The Descarga Review: New from Rumba Calzada, Mongo's Espiritu Libre, Johnny Zamot's Boogaloo Frog and more...

Thu Aug 30 10:09:53 EDT 2007

The Descarga Review • August 30, 2007

New project from Rumba Calzada, reissues of Mongo Santamaria's  
Espiritu Libre, Johnny Zamot's Boogaloo Frog, Watrous' reviews and  
more...

- Vinyl LPs? Click Here!
Bad links? No images? click: HERE

Here are some new and reissued titles of interest...

RUMBA CALZADA
Album 4
Pacific/Warner Canada / original import
Category: LATIN JAZZ; LATIN JAZZ
EditorsPick: Just in! Terrific new Latin jazz - the fourth  
installment by Rumba Calzada led by percussionist Raphael Geronimo -  
and it's a must-have CD.
Full review to follow shortly. Very
Highly Recommended. (BP)
Price: $17.98
• Click here to Order Album 4 Now!

MONGO SANTAMARIA
Espiritu Libre
Universal/Callejero/Tropical Budda
Category: LATIN JAZZ; LATIN JAZZ
EditorsPick: Just in! Never before reissued CD of Mongo's "Espiritu  
Libre" on Tropical Budda! With Bobby Sanabria, Eddier Resto, Tony  
Hinson, Eddie Allen, Pablo Rosario, Sam Furnace and Bob Quarantas.  
Includes the tracks "Manana Wilson," "Tish," "Zimbabwe," "Espiritu  
Libre" and many others.
Review to follow shortly.
Highly Recommended. (BP)
Price: $15.98
• Click here to Order Espiritu Libre Now!

SENSACION ORQUESTA
El Profesor
Changui / original import
Category: SALSA/SON; SALSA COLOMBIA; COLOMBIA
EditorsPick: Great swinging Colombian salsa. Now, Colombian salsa has  
its own sound, and Sensacion Orquesta doesn't have that slick, fast  
sound as much as a classic New York feel; it's harder and funkier,  
and like a pile of new recordings from Colombia and Cuba, the band's  
doing stuff that you'd have heard hear a long time ago, tunes by Tony  
Pabón and Joey Pastrana, along with classics like "Achilipu" and  
"Adiviname Y Olvidate." Anyway, this stuff's great, with actual live  
musicians playing together, reacting to each other. The leader and  
lead singer of the band, Orlando Hurtado, owns a big, mature voice,  
that reaches into the higher registers easily to show you how much he  
cares. The arrangements, with breaks that give way to montunos and  
coros, work to make the music danceable; it's all the highest quality  
possible in the salsa world, infinitely listenable and grooving.
Highly Recommended. (Peter Watrous)
Price: $16.98
• Click here to Order El Profesor Now!

VITIN AVILES
Mr. Vitin Aviles (Digitally Remastered)
Universal/Callejero/Tropical Budda
Category: SALSA/SON; SALSA
EditorsPick: Just in! Never before reissued CD of Mr. Vitin Aviles on  
Tropical Budda! With Charlie Palmieri, Tony Cofresi, Tony Barrero,  
Johnny Rodriguez, Jose Alberto, Ismael Quintana and others. Includes  
the tracks "Mi Crucigrama," "La Canasta," "Amparame Corazon,"  
"Cimientos" and many others.
Review to follow shortly.
Highly Recommended. (BP)
Price: $15.98
• Click here to Order Mr. Vitin Aviles (Digitally Remastered) Now!

ALFONSO OSUNA
Allá Va Eso
Angelas
Category: SALSA/SON; SON, GUARACHA, GUAJIRA
EditorsPick: Hard swinging son/salsa release from the tresero Alfonso  
Osuna. The percussion, played by Gene Golden, Luis Mangual Jr.,  
Gabriel Machado, Hector Torres and Gerardo Flores, drifts to the  
front of the recording; other players include Edy Martinez on piano  
and the fine singers Chico Alvarez and Ronnie Baro. As befits a  
session featuring some of the best New York talent, the session  
bristles with life and the dance impulse. Put this on and let it  
inform your day. There's a good suite for acoustic guitar, also.
Highly Recommended. (Peter Watrous)
Price: $16.98
• Click here to Order Allá Va Eso Now!

