The classic first album as a solo act from Pete "El Conde" Rodriguez – not the boogaloo artist with the same first and last name, but the singer who'd rose to fame on a series of classic albums with Johnny Pacheco! The style here is rich and soulful – a return to tradition in Latin male vocals, with roots that stretch past Pete's Puerto Rican homeland, and deep into 20th Century Afro-Cuban traditions. Arrangements are by Bobby Valentin, Louie Cruz, and Louie Ramirez – and the instrumentation mixes some 70s salsa brightness with the deeper tones of older years. Titles include "El Conde Negro", "Los Compadres", "Un Toque Pa Yambao", and "Lo Quiso Dios". LP, Vinyl record album

A mid 60s masterpiece from Mongo Santamaria – pre-Latin Soul, and cooking all the way through! The album's one of the strongest realizations of the Santamaria genius at Columbia – and features heavily cooking arrangements from the great Marty Sheller, who also plays trumpet in the group. It's the horn work that really makes this session groove, too – as Marty's bright and brassy trumpet comes into play with slyly soulful reed work from Hubert Laws on flute and tenor, and the excellent Bobby Capers on alto & baritone sax! A few numbers have a straighter Latin feel – nicely offsetting the rhythmic Santamaria groove with a few more introspective moments – and titles include "La Justicia", "Lucky Mambo", "Casabe", "El Bravo", "Black Stockings", and "Miedo". LP, Vinyl record album

(Funky 45's, Latin) 7-inch, Vinyl record

(Funky 45's, Latin) 7-inch, Vinyl record

A really pivotal album in the career of Mongo Santamaria – one that has Mongo stripping down the groove, kicking up some jazz, and mixing together soulful styles that brought him to the top of the Latin crowd of the 1960s! There's a tightness here that goes beyond any of Santamaria's previous albums – a no-nonsense approach that makes for some incredibly hard-hitting numbers – heavy on the conga, but also featuring strong piano lines from Rodger Grand, trumpet from Marty Sheller, flute and tenor from Hubert Laws, and alto sax and baritone from Bobby Capers! This small combo provides pretty much all of the instrumentation for the record – and there's no added tricks or gimmicks, just hard-grooving Latin jazz at its best! Titles include "El Pussy Cat", "Together", "Black Eyed Peas", "Ritmo Negro", "Sarai", "Hammer Head", and "Afro Lypso". LP, Vinyl record album

Singer Ruben Blades scored a big early moment of fame on the Siembra album by Willie Colon – and here, he works with the larger ensemble of Roberto Delgado to pay tribute to that classic record from the late 70s! The album's a live one, recorded before a very enthusiastic crowd in Puerto Rico – and the tracks are long, and maybe even have a sense of majesty that the original record never possessed – really righteous, soaring songs that show that Blades' voice hasn't dimmed at all over the years – set to instrumentation that's equally powerful as well! Titles include "Ligia Elena", "Dime", "Siembra", "El Cazanguero", "Buscando Guayaba", and "Plastico". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A record with a cover that's a lot more hard-hitting than some of the later global efforts from The Latin Brothers – and one with a sound that definitely matches that image too! There's a raw sound here that's right in keeping with the best of Discos Fuentes at the time – music that clearly draws inspiration from the combo of Willie Colon up in New York, but which features backing from Fruko Y Sus Tesos, who have a style that's even more raw – with all sorts of great percussion next to the jazzy piano and soaring trombone lines! Piper Pimienta Diaz handles lead vocals – and titles include "Y Tu Que", "Echa Pa'Lante Camara", "La Perla", "Que No Pare La Rumba", "San Juan De Puerto Rico", "Son Dolores De Cabeza", and "El Picotero". LP, Vinyl record album

