considered by many to be Rays Barretto's masterpiece. And with tracks like "Cocinando," "La Pelota," "Que Viva La Musica," and "Alafia Cumaye," it's hard to argue the point. With Luis Cruz on piano (he ... continues

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EditorsPick: If there was a salsa equivalent to the Beatles iconic and critically acclaimed White Album, it would be Siembra, the 1978 Willie Colón and Rubén Blades collaboration that rendered the accepted notions of "salsa" obsolete. In celebration of its 30th Anniversary, Emusica has r ... continues

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EditorsPick: One of the all time best Joe Cuba albums ever, Cocinando La Salsa does just that – it cooks like a mother! I remember Cuba telling me about the cover shot of him holding out a mouthwatering plate of Spanish rice, saying how he loves to cook, and that he went behind the scene ... continues

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EditorsPick: Finally back in stock, this absolute classic 2-CD set from 1993 features Puerto Rico's most accomplished salsa musicians and vocalists. Burning hot from beginning to end. This is a must-have, and is now a collector's item. Highly recommended. "The best all-star conglomerati ... continues

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EditorsPick: This is my absolute favorite early EGC album – a MUST HAVE for all – every song is essential, a history lesson that never gets old – you can dance to it today just as easily as your abuelita did back in the day, straight up! Contains the hot, HOT original version of “El Swin ... continues

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JUANECO Y SU COMBO

EditorsPick: Juaneco y su Combo was born in the Amazonian city of Pucallpa in the early 60s. The group was founded by Juan Wong Paredes, an amateur saxophone player of Chinese ancestry who made his living as a brick manufacturer. The musicians would get together on weekends and played mo ... continues

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EditorsPick: Multitalented Peruvian percussionist and bandleader Coco Lagos is slowly gaining recognition among Latin music fans outside of South America. If you like the '50s and '60s descarga jam sessions by Cachao, the Tico-Alegre Allstars, or Bebo Valdés, you owe it to yourself to p ... continues

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EditorsPick: An absolute classic by iconic Puerto Rican singer Ismael Rivera. From 1974 and at the height of his powers with the Cachimbos band... Listen to this band lineup: Javier Vazquez on piano, "Chocolate" Armenteros on trumpet (listen to him swing on "El Nazareno"), Manuel Gonzale ... continues

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EditorsPick: Wow, this stuff is beyond cool. Like it’s subtitle lets you know, the music is taken from the highly esteemed MAG label from Peru in the 50s and 60s, and it’s mostly Afro-Cuban; there’s a picture of Celia Cruz with her husband on the cover. But there are plenty of distinct t ... continues

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EditorsPick: Wow - two albums on one CD – vintage 70s salsa from the obscure, short-lived, and highly collectible Ghetto label. I love all the Ghetto releases - from Joe Acosta, Paul Ortiz Y La Orquesta Son, Ray Rodriguez Y Su Orquesta, La Fantástica, and Eddie Lebron. This appears to be ... continues

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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 l ... continues

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EditorsPick: Of all Celia’s countless albums, for me, 'Son Con Guaguancó' produced by Al Santiago, is one of her greatest. The Alegre All-Stars, in all but name, accompanied Celia, but playing to arrangements rather than jamming. Al used a lineup featuring four trumpets and baritone sax ... continues

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EditorsPick: Wow, here's a nearly overwhelming 2-CD set selection of the supergroup's best, almost anthemic, material compiled by John Child who also wrote the in-depth and insightful liner notes. An interesting read, especially as you listen to the music. Child allows us to understand ... continues

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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 compil ... continues

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EditorsPick: Nati (also spelled Naty) was born José Natividad Martinez in Caracas, Venezuela, and is a well respected multi-instrumentalist, arranger, and composer known for his flute and percussion. Nati was involved with various Venezuelan groups playing Cuban and Puerto Rican dance mu ... continues

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EditorsPick: **Classics Revisited** Funky unsophisticated Puerto Rican acid salsa from pianist Pachapo Jiménez and his two trombone-led El Super Tumbao. The band sounds under rehearsed and rickety; the solos contain the occasional bum note; the lead vocalist has a yearning, if not somewh ... continues

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EditorsPick: Collectors, mambophiles and listeners of amazing music unite. Emusica made a good decision hiring Puente's compadre Joe Conzo to curate a series of double cd sets that encompass the complete trove of TP's Tico recordings. This first volume, containing 40 tracks will leave yo ... continues

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EditorsPick: To all of you smart folks who already have Volume 1, here is the highly anticipated second batch of Puente's classic Tico mambos and cha cha chás. A collector's must-have. (BP) Below, read what Mr. Phil Riggio has t ... continues

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EditorsPick: By now most of us en el Norte are up on our vintage Colombian salsa, though some of the harder to find albums remain un-reissued to date. The situation is far worse for classic '60s and '70s Venezuelan salsa, which is a shame because Caracas really was the cradle of South Am ... continues

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EditorsPick: The Salsa Dura Show is an internet-based radio program put together each week by California-based DJ/collector Nick Aguirre. He’s been “on air” for several years now impressing global salsa fans with his insanely deep knowledge and gigantic record collection. Nick’s show is ... continues

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EditorsPick: Since the mid-'90s this curiously named Venezuelan salsa orchestra has been heating up passions and filling dance floors throughout South America and beyond. Though the three vocalists featured on this live CD/DVD collection are indeed youthful, they are by no means adolesce ... continues

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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 ... continues

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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 re ... continues

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ALBERTO BARROS

EditorsPick: The multi-talented Alberto Barros has a lot of “juice” on the salsa scene – you can tell by who his rather impressive friends are – Oscar D’Leon, Cali Alemán, Wilson Manyoma, La India, Issac Delgadpo, Lalo Rodríguez, “El Canario,” Gabino Pampini, Sergio George, Giovanny Hida ... continues

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EditorsPick: Raised in Spanish Harlem, William Bobo Correa (1934-1983) was one of the world's premiere jazz and Latin percussionists, most recognized for playing Afro-Cuban jazz. Bobo joined Tito Puente's band at the age of 19, where he was supposedly given his stage name, Willie Bobo, b ... continues

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EditorsPick: Originally released as a CD/DVD set, this title is now available here as DVD only. Here's the original review... ...(the) DVD — begins with Chirino singing a song "Yo Soy Un Tipo Tipico" that has him drifting though salsa, quoting everything from the Beatles and Jimi Hendrix ... continues

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WILLIE COLÓN

EditorsPick: "Asalto Navideño EN VIVO", recorded in 1993 at the Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan, Puerto Rico. With el maestro Isidro Infante on keyboards and musical director, Rubén Rodríguez: Bass, Johnny Almendra: timbales, Eric Velez: congas, Ray Colón: bongo, Ozzie Melendez, Dan ... continues

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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 rhyt ... continues

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EditorsPick: Excellent quality 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 b ... continues

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EditorsPick: I have been waiting for this one — finally on DVD! This was a *top* selling video when it was first released about 100 years ago (1991, actually). Puente was joined by Domingo Quiñones, Ismael Miranda, José Alberto "El Canario," Oscar D'Leon, Celia Cruz, Tony Vega, Tito Niev ... continues

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SON DE CALI

EditorsPick: New DVD and CD package from the high-powered Colombian salsa group led by vocalists Willy Garcia and Javier Vázquez. Review to follow shortly. ... continues

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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 sou ... continues

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TONY VEGA

EditorsPick: Just in! New concert (DVD) by the popular salsa singer Tony Vega. Live performance from Colombia featuring Diego Gale and his top notch crew. Review to follow shortly. Highly Recommended. ... continues

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