WILLIE COLÓN
The Hit List: La Historia
Sony Bmg Norte
Category: SALSA/SON; SALSA
EditorsPick: Superb compilation of tracks by the legendary salsa  
trombonist bandleader. This one encompasses decades of material, from  
early work with Héctor Lavoe ("Che Che Colé"), Rubén Blades ("Pedro  
Navaja") and Celia Cruz ("Usted Abuso") all the way through later  
periods ("Color Americano") and even his later project with Rubén  
Baldes ("Tras La Tormenta"). Also includes his "Homenaje A Hector  
Lavoe." Pure salsa at its best from beginning to end.
Highly Recommended. (BP)
Price: $15.98
• Click here to Order The Hit List: La Historia Now!

MAÑENGUEZ
De La Mata Con Mañenguez - Estampas Puertorriqueñas
Palo Viejo
Category: FOLKLORIC; FOLKLORIC: VARIOUS; PUERTO RICO
EditorsPick: Hidalgo father and son team - Mañenguez and Giovanni -  
power this thing with some serious, driving percussion. The elder  
Hidalgo isn't the best singer in the world, but he sounds fine, and  
his voice, wavering at times, gives a touch of eccentricity to the  
music. The band includes Eddie Gua-Gua Rivera on bass, Angie Machado  
and Piro Rodriguez on trumpets, and Hector Ramirez and Carlos  
Rodriguez on percussion, with Eric Figueroa on piano. It's a nicely  
strange project, one that never stops rocking. It's different without  
artifice, and it delivers a salsa kick that's a lot more powerful  
that plenty of duller, mainstream salsa. Great to hear something that  
sounds fresh and new.
Highly Recommended. (Peter Watrous)
Price: $15.98
• Click here to Order De La Mata Con Mañenguez Now!

JOHNNY RAY (JOHNNY ZAMOT)
Johnny Zamot Introduces The Boogaloo Frog
JZ
Category: LATIN SOUL/BOOGALOO; LATIN SOUL, CLASSIC 60s or 70s
EditorsPick: Just in... highly collectible boogaloo recording from  
percussionist bandleader Johnny Zamot.
Review to follow shortly. Recommended. (BP)
Price: $15.98
• Click here to Order Johnny Zamot Introduces The Boogaloo Frog Now!

ROBERTO ANGLERO
Roberto Anglero Y Su Combo
Disco Hit
Category: SALSA/SON; SALSA
EditorsPick: MmmŠsuper grooving salsa from Puerto Rico, say from the  
late 1960s or early 1970s. Touches of bomba and plena, great coros  
(that remind me of Cortijo) and playing, and his singing which  
reminds me of say, Mon Rivera Good sounding transfer, too, of the  
music onto cd. Hard not to love this.
Highly Recommended. (Peter Watrous)
Price: $14.98
• Click here to Order Roberto Anglero Y Su Combo Now!

BEYONCÉ
Irreemplazable
Sony BMG
Category: POP/OTHER; POP LATIN
EditorsPick: New Beyoncé, in Spanish. (BP)
Price: $11.98
• Click here to Order Irreemplazable Now!

BOLA DE NIEVE
The Incomparable Bola De Nieve 2-CD Set
Yemayá Records / original import
Category: SALSA/SON; SON, GUARACHA, GUAJIRA; CUBA
EditorsPick: Here's a gold-mine of music by one of more famous  
personalities of Cuban music: 43 tracks recorded by the pianist and  
singer between 1960 and 1965. It's a bolero fest, and he moves from  
tunes by Irving Berlin through a who's who of Latin composers,  
including Maria Grever, Eliseo Grenet, Moises Simons, Armando  
Orefiche, René Touzet and more. Well transferred, the reissue  
captures all of his sobbing majesty, huge changes of dynamics, and a  
ton of other tricks that give you the image of a man about to split  
in half from a bit too much passion. It's history.
Highly Recommended. (Peter Watrous)
All tracks were recorded in Havana, Cuba between 1960-1965
Price: $27.98
• Click here to Order The Incomparable Bola De Nieve 2-CD Set Now!