Don't let the title fool you, because it's similar to the album that Ricardo Ray and Bobby Cruz started off the 70s with – El Bestial Sonido – but the record's something quite different indeed! This set has Ricardo and Bobby exploring a more spiritual side of their music – one that's still socially conscious, and still plenty heavy on the Puerto Rican salsa of their fame – but one that also features all original material with themes of faith and redemption. Of course, if you're not a Spanish speaker, all you'll really notice is that the album's got plenty of salsa grooves – and at some level, that's really the genius of the album – as Ray and Cruz pushed a new sensibility into mainstream salsa audiences. Titles include "Eres Tu", "El Relajo", "Juan En La Cuidad II", "Pra Tra Y Pa Tra", and "El Sonido De La Bestia". LP, Vinyl record album

A really pivotal album in the career of Mongo Santamaria – one that has Mongo stripping down the groove, kicking up some jazz, and mixing together soulful styles that brought him to the top of the Latin crowd of the 1960s! There's a tightness here that goes beyond any of Santamaria's previous albums – a no-nonsense approach that makes for some incredibly hard-hitting numbers – heavy on the conga, but also featuring strong piano lines from Rodger Grand, trumpet from Marty Sheller, flute and tenor from Hubert Laws, and alto sax and baritone from Bobby Capers! This small combo provides pretty much all of the instrumentation for the record – and there's no added tricks or gimmicks, just hard-grooving Latin jazz at its best! Titles include "El Pussy Cat", "Together", "Black Eyed Peas", "Ritmo Negro", "Sarai", "Hammer Head", and "Afro Lypso". LP, Vinyl record album

A groovy little collection of funk rock tracks from Mexico – one that features a number of surprising grooves we'd never heard before! There's not much to go on from the cover, but most of these numbers appear to be from the late 60s or early 70s – and the overall vibe is heavy rock, but with a touch of soul – so that most of the rhythms end up coming out nice and funky! Titles include "The Funky Chicken", "Pais Tropical", and "Give It Up Or Turn It Loose (edit)" by Rabbits & Carrots; "Buscando La Felicidad" by Las Moskas, "Soul Sintonia" by Jae's Soul, and "Push & Pull" by Los Litos Barrientos. (Funky Compilations, Latin) LP, Vinyl record album

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(78 RPM, Latin) 78 RPM, Vinyl record

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Tight trumpet-led salsa from the great Tommy Olivencia – with additional trumpet work from Louis Perico Ortiz, and vocals from Paquito Guzman and Simon Perez! Louie Ramirez plays guest vibes on the set, and the record also features some great arrangements from Ortiz and guitarist Maximo Torres – on titles that include "Yolanda", "El Negro Chombo", "Aun No Es Tiempo", "Madame Chu Chu", and "Que Importa Donde". LP, Vinyl record album

A mid 70s cracker from Pacheco – salsa with a mix of traditional influences, in a mode that follows shifts of other Latin acts at the time, yet still keeps things in the lean grooves you'd expect from Pacheco! The album is is first in many without Pete "El Conde" Rodriguez on vocals – but that aspect's more than taken care of by lead singer Hector Casanova, who follows Pacheco well into this slightly shift in a new direction. Many tracks on the set are upbeat and lively, and titles include "Mango Mangue", "Prestame Los Guantes", "Las Muchachas", "El Chivo", "Simani", and "El Faisan". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderfully hard-to-categorize album from the start of the 80s – a Mexican record that mixes folkloric roots with electronic instrumentation – but all in a way that sounds much more ancient than you'd expect for the time! The fusion of modes here is wonderful – almost at a level that reminds us of some of the Graeme Revell experiments of the mid 80s, or some of the more organic electronics from Japan – as the whole thing feels a lot more acoustic than electric, with a wonderful blend of woody sounds, percussion, and other great elements. Titles include "In Altepetal Tonal", "I Pan In Xiktli Metztli", "Xochiyaoyoloh", and "Ketzalkoatl Yauh Miktlan". LP, Vinyl record album

A later cooker from Louie Ramirez – playing vibes and timbales here, and displaying again his fantastic skills as an arranger! Titles include "Todo Se Derrumbo", "Colombia Salsera", "En La Madrugada", "Pariguayo", and "Vibes A La Louie". LP, Vinyl record album

