A really wonderful album from Ray Barretto – more jazz fusion than his usual 70s salsa – but in a way that we really really love! The album's a crossover gem that has Ray working with Stix Hooper, Joe Sample, and Wilton Felder of The Crusaders – a trio who produced the record, and add in some of their instrumental help as well – which helps Ray find this bouncy, sometimes funky sort of groove – a sublime blend of LA fusion and New York Latin! There's still loads of great percussion from Barretto – but the set also has some wicked keyboards, guitar, and lots of jazzy inflections too. Titles include the killer cut "Here We Go Again" – a great midtempo number with a perfect steppers groove – plus the cuts "Tumbao Africano", "Leti", and "Expresso". LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

One of the greatest solo albums ever issued by Latin jazz trumpeter Luis Gasca – a set that really expands on his debut for Atlantic Records, and which brings in a whole host of early 70s west coast Latin influences! The style here is very laidback and open – a bit like some of the Chicano funk coming out of the LA scene at the time, but a fair bit more jazz oriented overall – with long lean solos from both Gasca on trumpet and Joe Henderson on tenor sax, set up in a half-electric set of rhythms laid out on guitar, organ, keyboards, bass, and plenty of percussion! Other players here are all top-shelf too – and include Carlos Santana, George Cables, Stanley Clarke, Coke Escovedo, and Lenny White. The album features 4 long tracks – "Spanish Gypsy", "Street Dude", "La Raza", and "Little Mama". (Jazz, Latin) LP, Vinyl record album