DAVID CALZADO Y SU CHARANGA HABANERA
El Rey De Los Charangueros
Planet / original import
Category: SALSA/SON; SALSA CUBANA; CUBA
EditorsPick: The album, recorded for an Italian label, starts out  
with the tough "El Rey," rattles with all the energy of the great  
Cuban band's highly specific sound, its timba brand. Part of the  
group's individuality comes from the boy band aspect of its sound,  
with a bunch of young voices taking the lead vocals. As usual, the  
miracle of their arrangements, the stuttering rhythm section dropping  
accents in the least predictable places, is completely in order. And  
on El Rey De Los Charangueros, the recording captures some of the  
band's wall-of-sound, the baseball bat to the forehead quality of the  
band. The unity of the sound (with the exception of the voices, which  
are way up in the mix) relegates all the instruments to the same  
importance; at times it'll almost seem as if there are two bands and  
two ideas competing on each track, one, the band itself, hard,  
unstoppable, and two, the singers. Anyway, another slice of genius,  
hard, hard timba dance music from Havana; this might actually be the  
band's best recording. Nothing like it; it's historical.
Highly Recommended. (Peter Watrous)
Price: $19.98
• Click here to Order El Rey De Los Charangueros Now!

WILLIAM CEPEDA & AFRO RICAN JAZZ
Unity - William Cepeda's International Quintet
Casabe/Carimoods
Category: LATIN JAZZ; LATIN JAZZ
EditorsPick: The trombonist Cepeda's been busy recently, and on Unity  
he brings together a bunch of great musicians, including Pedro  
Giraudo on bass (Giraudo leads one of the better big bands in New  
York), Andres Forero on drums and more together for a live date,  
recorded in Puerto Rico. The music cruises, super loose, and super  
interactive, and the tunes stretch out, taking their time. I like it:  
there's a sense that the form's being improvised, that anything at  
all might happen, that harmony's up to the ear of the player. Big  
open spaces. It's funky, and owes a bit to the great early electric  
Miles Davis bands.
Highly Recommended. (Peter Watrous)
Price: $16.98
• Click here to Order Unity - William Cepeda's International Quintet  
Now!

GRUPO CUBANO DE MÚSICA MODERNA
Complete Recordings 1960-1962: Frank Emilio Flynn & Tata Güines 2-CD Set
Yemayá Records / original import
Category: LATIN JAZZ; AFRO-CUBAN JAZZ; CUBA
EditorsPick: Almost two cds of what are considered some of the most  
important jazz recordings to have come out of Cuba in the early  
revolutionary period. Recorded in 1962, the music features an amazing  
group - Emilio on piano with Tata Güines on conga, Orlando Hernández  
on bass, Gustavo Tamayo on güiro and Guillermo Barreto on drums. Much  
of the music is similar to what a whole host of American jazz  
musicians had been doing in the United States, mixing Latin rhythms  
with jazz improvisation. Flynn wasn't the greatest pianist in the  
jazz mode; his rhythm section, though, was as good as any working in  
Latin jazz. Emilio was a genius in some respects, and a whole school  
of music comes from him and others. The brilliance comes from some  
arrangements and execution - listen to the time changes on "De Ti  
Enamorado." In some ways his music was a whisper from the past; in no  
time at all so many things would change, socially, politically and  
musically.
Highly Recommended. (Peter Watrous)
Description: "The Grupo Cubano de Musica Moderna quickly gained  
stature as a benchmark in Cuban Latin Jazz history. Today, recordings  
issued from this group are collector's items."
- Leonardo Acosta, Author of The Roots of Latin Jazz: A Century of  
Jazz in Cuba.
Price: $27.98
• Click here to Order Complete Recordings 2-CD Set Now!

FRANK M. FIGUEROA
Almanaque De La Música Latinoamericana
Pillar Publications
Category: BOOKS; BOOKS: OTHER
EditorsPick: Spanning a one hundred year period, Dr. Figueroa gives  
us a month by month (in fact, day by day!) almanac of important  
events in Latin American music relating to salsa, Latin jazz, mambo  
and other Afro-Latin related genres. The  only one of its kind! 200  
pages.
Recommended. (BP)
Price: $29.98
• Click here to Order Almanaque Now!

