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It's the start of the 70s, but the classic sound of El Gran Combo is still very firmly in place – coming across with almost a timeless feel on this well-known album in their catalog! As before, the group's directed by pianist Rafael Ithier, and vocals are shared by Andy Montanez and Pellin... read more

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A great little back to basics effort from the Fania All Stars – one that shakes off some of the electric and clubby influences that were creeping in during their years at Columbia, and returns the group to a mostly salsa groove! The sound here is bold and bright throughout –... read more

After a disastrous attempt at recording a live show, the Fania All-Stars went in the studio with guests like Billy Cobham and Manu Dibango and created their funkiest and one of their finest albums of the seventies! A few cuts are more straight Latin sounding, some of these tracks have a nice hard... read more

A Latin soul party – beyond compare! The album's a completely wonderful live set that really captures the energy, excitement, and warm sociability of the hip New York scene at the end of the 60s. The music is stunning – a freewheeling blend of jazz, soul, and Latin themes –... read more

A key 70s moment of pride for the New York Latin scene – and one of a number of crucial live sets cut by the legendary Fania All Stars! The group were invited to play a three day music festival in Zaire in 1974 – timed to coincide with the Rumble In The Jungle Ali/Foreman fight –... read more

One of the proudest moments of the New York Latin underground – a time when some of its best players wound up playing for Columbia, through a brief affiliation between Fania and the larger label! And although you might think that the album would totally sell out the group's best points, it's... read more

The Fania All Stars pay tribute to older Latin great Tito Rodriguez – in a set of shorter tracks that's really the group's first true outing in the studio! The format here is quite different than the earlier live albums cut by the group – a sound that's a bit more focused, and without... read more

Pachanga and plenty more – thanks to a nice blend of rhythms that really make the album sparkle! Instrumentation is heavy on horns, and not the usual mix you might expect from a pachanga album – and the percussion kicks along strongly on most numbers, grooving a good number of tracks... read more

Oh, the feeling here is more than good – as the album's a stunner from the legendary Jose Feliciano, the kind of set that never fails to make us smile when we hear it! Jose's really evolved here from his earliest days – going even farther past the genius of his late 60s work for RCA,... read more

The Latin Kick – with a jazzy groove! Gerardo Frisina's long been one of our favorite talents on the international groove underground, and like his labelmate and sometime musical partner Nicola Conte, he's got a way of crafting tracks that are awash in classic jazz touches. Frisina himself... read more

A wicked dip into Colombian music – focused around the work of two true giants of the scene! CD1 features 21 massive tracks from Fruko – one of the hardest-hitting artists working in Colombia in the 70s – often in a sound that starts out in New York salsa, but takes all these... read more

Vamping guitar grooves, soulful lead and group vocals, and Latin funky rhythms from the legendary NYC Ghetto Brothers! "Ghetto Brothers Anthem" is their hard grooving mission statement, a heavy groove that starts with some wah wah guitar leading to the pummeling drums and rhythms –... read more

Standout cuts from the legendary Power/Fuerza record by The Ghetto Brothers – nicely paired on a Funky 45 by Truth & Soul! "Got This Happy Feeling" is one of their tighter, hard-charging numbers. It's got a straight-up killer guitar groove, feverish Latin Funk drums and... read more

A legendary record from one of the most unique Latin groups of their time! In an early 70s world where many Latin combos were going for class and poise, the Ghetto Brothers moved in another direction entirely – working here with a fair bit of electric guitar alongside more familiar Latin... read more

Fierce funky grooves from the legendary Nico Gomez – a set cooked up in Europe, but heavy with influences from the other side of the Atlantic – from Havana all the way up to New York! There's definitely a Latin groove to the record – one that's similar to other Gomez productions... read more

Fierce funky grooves from the legendary Nico Gomez – a set cooked up in Europe, but heavy with influences from the other side of the Atlantic – from Havana all the way up to New York! There's definitely a Latin groove to the record – one that's similar to other Gomez productions... read more

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A dozen hard early 60s Latin numbers – performed by Rene Grand and his combo, with some occasional vocals by Frankie Rodriguez – but also a number of great instrumentals with a sweet jazzy finish! The groove is very strong, with lots of mambo jazz in the mix, and a hard New York groove... read more