A real killer from this legendary Latin trombonist – one of his rarest records! The set features a mix of Latin soul and hard-jamming numbers – and titles include "Bomba Con Boogaloo", "El Primer Boogaloo", "Desayuno Musical", "El Abogado", "Mi Morena", and "Bailando Plena". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

The 10th album in a legendary 70s run from Roberto Roena and Apollo Sound – a set that has the group deepening their emotion and social themes a bit more than before! The core Apollo Sound is still very firmly in place here – with tight salsa-heavy horns offset by a saxophone, plus plenty of timbales, congas, and bongos at the bottom – cooking things up with an approach that's highly rhythmic, but shaded in wonderfully by the horns. Vocalists here include Tito Cruz and Carlos Santos – and titles include "Regano Al Corazon", "El Progreso", "Viva Cortijo", "Lamento De Concepion", "Necessito Llamar Su Atencion", and "Lo Que Dios Me Dio". LP, Vinyl record album

A wicked Latin groover – with lots of American funky touches! Xingu were an obscure 70s South American combo, but they clearly heard plenty of funky 45s from the US – as the best tracks on this set have them grooving in a style that recalls the best of The Meters, The Nite-Liters, and other North American funk acts! The album features an insane instrumental funk remake of Led Zepplin's "Moby Dick" – complete with a breaking drum solo – and also includes great versions of "Hot Pants", "Tanga Boo Gonk", and "Black Power" – plus the smoking originals "493 West" and "Baja A Las Chiquillas". LP, Vinyl record album

There's a host of cool keyboards on the cover, and that's what you'll hear on the record as well – used in all these really groovy space age styles over more conventional Latin rhythms – all of which made for a really incredible subgenre of sounds on the scene in Ecuador during the 70s! Most of the music here has the touch of Polibio Mayorga on the keys – sometimes as the lead artist, sometimes as a contributor to another's' work – and the cuts mix rootsier percussion and sometimes use Andean melodies, but all have these really weird and unusual electric parts too – an outer space organ line, or a moogy electronic flourish – all of which makes for some wonderfully trippy sounds throughout! As always with Analog Africa, the presentation is fantastic – and titles include "America India" by Junior Y Su Equipo, "Mi Paisa" by Olmedo Torres Y Poblibio Mayorga, "Haciendo Bomba" by Alcibiades Y Su Banda, "Llorona" by Los Locos Del Ritmo, "Muevase Vecina" by Eduardo Morales, "Bomba De Pobres" by Alcibiades Y Su Banda, "La Perra Vida" by Conjunto La Lorga, "Munequita Blanca" by Orti Mayorga Y Chiriboga, and "Cumbia Totorana", "Ferrocarril", and "Culebrita Dormida" by Polibio Mayorga. (Global Grooves, Latin) LP, Vinyl record album

With selections by Los Folkloristas, Emil Richards, Jose Avila, Melecio Martinez, and Mariachi Nuevo Uclatian. (Soundtracks, Latin) LP, Vinyl record album

A real cooker – filled with tasty Latin grooves! The sound of the barrio is in full effect – from late 60s Latin Soul to early 70s Latin Funk, all very well-selected from a variety of labels, and put together with a range of grooves that will keep your ears dancing all the way through! The tunes go way past the obvious – enough that the album includes a few tracks we've never heard before, the kind of soulful Latin sides that always keep us looking for more. Titles include "Lay An Oz On Me Baby" by The Latin Blues Band, "The New Breed" by Louie Ramirez, "Ponte Duro" by Roberto Roena, "I'm Satisfied" by Joe Bataan, "Yroco" by Jimmy Sabater, "La Verdad" by Cortijo & His Time Machine, "Cisco Kid" by La Crema, "Return To Spanish Harlem" by Tony Middleton & Bobby Matos, "You Need Help" by Mongo Santamaria, and "Yo" by Bobby Valentin. (Funky Compilations, Latin) LP, Vinyl record album

