(Classical, Latin) CD

Possibly the greatest album ever from Angel Canales – a 70s salsa classic through and through, and one with great links between the New York scene and Canales' Puerto Rican roots! The tunes are wonderfully heartfelt throughout – sung with a youthful sense of soul that's far different than some of the more emotive modes of previous generations of Latin singers – in a way that really scored big with the younger generation at the time, and which makes Canales one of the key forces helping to change the sound of the music in the 70s. Instrumentation is nice and tight – acoustic small combo work with two trombones, trumpet, baritone sax, flute, piano, bass, and percussion – under musical direction by Juan Torres. Titles include "Lejos De Ti", "Perico Macona", "La Hiedra", "Sol De Mi Vida", "Sabor Los Rumberos Nuevos", and "El Cantante Y La Orquesta". LP, Vinyl record album

An 80s classic from one of the hippest Latin jazz ensembles of its time – the wonderful Fort Apache band of trumpeter/percussionist Jerry Gonzalez! As with other albums from the group, the key strength here is Jerry's choice of compadres – a great lineup of jazzmen who understand both Latin rhythms and more open, expressive soloing – which really allows them to stretch way way past any sort of obvious cliches for their genre. Some of the tunes get quite modern at points – and players include John Stubblfield on tenor, Angel Papo Vasquez on trombone, Larry Willis on piano, Edgardo Miranda on guitar, and Steve Berrios, Nicky Marrero, and Milton Cardona on percussion. Titles include "Nefertiti", "Eighty One", "Siempre Junto A Ti", "Evidence", and "Jackie-ing". (Jazz, Latin) CD

Johnny Pacheco's working here with vocalist Luis Angel Silva Nava – also known as "Melon", hence the title and cover! The album's a crackling batch of straight samba from the 70s – played by a sharp little group with Sonny Bravo on piano, Luiz Perico Ortiz on trumpet, Luis Mangual on bongos, Charlie Rodriguez on tres, and Pacheco himself on both flute and percussion – both of which are handled with a slightly classic vibe. Production is nice and clean – like the best Vaya dates from the time – and the album does a great job of balancing Latin roots with the more youthful energy of the 70s New York scene. Titles include "Don Toribio Carambola", "Compay Anton", "Solo Estoy", "Vera Cruz", "Jicamo y Salsa", and "Nuestra Cita". LP, Vinyl record album

A live recording of the final concert of Piazzolla's New Tango Sex-Tet, recorded in Amerstdam, 1989. 7 numbers in all, including "Hora Cero", "Tanguedia", "Milonga Del Angel", "Camorra 3", "Preludio Y Fuga", "Sex-Tet" and "Luna". CD

A fantastic late life album by the Argentine musical genius Astor Piazzolla – and a set that shows just how far he'd transformed the format of the tango along his musical path of the previous decades! The sound here is completely unique – with some elements of modern string quartet modes, avant jazz, and other styles – blended together with guitar, violin, piano, and bass next to Astor's completely sublime lines on bandoneon! The whole thing's a treasure, and if there's one record to hear by Piazzolla, this is it! Titles include "Tanguedia III", "Milonga Del Angel", "Concierto Para Quinteto", "Milonga Loca", and "Contrabajissimo". CD

A fantastic late life album by the Argentine musical genius Astor Piazzolla – and a set that shows just how far he'd transformed the format of the tango along his musical path of the previous decades! The sound here is completely unique – with some elements of modern string quartet modes, avant jazz, and other styles – blended together with guitar, violin, piano, and bass next to Astor's completely sublime lines on bandoneon! The whole thing's a treasure, and if there's one record to hear by Piazzolla, this is it! Titles include "Tanguedia III", "Milonga Del Angel", "Concierto Para Quinteto", "Milonga Loca", and "Contrabajissimo". LP, Vinyl record album

Crack Latin from trombonist Papo Vazquez – one of the strongest sets we've ever heard from Cubop Records, a label that's always pretty darn great! Vazquez' vision here is quite strong – working with a big group to craft some tunes that are surprisingly lean while still managing to be deep and evocative. Papo's horn is at the lead – working in in a style that seems to stretch back to older work by Chico O'Farrill, but which also pushes on in a combination of Puerto Rican salsa and west coast Latin jazz. A really great set throughout – with titles that include "Stuffy Turkey", "Las Torres", "Mundo Bizarro", "Carnival In San Juan", "Vianda Con Bacalao", "Carlitos Coco", and "Snow Angel". CD

With selections by Pepe Aguirre and Orquesta Angel Capriolo, Jorge Omar with Francisco Lomuto and Orquesta Tipica, Orquesta Tipica Victor, Roberto Maida with Francisco Canalo, Alberto Reynal with Juan D'Arienzo, Alberto Vila, Roberto Ray with Osvaldo Fresedo, Jorge Abril with Orquesta Luis Veloso, Antonio Quintanilla with Orquesta Tipico Hermanos Carbone, Ada Falcon with Franciso Canaro, Oswaldo Pugliese, and Ricardo Ruiz. LP, Vinyl record album

A deep dive into the world of Puerto Rican music in the years before salsa and Latin Soul – overflowing with the sounds and styles that also helped forge a huge new wave of expression on the New York scene as well! The package does a great job of pulling together tracks that really get at this prehistory of more familiar Latin modes – beginning with rare tracks from the 78rpm years, then focusing on killer album cuts from the late 50s and early 60s – grooves that were helping Puerto Rico to rival Cuba in terms of fresh rhythms and razor-sharp instrumentation! Just about all of this work has been out of print on any format for many years – including CD – and the package does a great job of tracing the line from San Juan up to New York – with a selection of 44 tracks by artists who include Humberto Morales, Bobby Capo, Orquesta Panamericana, Noro Morales, Cesar Concepcion, Cortijo, Roy Rosario, Ismael Rivera, Chiquitin Garcia, Angel Luis Torruellas, Cuarteto Puerto Rico, Roberto Casillas, Lou Perez, and others. CD