Heavy funk from the Mexican scene of the early 70s – a great little combo that blends together equal parts soul, rock, and jazz! Grupo Oz are clearly influenced by some of the jazzier groups going down on the west coast Latin scene of the time – and like many of those groups, they also... read more

The coolest grooves we've ever heard from percussionist Henri Guedon – a really wonderful blend of Latin, Caribbean, and jazz-based influences – all filtered into a very special sound! There's plenty of percussion at the core, but there's also some sweet keyboards too – used... read more

The coolest grooves we've ever heard from percussionist Henri Guedon – a really wonderful blend of Latin, Caribbean, and jazz-based influences – all filtered into a very special sound! There's plenty of percussion at the core, but there's also some sweet keyboards too – used... read more

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A killer bit of Latin Soul – one of the few albums ever recorded by conga player George Guzman, working here with a very cool, very hip, late 60s ensemble! The group sport 3 trumpets, piano, bass, and some very strong percussion – plus vocals in both English and Spanish, which makes... read more

A legendary bit of Latin from the New York scene of the 60s – recorded by a host of youthful players working under the direction of percussionist Montego Joe! The group's name is a contraction of "Harlem Youth" – a program in which all players participated, as part of an... read more

A legendary Latin funk album – spearheaded by Eddie Palmieri! The record is a landmark crossover album from the early 70s – cut at the end of the Latin soul era, but featuring that genre's wonderful mix of Puerto Rican soul, Spanish Harlem Latin, and New York funk. The grooves are all... read more

A legendary Latin funk album – spearheaded by Eddie Palmieri! The record is a landmark crossover album from the early 70s – cut at the end of the Latin soul era, but featuring that genre's wonderful mix of Puerto Rican soul, Spanish Harlem Latin, and New York funk. The grooves are all... read more

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A smoking descarga session from the 60s – one of the best albums ever by percussionist Kako! The album explodes with wonderful jazzy playing, and features 4 very long tracks that are stuffed with great solo work on piano and sax – bubbling over in heavy percussive excitement, with the... read more

One of the best collaborations between Puerto Rican bandleader Kako and swingin' Panamanian vocalist Azuquita – and one of the seminal albums from the amazing late 60s era of West Side Latino Records! The record's got a number of nice tracks written by Louie Ramirez, including a few groovy... read more

An amazing album that's one of the greatest-ever descarga sessions to come out of the New York scene! The album's supposedly a tribute to pianist Noro Morales – but it's got a fire and energy that goes way beyond even Morales' best work, one that has the group recording in a long-format... read more

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This famous Latin combo hits the early 60s, and lays down a stock session of pachanga and charanga cuts, infused with lively guitar parts, and some lovely female vocals. Tracks include "Yo No Se", "Cafe Y Pan", "The Don Jose Pachanga", "Pachanga Pa'Gozar",... read more

A tasty bit of salsa with a modern charanga twist – a groove that's a fair bit like Tipica 73 at times, but a bit less standard! La Sensual really have a playful sense to their music – one that lets the mix of violin, flute, and piano leap around creatively – sometimes following... read more

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A lost treasure – one of the few albums ever cut by this fantastic Latin Jazz ensemble, an ultra-hip group led by congolero Juan Amalbert, with a modal vibes/piano groove that's simply wonderful! The combo were one of the hippest early 60s Latin acts – and took equal part inspiration... read more

A wonderful batch of Latin Jazz grooves – played by a group who more than deserved the right to call themselves the Latin Jazz Quintet! The core sound features vibes and piano jamming away nicely, really hitting some great modal rhythms – but this album's also got an added bonus in the... read more

Killer Latin soul! This record is one of the hardest to find from the late 60's boogaloo era, and it's a massive stormer filled with tasty grooves! The band is small and tight, with a 2-sax frontline, for an extra-soulful sound. Vocals are in English and Spanish, and the album wails away like a... read more

A killer of a mid 70s album from Hector Lavoe – recording here as a solo act after his split from the Willie Colon group, but still with strong backings and musical supervision from Willie himself! The style here is very similar to the last few albums Lavoe recorded with Colon – a... read more

A classic bit of 70s salsa gold from vocalist Hector Lavoe – a record done in close collaboration with Willie Colon, with whom Lavoe had worked on a great run of albums during the late 60s and early 70s! The set's got a slightly warmer and more straightforward feel than some of Willie's... read more

