A really top-shelf album from Justo Betancourt – a perfect illustration of the power of his vocals at their height! The set's got a really classic 70s salsa feel – a horn-heavy groove that almost effortlessly flows from a combo of strong players, topped by majestic vocals from Justo – stretching out soulfully with these wonderful inflections, timings, and turns that go far beyond the simple lyrics of the tunes. The record's almost a casebook study in the way that the Fania singers of the 70s could be completely expressive without resorting to any sort of over-emotive cliches – a new level of Latin masculinity in song, served up here with impeccable arrangements by Javier Vazquez. Titles include "Pa Bravo Yo", "Psicologia", "Oyeme Cantar", "Guaguanco Ta Moderno", "Adios Felicidad", "Catano", and "Una Audiencia Muerta". CD

The rare Latino Fantastico from Rubens Bassini – featuring a range of percussion and overall vibe that blends the feverishly rhythmic vibes his native Brazil with African, Cuban and South American styled numbers with ultra groovy exotica! Bassini is a master percussionist and he's backed by a stellar roster of Rio players from the time – bringing both a creative spirit and skilled instrumentation that keeps it well out of cocktail kitsch territory, but that said, it's well infused with a playful sense of fun – and we're glad to see and hear it after all these years! 19 mostly short numbers, including "Afro Cubano (Canto Karabali)", "Mambo", "Maracas (Surda)", "Merengue", "Guiro", "Bongo", "Tumbadoras", "Timbales", Bembe", "Samba (Samba No Congo)", "Tumbadoras", "Guaguanco", "Quinto" and more. (Brazil, Latin) CD

A nicely grooving album from Cuban jazz piano great Chucho Valdes – sounding as lively and vital as he has in years on Chucho's Steps! There's an invigorating blend of far reaching influences throughout the set, played masterfully by a combo that includes "Juan Carlos Rojas Castro on drums, Lazaro Rivero Alarcon on bass, Carlos Miyares Hernandez on tenor, Reynaldo Melian Alvarez on trumpet, precussionist Yaroldy Abreu Robles and others. Includes "Zawinul's Mambo", "Danzon", "Both Sides", "Begin To Be Good", "Yansa", "Julian" and "Chucho's Steps". CD