FRANK M. FIGUEROA
Glossary Of Afro-Caribbean Terms - Book
Pillar Publications
Category: BOOKS; BOOKS: OTHER
EditorsPick: The Spanish spoken in the islands of the Caribbean is a  
rich blend of the linguistic contributions of many cultures. The  
Spanish Royal Academy of Languages has given legitimacy to many of  
these terms, accepting them into their prestigious dictionary. The  
majority, however, remain without offical sanction even though they  
are part of the active vocabulary of millions of speakers. The focus  
of this glossary is on the African contribution to Caribbean Spanish.
This glossary is intended primarily for singers, musicians and others  
interested in Afro-Caribbean culture. It is a very modest beginning  
to what we view as a lifetime project of gathering these gems of oral  
communication for inclusion in future similar publications. May the  
great orishas of the African people be pleased! (from the introduction)
Recommended. (DR)
Price: $29.98
• Click here to Order Glossary Of Afro-Caribbean Terms - Book Now!

FRANK M. FIGUEROA
Historia De Una Cancion: Colleccion De 75 Articulos (Book)
Pillar Publications
Category: BOOKS; BOOKS: OTHER
EditorsPick: La inspiración le llega a los compositores por diversas  
vías. A veces, surge de sus propias vivencias, en otros casos  
proviene de las experiencias ajenas. Ante todo, el autor, tiene que  
ser un buen observador de la vida. Es por eso que casi todas las  
composiciones tienen una razón de ser que constituye una historia  
digna de contarse. En esta serie me propongo relatar la historia de  
algunas de las canciones más populares de nuestra música. Como todos  
sabemos, las canciones se componen de letra y música. Muchos de los  
compositores tienen el talento de escribir letra y música para sus  
creaciones. Otros, dependen de letristas que contribuyen los versos  
para la música. Agustín Lara, el gran poeta de la canción, escribió  
la letra para sus canciones. En cambio, Rafael Hernández de vez en  
cuando dependió en letristas como Bernardo San Cristóbal S., Gustavo  
Palés Matos y Antonio Cruz y Nieves. Claro que esto no le resta  
mérito a quien escribió la letra de "Preciosa," "Tú no comprendes,"  
"El buen borincano" y Lamento borincano." (from the introduction)
Recommended. (DR)
Price: $34.98
• Click here to Order Historia De Una Cancion Now!

FRANK M. FIGUEROA
Noro Morales: Latin Piano Man
Pillar Publications
Category: BOOKS; BOOKS: OTHER
EditorsPick: Fame is fleeting, so the saying goes, and even the  
biggest names in show business fade into relative obscurity with the  
passing of time. That is the case with the great Puerto Rican  
pianist, composer and bandleader Noro Morales. In writing this book  
honoring his memory, the author is aware that most of today's Latin  
music fans may not know who Noro Morales was. Nevertheless, the data  
included herein about his personal and artistic life may help the  
readers to know this legendary artist and to better understand and  
enjoy Latin American music. (from the introduction)
Recommended. (DR)
Price: $34.98
• Click here to Order Noro Morales: Latin Piano Man Now!

FRANK M. FIGUEROA
The Unforgettable Tito Rodriguez - Book
Pillar Publications
Category: BOOKS; BOOKS: OTHER
EditorsPick: Why this book? - Writing about a person whom I admired  
as a talented performer and who was also a dear friend is not an easy  
task. How does one portray him objectively as an artist and as a man?  
It may be difficult, but I will give it my best try.
Soon after Tito Rodriguez died, I promised myself that I would write  
a book about him to insure that the new generations get to know him.  
It has taken me more than 30 years to fulfill that promise, but as  
they say: "Better late than never.".... (from the introduction)
Recommended. (DR)
Price: $34.98
• Click here to Order The Unforgettable Tito Rodriguez - Book Now!

FRANK EMILIO FLYNN
Cuban Danzas & Danzones
Yemayá Records / original import
Category: DANCE TRADITIONS; DANZAS; CUBA
EditorsPick: 26 tracks, recorded between 1962 and 1977, and in these  
performances, solo except eight with Gustavo Tamayo joining in on  
güiro, one hears Emlio at his best. Working through material by  
Ignacio Cervantes, Manuel Saumell, Lecuona and Romeu, his touch and  
expressiveness on the classical material vastly overshadows his jazz  
performances. Rhythmically he's so assured that these performances  
swing, just the right mixture between rhythmic looseness and the  
material's precision. The pieces are beautiful.
Highly Recommended. (Peter Watrous)
Description: "Audiences and critics alike have sung Frank Emilio's  
praises, and many consider him to be one of the founders of Latin  
Jazz/Afro-Cuban music. His ample and diverse discography ranges from  
his outstanding recordings witn the Grupo Cubano de Musica Moderna to  
his superlative individual accomplishments performing the Cuban  
danzas and danzones of his youth."
- Sigfredo Ariel, 2006
Price: $19.98
• Click here to Order Cuban Danzas & Danzones Now!

