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".
(Mexican pressing.)