A percussion heavy Latin set from the start of the 80s – one that has a very classic Cuban descarga approach to the instrumentation, yet which also sparkles with some more contemporary arrangements as well! Chico Alvarez handles most of the vocals, and plenty of percussion too – but there's also some great players in the mix on other instruments too – including Felix Vega and Chocolate Armanteros on trumpets, Jose Rodriguez on trombone, and Xavier Lynch on some mighty nice soprano sax and baritone – really giving the whole record a nicely jazzy vibe! Yet the percussion persists too, and with a bit of tres from Victor Trias, there's plenty of very rootsy elements to the record too – on titles that include "Chino's Yambu", "Rumba En El Solar", "Con El Ritmo Del Tambo", "El Eden De Los Roncos", "Pineiro", "Esa Brujeira", and "Yo Tengo A Chango". LP, Vinyl record album

A well-done look at the music of Ray Perez – one of the hardest-hitting Latin leaders on the Venezuelan scene in the 70s, and a musician who's finally getting his due on the global scene! Ray's got a groove that's nice and sharp, and at times maybe more tuned towards the small combo sound of the New York scene of the late 60s, rather than the bigger salsa modes of the 70s – driven on strongly by plenty of percussion at the bottom, and sewn together by great piano work from Ray himself! The collection brings together cuts from Ray's short-lived El Casabe group – titles that include "La Idea", "Oye Nena", "La Reina", "Adios Bogota", "El Bonche Se Formo", "Lamento Del Campesino", "Galeron Con Maype", "Santa", and "Campesino Nuestra". LP, Vinyl record album

Although Pablo Beltran Ruiz is better known for more traditional material, this groovy album from the 60s has him moving through a great batch of 60s pop and Latin tracks – and it's got a wonderful lively sound! The album kicks off with a great instrumental version of Joe Cuba's "El Pito", rolls into a nice version of "Strangers In The Night", hits a go go version of "Batman", and moves through groovy instrumental versions of "Hanky Panky" and "Lara's Theme". The whole album's packaged in a great cover, with a lot of "op art" imagery and some very weird typographical stylings! LP, Vinyl record album

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... LP, Vinyl record album

A record that's every bit as groovy as its cover – the rare self-titled set from Venezuelan 60s combo The Pets – a group who serve up lots of cool cuts with a swinging 60s vibe! Lyrics are in Spanish, but the instrumentation echoes plenty of Anglo styles – especially 60s work from the Sunset Strip scene, mixed up with organ lines, jangly guitars, and production styles that really give the whole thing a nice balance between moody moments and more upbeat grooves! The group turn in a great and very unusual version of "Hello I Love You", serve up their own gem "El Entierro De Un Hombre Rico", and do a great job on other tunes that include "La Pobreza", "En El Verano", "No Lo Hagas Tan Dificil", "Este Es El Fin", and "Revolucion". (Rock, Latin) LP, Vinyl record album

A really cool blend of familiar Latin rhythms and South American electric guitar – use of the instrument that's more typically associated with genres in Peruo and other scenes on the west of the continent – but used here in a very cool set from the late 60s Venezuelan scene! The music has plenty of echoes of New York Latin at the core – with vocals that showcase some of the more soulful Spanish styles that would really flourish during salsa, mixed with fast-stepping percussion that keeps the grooves cool – while the guitar steps in and does all sorts of great things, equally as foregrounded as the vocals! Titles include "Oyelo", "Principe Llego", "Violeta", "Pa'Lante", "Mi Inspiracion", "No Pares El Guaguanco", "Pachanga Ple", and "Todo Se Acabo". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing early work from Ricardo Ray – material that's got a lot more fire than some of his better-known sides from the 70s! The album's a stone cooker all the way through – played by a tight young group with lots of descarga energy in their blood, and some of the pre-Latin Soul styles that were creeping around the New York scene – that cool combo sound that Joe Cuba was getting with his own group. Bobby Cruz is already with Ray at this point, and he does a great job on the vocal numbers on the album – but the real treat is Ricardo's group – who play with a hard jazzy intensity on the best tracks. These include the descarga "Here Comes Richie Ray", the jazz mambo "Jango", the jazz descarga "Theme", and the storming "Mi Guaguanco". Other cuts include "Summer Love", "The Shadow Of Your Smile", and "El Montuno De Hoy". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing early work from Ricardo Ray – material that's got a lot more fire than some of his better-known sides from the 70s! The album's a stone cooker all the way through – played by a tight young group with lots of descarga energy in their blood, and some of the pre-Latin Soul styles that were creeping around the New York scene – that cool combo sound that Joe Cuba was getting with his own group. Bobby Cruz is already with Ray at this point, and he does a great job on the vocal numbers on the album – but the real treat is Ricardo's group – who play with a hard jazzy intensity on the best tracks. These include the descarga "Here Comes Richie Ray", the jazz mambo "Jango", the jazz descarga "Theme", and the storming "Mi Guaguanco". Other cuts include "Summer Love", "The Shadow Of Your Smile", and "El Montuno De Hoy". LP, Vinyl record album

