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An obscure but excellent session – recorded at the end of the 70s with some of the best players in the New York salsa underground! The music is extremely vibrant – and the styles of the tracks range from hard Afro-Cuban percussion grooving to tight Latin jazz in a classic mode – with instrumentation that ranges from pachanga-styled flute and violin, to some harder-jamming grooves with a lot more piano in the lead. Production has that raw, but clear sound that we love so much in the Latin Percussion albums of the time – a groove that's very different than that of Fania or Tico – and Sonny Bravo plays piano, Rene Lopez is on trumpet, Nicky Marrera is on timbales, Dick Meza plays flute, Eddie Montalvo plays conga, and Mario Rivera is on saxes. Includes great Latin Jazz versions of "Tune Up", "Manteca", and "April In Paris" – plus "Jo Ca Nic", "Son De La Loma", and "Konkoina".

A killer set of percussion-heavy Latin jazz tracks – one that brings together two different generations of Latin Jazz, working here in a stripped-down groove that's totally wonderful! The album's a real stunner from the legendary late 70s run of the Latin Percussion label – the imprint started to showcase the kinds of music that best fit its wide line of instruments – played here by an amazing lineup that includes Tito Puente on timbales and vibes, Patato Valdez on congas and shekere, Eddie Martinez on piano and Fender Rhodes, Johnny Rodriguez Jr on bongo and guiro, Steve Berrios on drums, and Rene Lopez on trumpet. Rhythms are at the core of each tune – and many numbers start out in the spare style of the label's drum solo records, then warm things up with a bit of added instrumentation. There's just a bit of vocals at a few points – sung by Nancy O'Neill & Jeanette Rodriguez – and titles include "Bernie's Tune", "Latin Funk", "Tito & Patato", "The Opener", "Afro Mood", "Talking Skins", and "Martinez Blues".

A great follow-up to some of the Latin Percussion jam sessions of the late 70s – a recent recording, but one that really retains a classic vibe! The session takes the same approach as the older ones – pulling together a core batch of well-matched musicians, and letting them jam in the studio – often in ways that have more traditional elements than straight salsa, but which also have an open flow that's very contemporary, too. Most tracks are nice and long – building up from spare rhythmic elements, then filling in the groove – and although there's some chorus vocals on the record, most of the energy comes from the small group of percussionists, which includes Luisito Quintero, Roman Diaz, Pedro Martinez, and Little Johnny Rivero. Titles include "Yambu Rengue", "La Loma De Belen", "Skin Columbia", "Mamita", "Antillana", "Something Crazy", "Remember This", and "Gerigonza".

A hell of a trumpeter – making his debut here on one of the grooviest albums on the legendary Latin Percussion label! The session's a bit fuller than some of the other LP albums – a crackling blend of jazz, funk, and Latin rhythms – warm, but with some pretty complicated moments, very much in the best spirit of the second wave of NuYorica grooves! There's still lots of the tight percussion that makes Latin Percussion sessions so great – but the record also features fuller instrumentation too – in ways that really make things soar. Players include Eddie Martinez on Fender Rhodes, Jon Faddis and Randy Brecker on additional trumpets, Steve Khan on guitar, and Carlos Patato Valdez on congas – and Ruben Blades even plays a bit of acoustic guitar on the record. The overall feel's a bit like some of the great Fania/Columbia co-productions – but a bit rawer at points – and titles include "Diana", "Genesis", "Nice & Warm", "Viva Martinez", "I Know", "Hot Blood", and "Perico" – most of which are separated by short percussion interludes!

A stunner of an album – and a really unique Latin percussion jam from the 70s! The session's headed by the legendary Carlos Patato Valdez – who arguably sounds better here than on any of his earlier albums – as he's working with a really fluid, open groove – achieved in the unique setting for the album created by producer Martin Cohen! There's a really traditional feel to some of the tunes – as the music really reaches back to older Afro-Cuban modes – but the sound is also quite 70s too, thanks to occasional warm jazzy touches, and crystal-clear production that still keeps everything nice and crisp. Patato plays quintet and sings – and other players include Steve Berrios on cascara, Nelson Gonzalez on tres and congas, Mario Papaito Munoz on congas, and Virgilo Marti on tumbadora. Many tunes are nice and long – really letting the musicians stretch out and jam, but in a relaxed way that's totally different than older descarga modes. Titles include "LP Theme", "LP Inspiration", "Chevere", and "Alma Mia".