A classic bit of 70s salsa gold from vocalist Hector Lavoe – a record done in close collaboration with Willie Colon, with whom Lavoe had worked on a great run of albums during the late 60s and early 70s! The set's got a slightly warmer and more straightforward feel than some of Willie's... read more

A tribute to the famous romantic singer Felipe Pierela – once known as the Bolero Star Of The Americas! Given Hector LaVoe's warmth and charisma at the time, he was a perfect choice for such a project – and working here with producer Willie Colon, Hector steps into an older mode of... read more

A beautiful little record from Hector Lavoe – one deepens his sound and emotion, but manages to do so without going into any schmaltzy territory! Some tracks here are full-on groovers, and others are mellower – but even these have a depth of feeling that really commands our attention... read more

Smoking salsa, but with a heartbreaking undercurrent – thanks to the vocals in the set! The grooves are already great – raw, youthful 70s material, played by a group who are clearly excited to be stepping out into fresh territory – but when the vocals come into the mix, things... read more

An early classic from the great Raphy Leavitt – one of the leading underground lights of the 70s salsa scene, especially if you get away from the Fania/Tico side of the universe! There's a strong sense of soul to the record right from the start – one that comes more from the delivery... read more

Amazing work from the New York underground of the late 60s – an album that's as magical as its title implies! Latin definitely goes psychedelic on this one – burning through a cloud of smoke with a brilliant blend of soul, jazz, and the hipper rhythms of the Spanish Harlem scene at the... read more

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A pivotal early 70s set of Peruvian Cumbia from Enrique Delgado and Los Destellos – the rare Constelacion LP from 1971 – a great album that's definitely in the more cosmic realm of the style! Guitarist Delgado was one of more creative forces in cumbia, credited as one of the first, if... read more

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A contemporary Latin combo, but one with a really unique feel as well – a mix of 60s charanga modes, 50s Cuban roots, and some definite modern phrasing! The group has a really wonderful blend of flute, violin, trombone, tres, and percussion – and congolero Hector "Papote"... read more

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Beautiful brown-eyed soul from the Ohio scene of the 70s – just the sort of record you might have expected to hear from East LA or Spanish Harlem back in the day – but even more amazing to come from Cleveland! The group are a Latin combo at the core, but they've soaked up plenty of... read more

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Wonderful work from this New Orleans combo – a Latin act that feels like they'd be much more at home in the Spanish Harlem scene of the 60s, especially given the soulful undercurrents of this set! On previous releases, the group already showed a great talent for crafting just the right sort... read more

Funky fusion with plenty of Latin touches – a really compelling set from the Nicaraguan scene of the 70s! The album's got the same criss-crossing of influences you'd hear in some of the best Bay Area projects of this type – no surprise since Jose Chepito Areas is a key member of the... read more

Funky fusion with plenty of Latin touches – a really compelling set from the Nicaraguan scene of the 70s! The album's got the same criss-crossing of influences you'd hear in some of the best Bay Area projects of this type – no surprise since Jose Chepito Areas is a key member of the... read more

By the end of the 50s, Machito was a king of the Latin scene – and had an ability to both groove hard, and lay down sophisticated arrangements that were a lot stronger than those of other throwaway cha cha cha groups. This album's one of his best from the era – and it includes lots of... read more

A seminal bit of Latin funk from the Bay Area scene of the early 70s – the second album from Malo, and an even harder-hitting jam session than the first! The group are really in top form here – taking off with Santana-inspired riffs that are filled with heavy percussion, soaring organ,... read more

An excellent album of Latin material from Herbie Mann – and proof that he's equally great in just about any setting! The album's a rare Columbia Records outing from Herbie – but it's easily one of his greatest of the 60s, thanks to some really smoking arrangements from Oliver Nelson... read more

A killer bit of Latin jazz from the 70s – one of the first records issued under the name of percussionist Ray Mantilla, and a really smoking set that features funky flute from Jeremy Steig, bass from Eddie Gomez, and both drums and keyboards from the mighty Joe Chambers! The tunes have a... read more

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A sweet mix of Spanish and Cuban styles – as Pedrito Martinez takes on some older flamenco tunes, but in ways that have a really old school Havana sort of sound! Pedrito's vocals are served up with plenty of soul – and backed with tight guitar from Nino Josele, whose dexterity on the... read more