Features arrangements by Rene Hernandez and Arthur Azenzer – and titles include "Fiesta De Besos", "Nadie Me Ama", "Ya Tu Lo Ves", "San Juan", "Llego El Sonero", and "Boogaloo In Puerto Rico". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderfully jazzy work from Tito Rodriguez – and further proof that his live albums are often some of the best he ever recorded! The set's got an earthy feel that's quite different than some of Tito's studio albums – still that tight groove he brought to Latin music at the end of the 50s, but a looser, freer quality too – one that comes through not only in the great horn passages in the group, but also in the way the rhythms cascade and open up – in a groove that must have been very appealing to Palladium dancers. Titles include "Double Talk", "Te Comiste Un Pan", "Satin & Lace", "Mama Guela", "El Mundo De Las Locas", and "El Sabio". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little record – a heck of a lot nicer than Tito's work in the 50s, with a much more hard driving mambo sound, touched by a bit of jazz. The style here's not dissimilar to Tito Puente's work at the time – and titles include "Ay No No No", "A Little Bit Of Mambo", "El Tunel", "My Reverie", "Oh My Pa Pa", "Why Do I Love You", and "Chika Ni Lambo". LP, Vinyl record album

Plenty happenin' here – a wealth of boogaloo grooves, mad Latin jazz riffs, and lots lots more – all served up on a platter that's easily one of the most cooking ever from trumpeter Willie Rodriguez! Like other releases on the Fonseca label, there's a nicely messed-up groove going on – a style that easily shifts between different Latin modes in search of the rawest sound possible – without any thought of mainstream convention, or the sort of straighter-laced sounds that might have played with the suburban crowds. Willie's band is clearly nice and youthful, and more than willing to follow his leadership – working equally well on both the English and Spanish language tunes on the set. Titles include "Boogaloo Hay", "Sansuyo", "Mi Guajira", "Mi Shingaling", "The Clock", "What You Want Is Boogaloo", "7th Ave Train", and the very tasty "Descarga El Bravo"! LP, Vinyl record album

Stunning sounds from Willie Rodriguez – easily one of the hardest, heaviest leaders on the 60s scene in New York! The record is a live one, but has the focus and intensity of Willie's best studio work for Fonseca – red hot grooves that are a fusion of Willie's Puerto Rican roots with some of the best pre-salsa modes of the time – a vibe that's a lot like the Joe Cuba Sextet at their best, with blistering piano and percussion in the rhythms, and some tight trumpet soaring out over the top! There's a few mellower tracks, but most numbers are groovers – and titles include "Gua Guanco #1", "Dolor Y Pena", "La Mulata Mariana", "Dame Un Chance", "El Velorio", "Ruby", and the great "Descarga". LP, Vinyl record album

A very beautiful, very intimate album from Venezuelan singer Isaac Sasson – a set that's got an acoustic, gentle approach throughout – almost recalling some of the more inventive post-bossa experiments from the Brazilian scene, but with flavors that are very much its own! In addition to personal, poetic vocals from Isaac – who has a raspy charm that goes beyond language – the set also features a mix of percussion and wind instruments, and work on bandola llanera, charango, and cuatro – all used in these subtle ways to create a light sonic palette – maybe with the same laidback and spacious vibe as the instrumentation of Fabiano Do Nascimento. Titles include "Manos Largas", "Tu Puente Punteo", "El Credo", "Mare Mare", "Chuma", and "La Cancion De Mi Abuelo". (Global Grooves, Latin) LP, Vinyl record album

