Features Diego Urcola on trumpet and valve trombone, Luis Perdomo on piano and Fender Rhodes, Hans Glawischnig on bass, Eric McPherson on drums, and Yosvany Terry on chekere. (Jazz, Latin) CD

Titles include "Blues For Astor", "Naranjo En Flor", "Lorena", "Maria Ciudad", "Blue In Green", and "Cuando Yo No Este". (Jazz, Latin) CD

Lots of tight salsa cuts from Joe Arroyo – including "Por Ti No Morire", "Fuego En Mi Mente", "Las Cajas", "En Barranquilla Me Quedo", and "Quien Lo Sabe Baila". CD

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". CD

A dozen heavy groovers from the legendary Discos Fuentes – pulled from a time when the Colombian label was really finding its sound and strengths – mixing together older strands of Afro Cuban inspiration with a special vibe that would soon make their scene rival the Latin music power of New York and Puerto Rico! The percussion is pretty darn heavy on most of these tracks – almost a fusion of the rootsier modes of early years with some of the more sophisticated musical elements developed in the small combo years of the New York 60s Latin scene – but also touched with some styles that are completely Colombian, yet still in a formative early moment that's never predictable or commercial at all. Titles include "Atiza Y Ataja" by Los Supremos, "El Vidriero" by Fruko Y Sus Tesos, "Coco May Ma" by Combo Las Vegas, "Cumbia En Do Menor" by Lita Barrientos, "Manue" by Michi Sarmiento Y Su Combo Bravo, "Cumbia Loca" by Conjunta Miramar, "Safari Safari" by Tita Duval Y El Nuevo Ritmo De Bobby Ray, and "La Pluma" by Peregoyo Y Su Combo Vacana. CD

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 effort to get kids involved in music uptown – spearheaded by Montego Joe, whose guidance in the set is greatly appreciated! There's a strong Latin Soul vibe running through the set – but one that's different than Joe's other work, a bit more rootsy at times, given all the percussion in the lineup – but warmed up nicely with bits of guitar, trumpet, and alto sax. The album's filled with great groovers – including the classic "Welcome To The Party", and the amazing "Oua-Train" jazz cut, which has a slightly spiritual feel. Other tracks include "Feed Me Good", "Barrets Bag", "Tico", "Ngoma", and "Santa Cruz". CD

West coast Latin jazz legend John Santos digs even deeper than usual here – serving up a set of tracks that trace the roots of the Cuban descarga style, but all with some of the warmth and personality that have made his previous records so great! John's core group features the leader on percussion, Melecio Magdaluyo on saxes, John Calloway on flute and piano, Marco Diaz on trumpet and piano, Saul Sierra on bass, and David Flores on drums. But there's plenty of contributions from older Latin legends – like Jerry Gonzalez on trumpet, Orlando Maraca Valle on flute, and Orlando Torriente on vocals – part of an expanded lineup that also changes up the sound a bit too, in way that isn't strictly a recreation of the late 50s/early 60s descarga modes – but instead shows how much those roots have evolved to inform the modes of Latin jazz. Titles include "14 Mission", "Juego De Ajedrez", "Lo Tuyo No Va", "Descargarara", "Tichin", "Descarga Con Changui", and "Los Misterios". CD

Ouch! The title almost makes us want to pass this one up – and we certainly wish that Luaka Bop would soft-pedal their politics a bit more, because the music is more than enough to make the compilations sell. The set focuses on Cuban dance music of the 60s and 70s – and provides some valuable recordings that haven't been easily available in the states, all packaged with the usual care and attention to detail in the liner notes. Titles include "Papa Ogun" by Celeste Mendoza, "Eso No Es Na" by Maria Teresa Vera, "Caminito De Zaza" by El Jilguero De Cienfuegos, "Yayabo" by Orquesta Riverside, "Manzanillo" by Orquesa Original de Manzanillo, and "Fifi, Tete, Y Popo" by Orquesta Reve. CD

Includes music by Coro Santo Nino, Coro de San Jose, Gregorio Ruiz, Charles Aguilar, Los Reyes de Albuquerque, Mercedes Lopez, and Johnny Florez – 26 tracks total. CD

One of Kenton's greatest records, and the one in which he proves his dedication to Latin styles, by serving up a killer batch of Afro-Cuban tracks with an incredibly authentic feel. The great Johnny Richards handled the arrangements, and the tracks are long and drawn out, with plenty of solo space for the group. Titles include "Fuego Cubano", "Quien Sabe", and "La Quera Baila". Plus, this killer CD reissue also features a whopping 6 bonus cuts that weren't on the original – including "Wagon", "Carnival", and "Malibu Moonlight". (Jazz, Latin) CD

Features Merceceditas Valdes, Los Naranjos De Cienfuegos, Los Munequitos De Matanzas, and Grupo Vocal Descendann. Tracks include "Pensando En Jane", "Ron Con Ron", "Movin' On", "Suite Matanzas", and "Quitate El Chaque". (Jazz, Latin) CD