One of the excellent albums cut by conga player Patato Valdez for the Latin Percussion label – and a tight stripped-down jam session with a very traditional Afro-Cuban feel! The groove is pure New York Latin – with the wonderful "return to basics" sound that LPV was pioneering at the time. Valdez is in great form on the conga – and other players include Virgilo Marti, Nelson Gonzalez, Bobby Rodriguez, and Alfredito Rodriguez. Titles include "La Ambulancia", "Canto A Chango", "To Y Van Hecho", and "Como Suena Mi Son". Tracks are very long, spare, and with a heavy conga groove!

An excellent album of 70s work by this legendary musician from Tipica 73! The record is the debut of Alfredo De La Fe – a great percussionist and string player with a keen ear for a salsa groove that's steeped in tradition, yet has a forward thinking approach to rhythm. Alfredo's style is a great example of the way the older charanga format was taken up by 70s salseros – used to move back towards a purer Latin sound, but also to form a platform for new forms of expression. The group features Jorge Dalto on Fender Rhodes, Nestor Torres on flute, Nicky Marrero on timbales, and Alfredo himself on violin and percussion. There's a lot more percussion players on the album, too – and vocalists include Adrienne Alberto, Hector Alomar, and Felo Barrio. Includes the batucada groover "Hot To Trot", the slightly funky "Que Rico Bailo Yo", and the tracks "Canto Del Corazon", "Charangueando", and "Toca Alfredo Toca".

A killer set of percussion-heavy Latin jazz tracks – one that brings together two different generations of Latin Jazz, working here in a stripped-down groove that's totally wonderful! The album's a real stunner from the legendary late 70s run of the Latin Percussion label – the imprint started to showcase the kinds of music that best fit its wide line of instruments – played here by an amazing lineup that includes Tito Puente on timbales and vibes, Patato Valdez on congas and shekere, Eddie Martinez on piano and Fender Rhodes, Johnny Rodriguez Jr on bongo and guiro, Steve Berrios on drums, and Rene Lopez on trumpet. Rhythms are at the core of each tune – and many numbers start out in the spare style of the label's drum solo records, then warm things up with a bit of added instrumentation. There's just a bit of vocals at a few points – sung by Nancy O'Neill & Jeanette Rodriguez – and titles include "Bernie's Tune", "Latin Funk", "Tito & Patato", "The Opener", "Afro Mood", "Talking Skins", and "Martinez Blues".

A classic underground Latin jazz album from the 70s – a wonderfully warm session that beautifully mixes older rhythms and a range of soulful jazz styles! The album's one of the few cut as a leader by bongo player Jose Mangual – whose sweet-stepping rhythms really make the set groove – and the session also features great work from Tito Puente on timbales and vibes, Patato Valdez on congas, Luiz Ortiz on trumpet, Dick Meza on tenor, and Kimmy Knepper on trombone. Most tracks are in an acoustic mode, but slight electric touches warm things up nicely – making for a really unique Latin jazz groove that was years ahead of its time – and a vibe that still makes this album one that we go back for time and time again! Titles include the funky groover "Black & Brown Boogie" – which features guest work on keyboards by Richard Tee, plus a bit of vocals – and other instrumental tunes include "Mai Kinshasa", "Summit", "Chinatown", "Dreamy", "Bamba A Puerto Rico", and "Sunrise Prince".

An amazing package of Latin Rhythms – 2 CDs worth of work recorded by the Latin Percussion label in the 70s! Volume 1 is one of the very first sessions recorded by the Latin Percussion label – a groundbreaking record that features very heavy rhythms throughout! The group's co-led by Jose Mangual and Carlos Patato Valdez – each of whom handle plenty of percussion, alongside Manny Oquendo on timbales, Milton Cardona on clave, Bobby Rodriguez on bass, and a few other percussion players as well! The sound is tight and jamming – very much in the best LP mode – recorded with a crisp edge that keeps the live, spontaneous sound of the record wonderfully fresh after all these years. One track features a bit of vocals by Ada Charbrier, but all other tunes are instrumental – and titles include "Masacote", "Guaguanco", "Bomba", "Guaguanco", "Mambo", "Shekere", and "Son Montuno". Volume 2 is quite compelling too, and really just features spare percussion jams, mixed with a bit of electric piano – a really cool blend that's unlike anything else we can think of! The session features spoken introductions to different Latin rhythm styles – then moves into percussion interplay between Nelson Gonzalez and Charlie Santiago, plus very stark electric piano lines by Joe Mannozzi – on a keyboard that's quite different than the usual Fender Rhodes. Titles include "Timbale", "Bongo Drum", "Conga Drum", and "Rhythm Ensemble". Also comes packaged with a cool full-sized booklet of notes, photos, and musical notations.