A rare bit of soundtrack funk from mid 70s Venezuela – a set that's strongly influenced by Italian cop/crime modes of the time, but sometimes served up with a nicely leaner vibe as well! In addition to the funky guitar, tight basslines, and jazzy horns you might expect – there's also some interesting moments that include odd keyboards, acoustic guitar, and even a violin and piano duet – used in ways to offset more familiar funky styles to really keep things interesting! The music was scored for a sexploitation film of the time, and certainly echoes the way those films were scored around the globe – but as with so much Venezuelan work of the period, there's a very special, very unique approach as well. Titles include "Malandro", "El Secuestro", "Jenny", "la Venganza", "Bajando El Cerro", "Tacarigua", and "Tema De Amor". (Soundtracks, Latin) LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent work from Setenta – a Parisian combo who work with a great blend of Latin roots and funk – served up with lots of percussion at the core, topped with Fender Rhodes and other keyboards from jazz genius Florian Pellissier! The acoustic percussion and electric keys are perfectly balanced – as you might find on a mid 70s album from Mongo Santamaria, but with a different flavor too – given that these guys explore some Afro roots in their music as well, which creates shifting patterns of rhythms throughout the set. Most tracks have vocals, and titles include "If We Ever Get There", "Permiso", "Mecanica Bestial", "DIA (parts 1 & 2)", "Materia Negra", and "Llego El Malo". (Deep Funk, Latin) LP, Vinyl record album

A boogaloo album, but one that's a lot trippier than most – and definitely worthy of the psychedelic reference in the group's name! As with so much of the best work from the Venezuelan scene of the late 60s, the music here draws on references from up north, but really abstracts the sound – almost as if the boogaloo had to go through a bit of a filter on the way down to Tono, where it picked up some cool production techniques, offbeat keyboards, and lots of other elements – often set to rhythms that aren't straight Spanish Harlem grooves, and instead also borrow bits from Colombia and Peru! Most of the record is instrumental – and titles include "Mr Boogaloo", "No Te Bote", "Chin Chin", "El Basuero", "Borinquen Bell", "El Guaycol", and "Las Hojas Secas". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic tracks from two ultra-rare labels from the New York scene – the Latin Soul empire Speed Records, and the super-tight Fonseca label – which provided a real mainline to Puerto Rican grooves at the time! Both labels cut some of the hardest-hitting Latin tracks of the time – music that was often rawer and more unbridled than material for other indies, like Tico or Fania – and the tracks here are from some of the obscure albums issued by both imprints, and some even-rare 7" singles – all with an upbeat groove, and a sound that's much more the Latin groove of the streets uptown, instead of the bigger ballrooms down in midtown. Titles include "Descarga Los Bravos" by Kent Gomez, "Asi Asi Descarga" by Mike Hernandez & Su Sonora Casino, "El Bembe" by Terrible Frankie Nieves, "Milton's Jala Jala" by Milton Zapata, "Palos Bravos De St John" by Orquesta Oliveri, "Yemaja" by Kent Gomez, "Palacio Descarga" by Danny Palacios, and "Melao Melaito" by Orquesta Oliveri. LP, Vinyl record album