GILITO
Al César Lo Que Es Del César
Cuban Roots / original import
Category: SALSA/SON; SALSA CUBANA; CUBA
EditorsPick: Gilito, a one-time singer for a good, if forgotten,  
Cuban band Salsa de Esquina; he's had his own career for a while.  
This is a pretty pure example of old-school Cuban timba, the  
semaphoric bass, the coros that changing, the use of stock melodies,  
even some distorted rock guitar on the lead track - shades of  
Paulito. There's a bit of soupy salsa also that allows Gilito to  
croon a bit before the rhythm changes, things get harder, the rap  
starts up for a short segment, and things improve, moving into timba.  
But it's mostly tough street timba, meant to make you move. And in  
the interest of staying current - doing Fania/New York tunes - Gilito  
sings the Tite Curet tune Nabori. Solid, strong timba.
Highly Recommended. (Peter Watrous)
Price: $17.98
• Click here to Order Al César Lo Que Es Del César Now!

TITO GOMEZ
Alma De Cantante Errante 2-CD Set
Musical Productions
Category: SALSA/SON; SALSA
EditorsPick: Excellent 2-CD set compilation of Tito Gomez' hits.  
Includes "La Ultima Llamada," "Dejala" (a Duo Con Tito Rojas), "Como  
Me Quiere Esa Mujer," "Las Paginas De Mi Vida" and many, many others.  
Recommended. (BP)
Price: $18.98
• Click here to Order Alma De Cantante Errante 2-CD Set Now!

JAZZ ON THE LATIN SIDE ALLSTARS
Tambolero
Saungú Records
Category: LATIN JAZZ; LATIN JAZZ
EditorsPick: They're called the Jazz on the Latin Side All Stars, and  
producer José Rizo's not joking given that the band includes  
Francisco Aguabella, Jimmy Branly, Poncho Sanchez, Alex Acuña, Danilo  
Lozano and the exceptional jazz trap drummer Marvin Smitty Smith.  
It's a big-ish band project, horn heavy, and the group works through  
originals by Rizo, often arranged by Francisco Torres and tunes by  
Wayne Shorter, Charlie Parker and T. Curet Alonzo. The arrangements  
are precise, and tight, and scarily well executed. High powered,  
modern, intense stuff, big band Latin jazz at its best.
Highly Recommended. (Peter Watrous)
Price: $17.98
• Click here to Order Tambolero Now!

JUANUCHO LOPEZ
Grabaciones Y Exitos Originales
Col Musica / original import
Category: DANCE TRADITIONS; TROPICAL DANCE: VARIOUS
EditorsPick: Pachanga from a golden age in New York history, the  
early 1960s. Plenty of titles here with the word pachanga, and plenty  
of arrangements that put the music in the best company, of Tito  
Puente, Machito and more, for lovers of the mambo. Good singing by  
Mon Rivera and others; the transfer to cd is better than average.
Highly Recommended. (Peter Watrous)
Price: $16.98
• Click here to Order Grabaciones Y Exitos Originales Now!

RITA MONTANER
Ay Mama Ines
MLN / original import
Category: SALSA/SON; SON, GUARACHA, GUAJIRA; CUBA
EditorsPick: The album starts out with 13 tracks recorded in 1928 and  
1929, and in it you hear one of the early strains in Cuban music,  
light opera. Montaner, who later went on to represent Cuban culture,  
has a high voice that sounds dated today, but these tracks are a way  
into history, in part because of her tunes, written by Lecuona and  
Moises Simons, among others. And early version of El Manisero shows  
up, and tunes like Carabali show how early in recorded Cuban music  
the African shows up. It's all fascinating.
Highly Recommended. (Peter Watrous)
• Click here to Order Ay Mama Ines Now!