Percussionist Sabu Martinez is one of the all-time greats of Latin music – and this record is probably the rarest he ever cut! The album came out of Sweden, where Sabu was residing during the 70s – enjoying some success as an expatriot jazz player in the European scene. The album... read more

Percussionist Sabu Martinez is one of the all-time greats of Latin music – and this record is probably the rarest he ever cut! The album came out of Sweden, where Sabu was residing during the 70s – enjoying some success as an expatriot jazz player in the European scene. The album... read more

A Latin soul treasure from Bobby Matos – quite different than his straighter jazzy work of recent years, and a stone cooker to rival the best of the New York indies in the late 60s! Like cookers on Fania and Cotique, the set's got a groove that's rooted in descarga – with loads of... read more

A killer little set from Les McCann – one of his greatest records of the 60s, thanks to a fair bit of Latin Soul influences! The album's got a groove that's much grittier than Les' other work – a solid, soulful emphasis on bottom rhythms – which are mostly in a boogaloo and shing-... read more

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IThe great early 70s solo album from Ismael Miranda! Ismael fronting his own excellent Orquestra here – singing lead vocals and playing a bit of percussion, with an ensemble that includes Nicky Marrero on timbales, Nelson Gonzalez on tres, Oscar Hernandez on piano, and Carlos De Leon on... read more

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Boleros and ballads from the silky voice of Gilberto Monroig – perfectly combined here with the orchestra of Tito Puente and arrangements of Redhames Reyes Alfau! The whole thing's pretty mellow overall, but still quite nice – and Tito's jazzy touches are appreciated. Titles include... read more

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A great indie set from pianist Felix Morales and his Orchestra Capri – a small combo who play with a really lively salsa-based sound – cooking things up nicely in a way that's a bit different from some of the work on Fania or Tico at the time! The group's got three trumpets on top of... read more

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Bold-toned Latin jazz from Chico O'Farrill – one of a handful of excellent 90s sessions cut for Milestone Records – a label who really let Chico reclaim the glory of his older Verve albums from years back! The style here is a bit more modern – echoes of some of the Latin jazz... read more

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Colombian music, both classic and contemporary – as a group of older all-star players comes into contact with Will "Quantic" Holland! The set's easily one of the most smoking Latin-styled projects we've heard from Quantic so far – recorded in Colombia with work from Fruko,... read more

Lost grooves from Spanish Harlem – an incredible set of Latin Soul from The 107th Street Stickball Team! With a name like that, the group certainly aren't as well-remembered as contemporaries like Joe Bataan or Willie Colon, but they've got a soulful groove that definitely fits the style of... read more

Nothing creeping up here – as the album takes off right from the first note, into a joyous groove that's mighty nice! The group are billed as "the youngest Latin Orchestra in the world" in the notes – and there's definitely a feel here that reflects that fact – a fresh... read more

A stunning album from Orquesta Harlow – one of their wildest of the 60s, and filled with delights! The record starts with this strange sound of a train pulling into a station, then rolls into a massive boogaloo groove that really sets the pace for the album – hitting hard with some... read more

A great early record by Larry Harlow's famous combo – every bit the "smokin" set that the title might imply! Harlow and the group are in full force here – ripping through a set of short tracks that really groove with a darkly percussive edge. There's a surprising amount of... read more

A great little album of boogaloos and hard Latin tracks – one of the few rare gems on the long-lost Speed label. The set features the work of the Orquesta Olivieri, led by trumpeter Herbie Olivieri, and featuring more trumpet, piano, and percussion, plus lead vocals by Angelo Jiminez and... read more

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Beautiful! The rare album by Orquesta Coatzacoalos – a mid 60s set of mambos and all around excellent music from the Mexican combo! The group is fantastic, with tight rhythms and percussion and horns parts roll from succinct, intense bursts to jazzier big band grooving. Includes "La... read more

Beastly salsa from Orquesta El Macabeo – a record that bursts out with power right from the start – soaring forth at a level that almost knocks out most classic salsa records we can think of! This youthful group just keeps getting better and better with each new release – and... read more

Beastly salsa from Orquesta El Macabeo – a record that bursts out with power right from the start – soaring forth at a level that almost knocks out most classic salsa records we can think of! This youthful group just keeps getting better and better with each new release – and... read more

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