A massive batch of boogaloo gems – all wrapped up in one mighty package! Tico Records was one of the first great New York indie labels to focus on Latin music in the postwar years – and by the time of the huge late 60s boom in the world of Latin Soul, the label were definitely in a great position to turn out some killer work from a variety of artists! Some of the label's artists were aging, but reinvigorated by the energy of the younger generation – who also got access to the top shelf Tico presentation, as they brought in some of the best soul styles from East Harlem to trim things down from the larger Latin ensembles of the previous generation, and really send things home with a funky sort of groove. This set's a great overview of these key years at Tico – and titles include "Sock It To Me" and "Psychedelic Baby" by Joe Cuba, "Tighten Up" and "The Horse" by Al Escobar, "Fever" by La Lupe, "Be's That Way" and "Bobo Do That Thing" by Willie Bobo, "El Watusi" and "Babalu" by Ray Barretto, "Hit The Bongo" and "Coye Como Va" by Tito Puente, "My People" by Joe Panama, "Come An Get It" and "The African Twist" by Eddie Palmieri, "Aquarius/Let The Sun Shine In" by Celia Cruz & Tito Puente, "Madrid" by Candido, "Times They Are A Changin" by Jimmy Sabater, "El Pito" and "Bang Bang" by Joe Cuba, "Fat Mama" and "TP's Shing A Ling" by Tito Puente, and "Yes I Will (part 1)" by Gilberto Sextet. LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing work from Gato Barbieri's legendary exploration of Latin American sounds for Impulse Records – a set that's heavy on Cuban influences, thanks to arrangements from the mighty Chico O'Farrill! The sound is sublime – a bit fuller than some of Gato's other albums in the run, but never with any slick or commercial styles – just more of a richness from O'Farrill's backings, matched perfectly by Barbieri's amazing tones on the tenor! There's a lot of Latin percussion in the backings – courtesy of Ray Mantill, Luis Mangual, and Ray Armando – and Eddie Martinez mixes in some sweet electric piano with his acoustic lines, deepening the soul of the record in a really 70s way. Titles include "Milonga Triste", "Lluvia Azul", "La Padrida", "Viva Emiliano Zapata", and "El Sublime" – the last of which is a good description of the record! (Jazz, Latin) LP, Vinyl record album

By this point in his career, Ray Barretto certainly was Indestructible – one of the biggest Latin leaders of his day, working at the forefront of new trends and new sounds! This fact is wonderfully displayed by the front cover, which shows Ray unbuttoning his shirt and taking off his Clark Kent-styled glasses to reveal a Superman costume underneath – and apart from this easy gimmick, the album itself is a straight ahead Latin jammer, with no tricks, no silliness – just a perfect early 70s salsa sound! Arrangements are by Eddie Martinez, Louie Cruz, and Louie Ramirez – and titles include "Ay No", "La Orquesta", "El Hijo Do Obatala", "Indestructible", "La Familia", and "El Diablo". LP, Vinyl record album

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, and picking up a host of more righteous soul influences in the process – really coming up with a great sound for the 70s! The record is filled with surprising gems – the kind of cuts that will make you go "damn!", and have you digging for other Feliciano records from the same time. Highlights include an excellent remake of Stevie Wonder's "Golden Lady", with loads of jazzy changes – plus the originals "Virgo", "Hard Times In El Barrio", and his classic theme to "Chico and the Man" – a cut that sounds especially great on this album, in ways we never appreciated when watching the show. Other numbers include "Essence Of Love", "Stay With Me", "You're No Good", and "I've Got To Convince Myself". (Rock, Latin) LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent batch of funky Latin tunes from Irakere – and one of the group's best albums! It's got a mix of rolling bass and electric keyboards on the best cuts – sounding a lot like the funky sound of LA Latin groups like War or El Chicano, but with more of the Afro-Cuban groove of their homeland of Havana in the mix. The quality of the work is excellent – better than on any of the group's American releases in later years – and this one time Cuban-only release is the kind of gem that's was unjustly hard to track down in earlier years – all the while deserving of worldwide love! Titles include "Iya", "Moja El Pan", "Juana 1600", "En Nosotros", "38 1/2", and "Xiomara" and "Este Camino Largo". LP, Vinyl record album

A great set of obscure salsa from New York, recorded for the tiny Solo label, and featuring a very tight band with Luis Santos on conga, Arturo Santos on timbales, and vocals by Juan Lanfranco and Pedro Lombillo. The groove's pretty heavy on most tracks, and titles include "El Barrilito", "La Revolucion De Cristo", "Kum Ba Yah", "Pueblito Espanol", and "Carino Malo". LP, Vinyl record album