SEPTETO NACIONAL DE IGNACIO PIÑEIRO
Live In France: 80 Años De Sabor Tradición - DVD
Mundo Libre
Category: DVD; SALSA/SON; CUBA
EditorsPick: Live performance by the legendary Septeto Nacional led  
by vocalist Eugencio R. Rodriguez "El Raspa". Very good quality  
outdoor concert with El Raspa belting out interpretations of "Echale  
Salsita," "Mueve La Cintura," "Llora Como Lloré" and many others.  
With tres player Enrique A. Collazo Collazo, bassist Raul Acea  
Rivera, guitarrist Dagoberto Saceiro Oliva, trumpeter Agustin  
Somelian Garcia and bongocero Francisco D. Oropesa Fernandez "El  
Matador."
Highly Recommended. (BP)
Price: $19.98
• Click here to Order Live In France: 80 Años De Sabor Tradición -  
DVD Now!

KAT PARRA
Birds In Flight
Patois Records
Category: LATIN JAZZ; LATIN JAZZ
EditorsPick: Another West Coast salsa-ish recording, this time by the  
singer Kat Parra (and here I was hoping for a Latin version of some  
Cat Power tunes). Like a lot of West Coast Latin music, this has a  
world music, diaspora feel, mixing Brazilian music, and a bit of rap,  
Argentinean pop, Cuban pop, charanga and on and on. Fine band, nice  
arrangements, and good singing from Parra. Pleasant.
Recommended. (Peter Watrous)
Price: $16.98
• Click here to Order Birds In Flight Now!

DAVE PIKE
Jazz For The Jet Set
Wounded Bird Records
Category: LATIN JAZZ; JAZZ: OTHER
EditorsPick: Damn. This is dirty stuff, recorded for Atlantic Records  
in 1966 and heavy, heavy with back-beat. Pike, playing marimba, is  
backed by Herbie Hancock on organ, Billy Butler on guitar, Bob  
Cranshaw on electric bass and either Bruno Carr or Grady Tate on  
drums. Trumpets, you might ask? Clark Terry, Marty Sheller and New  
Orleans' own Melvin Lastie. It's jazz made for dancing, with some  
Latin rhythms, and plenty of blues sensibility in the soloing. Very  
Cool.
Highly Recommended. (Peter Watrous)
Price: $15.98
• Click here to Order Jazz For The Jet Set Now!

OSVALDO RODRIGUEZ
Miami
Lupemon
Category: SALSA/SON; SON, GUARACHA, GUAJIRA
EditorsPick: One talented guy, Rodriguez, a Cuban living in Miami,  
sings a sort of souped-up son, deep with political insight. He helps  
his cause with a big voice, and a range of musical influences; at  
times he wanders into singer-songwriter territory. Included in the  
record is a small dictionary of Cuban terms for Spanish speaking non- 
Cubans, which suggests how his world works: he doesn't bother  
translating the terms into English. Good, smart music.
Highly Recommended. (Peter Watrous)
Price: $15.98
• Click here to Order Miami Now!

TITO ROJAS Y SU ORQUESTA
Exitos Y Más
Musical Productions
Category: SALSA/SON; SALSA
EditorsPick: Very nice compilation of hit by the popular salsa  
singer. Includes "Antes De Que Te Vayas," "Porque Este Amor,"  
"Señora," "Por Mujeres Como Tú" and many others. Recommended. (BP)
Price: $15.98
• Click here to Order Exitos Y Más Now!

SALSA KIDS
Vaila Conmigo
Sony Apollo Norte
Category: SALSA/SON; SALSA; PUERTO RICO
EditorsPick: High quality commercial salsa out of Puerto Rico. This  
stuff's ready for the radio and the dance-floor, and it's slick and  
good, salsa dura for the most part. It's impressive, the singing high  
and emotional and the grooves absolutely useful, with fine  
arrangements, full of rhythmic changes, and serious horn charts  
rooted to a baritone. Don't let the name fool you, this stuff's good.
Highly Recommended. (Peter Watrous)
Price: $15.98
• Click here to Order Vaila Conmigo Now!

ARTURO SANDOVAL
Live At The Hotel Nacional, Havana 1986 2-CD Set
Yemayá Records / original import
Category: LATIN JAZZ; AFRO-CUBAN JAZZ; CUBA
EditorsPick: Two cds of a band lead by Sandoval and featuring Hilario  
Duran on piano, Jorge Reyes on bass, Jorge Chicoy on guitar, with  
Reynaldo Valera on percussion and Reinaldo Garcia on drums. It's fast  
music, and amazingly extroverted and would probably send a trumpet  
student into a deep depression. Cuban jazz at its old-school wildest,  
loud, fusion-oid all elbows and not particularly restrained.
Recommended. (Peter Watrous)
Description: "Trumpet great Arturo Sandoval formed his own band  
immediately after leaving Irakere in 1981. He was extremely lucky to  
find sympathetic sidemen of the highest caliber. His group included  
such outstanding figures as bassist Jorge Reyes, guitarist Jorge Luis  
Chicoy (both of which would later join Irakere during the 90's) and  
pianist Hilario Duran (who currently resides in Canada and works as a  
soloist). The virtuosity of his sidemen allowed Sandoval's shoes to  
take on a group focus, as opposed to a band which was formed to  
simply support Sandoval's individual genius."
- Maria Elena Mendiola, 2006.
Price: $27.98
• Click here to Order Live At The Hotel Nacional, Havana 1986 2-CD  
Set Now!

MANUEL VALERA
Vientos
Anzic Records / original import
Category: LATIN JAZZ; JAZZ: OTHER
EditorsPick: Valera, a pianist from Cuba living in the United States,  
has pulled together a set of music that's deeply ambitious. He's  
taken an exceptional group - Joel Frahm on saxophone, James Genus on  
bass and Ernesto Simpson on drums - and blended them on seven tracks  
with a woodwind group. The music's light and intelligent, and well  
written, and when Valera's improvisations bust through the writing,  
it becomes exciting. It's modern in the post-Chick Corea, Herbie  
Hancock way, and often brilliant, his lines compressing then  
floating. Frahm, one of the unsung heroes of the modern saxophone in  
jazz, rips it up, also, and on the quartet tracks the rhythms stiffen  
up, with more interplay between Valera and Simpson. A major piece of  
work.
Highly Recommended. (Peter Watrous)
Price: $18.98
• Click here to Order Vientos Now!

WILLIE VILLEGAS Y ENTRE AMIGOS
Dancer's Paradise (Digitally Remastered)
Universal/Callejero/Tropical Budda
Category: SALSA/SON; SALSA
EditorsPick: Dance mania, New York style. Pure unadulterated dance  
floor grace, a bit gritty with a pile of swing. The disappearing  
sound of New York Latin club music, hard, swinging salsa with a two- 
trombone horn section. The album starts out with two Cuban tunes,  
"Castellano" and "Mayari" and doesn't stop, with Alfredo "Male"  
Torres singing over the horn section. The music moves from utter cool  
to intense; Yomo Toro plays on a couple of tunes.
Recommended. (Peter Watrous)
Price: $15.98
• Click here to Order Dancer's Paradise (Digitally Remastered) Now!

VARIOUS ARTISTS
Charanga At The Palladium, Vol. 1
Universal/Protel
Category: DANCE TRADITIONS; CHARANGA
EditorsPick: From the vaults of Tico records comes this fine  
compilation featuring Johnny Pacheco's "Charangas," Pupi Legarreta's  
"Dejala Que Siga," Tipica 73's "Busco Una Chiquita," and Fajardo's  
"Por La Maceta."
Recommended. (BP)
Price: $13.98
• Click here to Order Charanga At The Palladium, Vol. 1 Now!

VARIOUS ARTISTS
Las Reinas De La Salsa: La Lupe, Celia Cruz, La India
Sony/Norte
Category: SALSA/SON; SALSA
EditorsPick: Solid salsa by the three queens of tropical Latin dance  
music. Includes Celia' Oye Como Va - Celia Cruz, Ese Hombre - La  
India , Besito Pa' Ti - La Lupe and much more.
Recommended. (BP)
Price: $14.98
• Click here to Order Las Reinas De La Salsa Now!

VARIOUS ARTISTS
Pachanga At The Pallladium, Vol. 1
Universal/Protel
Category: DANCE TRADITIONS; CHARANGA
EditorsPick: From the vaults of Tico records comes this fine  
compilation featuring Tito Puente's "A Bailar Pachanga," Charlie  
Palmieri's "Son De Pachanga," La Palaya Sextet's "Prende La Vela,"  
and Machito's "Sarabanda."
Recommended. (BP)
Price: $13.98
• Click here to Order Pachanga At The Pallladium, Vol. 1 Now!

VARIOUS ARTISTS
Si, Para Usted: The Funky Beats Of Revolutionary Cuba, Volume One
Waxing Deep / original import
Category: LATIN JAZZ; LATIN JAZZ/FUNK; CUBA
EditorsPick: Amazing compilation of totally funky vintage Cuban  
tracks. With Juan Pablo Torres Y Algo Nuevo, Irakere, Combo Tiempos  
Nuevos, Reyes '73, Grupo Monumental, Los 5-U-4, Grupo de  
Experimentacion Sonora De ICAIC and many others...
Highly Recommended. Review to follow shortly. (BP)
Price: $18.98
• Click here to Order Si, Para Usted Now!

VARIOUS ARTISTS
Signature Fania: Boogaloo
Fania / Emusica - Remastered Edition
Category: LATIN SOUL/BOOGALOO; LATIN SOUL, CLASSIC 60s or 70s
EditorsPick: Premium boogaloo classics have been carefully chosen for  
this compilation that features Micaela - Pete Rodriguez, Sonny's  
Boogaloo - Johnny Rivera, Boogaloo Y Shingaling - Bobby Valentin,  
Boogaloopo - El Lupe and much more.
Recommended. (BP)
Description: See all of the new remastered Fania classics Here!
Price: $14.98
• Click here to Order Signature Fania: Boogaloo Now!

VARIOUS ARTISTS
Signature Fania: Hard Salsa
Fania / Emusica - Remastered Edition
Category: SALSA/SON; SALSA: CLASSIC 1960s or 1970s NEW YORK
EditorsPick: Premium salsa classics have been carefully chosen for  
this compilation that features Timbalero - Willie Colon & Hector  
Lavoe, Guarare' - Ray Barretto, La Cartera - Orquesta Harlow, Sonido  
Bestial - Richie Ray And Bobby Cruz and much more.
Recommended. (BP)
Description: See all of the new remastered Fania classics Here!
Price: $14.98
• Click here to Order Signature Fania: Hard Salsa Now!

VARIOUS ARTISTS
Signature Fania: Hot Salsa
Fania / Emusica - Remastered Edition
Category: SALSA/SON; SALSA: CLASSIC 1960s or 1970s NEW YORK
EditorsPick: Premium salsa classics have been carefully chosen for  
this compilation that features Como Tu - Ruben Blades, Sola Te Dejare  
- Ray Barretto, Bomba Carambomba - Sonora Ponceña, Suena El Bongo -  
Ismael Rivera and much more.
Recommended. (BP)
Description: See all of the new remastered Fania classics Here!
Price: $14.98
• Click here to Order Signature Fania: Hot Salsa Now!

VARIOUS ARTISTS
Signature Fania: Latin Soul
Fania / Emusica - Remastered Edition
Category: LATIN SOUL/BOOGALOO; LATIN SOUL, CLASSIC 60s or 70s
EditorsPick: Premium Latin soul classics have been carefully chosen  
for this compilation that features Fever - La Lupe, Fat Mama - Tito  
Puente, Latin Gravy - Johnny Pacheco, Come And Get It - Ralph Robles  
and much more.
Recommended. (BP)
Description: See all of the new remastered Fania classics Here!
Price: $14.98
• Click here to Order Signature Fania: Latin Soul Now!

XAVIER CUGAT
Rumba Rhapsody 2-CD Set
Tim/Past Perfect / original import
Category: DANCE TRADITIONS; BIG BAND MAMBO JAZZ
EditorsPick: Review to follow shortly. (BP)
Price: $19.98
• Click here to Order Rumba Rhapsody 2-CD Set Now!

Significant links...

• Recent the most current Editor's Picks Reviews
• Read the Descarga's Best of 2006
• The new wave of remastered classic FANIA reissues
• The complete 2006 Descarga Update Archives: 2006
• The Descarga Homepage
• Browse our growing inventory of DVDs

• Dance salsa now with the best instructional 2-DVD set...
Eddie Torres Teaches Salsa Nightclub Style

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