... LP, Vinyl record album

Don't let the title fool you, because it's similar to the album that Ricardo Ray and Bobby Cruz started off the 70s with – El Bestial Sonido – but the record's something quite different indeed! This set has Ricardo and Bobby exploring a more spiritual side of their music – one that's still socially conscious, and still plenty heavy on the Puerto Rican salsa of their fame – but one that also features all original material with themes of faith and redemption. Of course, if you're not a Spanish speaker, all you'll really notice is that the album's got plenty of salsa grooves – and at some level, that's really the genius of the album – as Ray and Cruz pushed a new sensibility into mainstream salsa audiences. Titles include "Eres Tu", "El Relajo", "Juan En La Cuidad II", "Pra Tra Y Pa Tra", and "El Sonido De La Bestia". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A killer set of Latin Soul from the New York scene of the late 60s – a record that's every bit as wonderful as boogaloo classics on labels like Fania and Cotique, but which never got released at the time! The production quality is wonderful – with the mighty Bobby Marin heading up the whole set, and channeling the talents of a fantastic all-star lineup – which includes both Charlie Palmieri and Richie Ray on piano, Tito Puente on timbales, Bobby Rodriguez on bass, and Louie Ramirez on vibes – plus vocals from Jimmy Sabater and Willie Torres, who really give the record a lot of soul! The set's a mixture of instrumentals and vocal numbers, in English and Spanish – and titles include "Something New", "Nitty Boo Boo", "Would You Believe Me?", "Rice And Beans", "Dixie's Mambo", "Fun City Hippy", "Say Listen", "A Fool Like Me", "Papel De Bambu", and "Shingaling Now Boogaloo Later". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing early work from Ricardo Ray – material that's got a lot more fire than some of his better-known sides from the 70s! The album's a stone cooker all the way through – played by a tight young group with lots of descarga energy in their blood, and some of the pre-Latin Soul styles that were creeping around the New York scene – that cool combo sound that Joe Cuba was getting with his own group. Bobby Cruz is already with Ray at this point, and he does a great job on the vocal numbers on the album – but the real treat is Ricardo's group – who play with a hard jazzy intensity on the best tracks. These include the descarga "Here Comes Richie Ray", the jazz mambo "Jango", the jazz descarga "Theme", and the storming "Mi Guaguanco". Other cuts include "Summer Love", "The Shadow Of Your Smile", and "El Montuno De Hoy". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing early work from Ricardo Ray – material that's got a lot more fire than some of his better-known sides from the 70s! The album's a stone cooker all the way through – played by a tight young group with lots of descarga energy in their blood, and some of the pre-Latin Soul styles that were creeping around the New York scene – that cool combo sound that Joe Cuba was getting with his own group. Bobby Cruz is already with Ray at this point, and he does a great job on the vocal numbers on the album – but the real treat is Ricardo's group – who play with a hard jazzy intensity on the best tracks. These include the descarga "Here Comes Richie Ray", the jazz mambo "Jango", the jazz descarga "Theme", and the storming "Mi Guaguanco". Other cuts include "Summer Love", "The Shadow Of Your Smile", and "El Montuno De Hoy". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of Ricardo Ray's earliest work – recorded in New York in the mid 60s, after Ray had "arrived" from the Puerto Rico scene! The set's actually got a groove that points the way towards the famous Ray sound of years to come – a style that has traces of older mambo modes, but which also extends out in a bold, proud, pre-salsa style with plenty of great lead vocals from Bobby Cruz. There's some great descarga elements in the mix too – tight rhythms with loads of jazzy instrumentation that really makes the record cook. Highlights include the jazzy "El Mulatu", the slamming descarga "Viva Richie Ray", the "monkey twist" "Brother Ray", and the shing-a-ling number "Mambo Jazz"! LP, Vinyl record album

With Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Jimmy Rowles on piano, Ray Brown on bass, and Donald Bailey on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing follow up to Ricardo Ray's first album of Jala Jala and Boogaloo tracks – a real killer Latin soul set that's even better than the first! The record's got a full-on style that kicks in from the very first note – a blend of uptight Latin tracks and some very groovy 60s-styled numbers with plenty of sock-soul touches – a definite boogaloo influence, but still some strong Puerto Rican modes too. Lyrics are mostly in Spanish, but the grooves have a universal appeal that kicks in no matter what the language! Stormin and groovy all the way through – with tracks that include "Tin Marin", "Mr. Trumpet Man", "More Richie", and "Musica Ye Ye". LP, Vinyl record album

With featured soloists including Art Pepper, Shorty Rogers, Milt Bernhart, Ray Wetzel, Bob Cooper, Lennie Niehaus, Bill Holman, Lee Konitz, Kent Larsen, Bill Perkins, Jack Sheldon, Richie Kamuca, Jerry McKenzie, San Noto, Gabe Baltazar, Dick Hypde, Bud Shank, and John Lowe. LP, Vinyl record album

A Latin soul party – beyond compare! The album's a completely wonderful live set that really captures the energy, excitement, and warm sociability of the hip New York scene at the end of the 60s. The music is stunning – a freewheeling blend of jazz, soul, and Latin themes – played with effortless ease by a lineup that includes Joe Bataan, Ray Barretto, Willie Colon, Larry Harlow, Bobby Quesada, Louie Ramirez, Ralph Robles, and some of the other heavy-hitters of the Latin soul years. (Just imagine trying to get so many jazz or rock talents together on one stage – it would never happen!) The album's incredible – and even the spoken introductions and crowd noise really help set the feel of the era's mighty magic power! Titles on this second volume include "Kikapoo Joy Juice", "If This World Were Mine", "Richie's Bag", "Red Garter Strut", and "Son Cuero Y Boogaloo". Firey stuff, and one of their best records! LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal collection of work from Buffalo Springfield – a group with a short-lived existence on the LA scene, but an impact that shaped the sound of mainstream rock for many years to come! That effect is no surprise – given that the lineup features a young Neil Young, Stephen Stills, and Richie Furay – moving from folk influences into trippier, headier territory – and paving the way for both classic and country rock to come! Here at the start, things are nice and lean – well-penned tunes that pack a heck of a lot into a very short space – given key production help from Jack Nitzsche, Brian Stone, Jim Messina, and even Neil Young himself. Titles include "For What It's Worth", "Mr Soul", "Broken Arrow", "Nowadays Clancy Can't Even Win", "Expecting To Fly", "Go & Say Goodbye", "On The Way Home", "Sit Down I Think I Love You", and "Kind Woman". LP, Vinyl record album

A great example of the Muse Records charm of altoist Richie Cole – bop-fired creativity at its peak, mixed with some added contemporary elements to keep things fresh! In this case, Richie's horn takes on some key bop classics, but also opens up a bit with vocalsits too – Eddie Jefferson on versions of "Hi Fly", "Relaxin At Camarillo", and "Waiting For Waits" – the latter of which also features Tom Waits as well! The Manhattan Transfer make some subtle guest appearances too – but in ways that are much more restrained than their own albums, really leaving most room for Richie's horn. Bruce Forman plays guitar and Dick Hindman piano – and titles include "Hi Fly", "Relaxin At Camarillo", "Hooray For Hollywood", "I Love Lucy", "Malibu Breeze", "Waiting For Waits", and "Tokyo Rose Sings The Hollywood Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A stone classic from Richie Havens – and we don't just mean that because of the title and cover! The record's got Richie really taking his music to the next level – moving past straighter folk lines, and hitting a more sophisticated sound that's not too far from territory Terry Callier was exploring at Cadet at the time! There's strings mixed in with the acoustic guitar and percussion on most numbers – used a bit less majestically than Callier's work with Charles Stepney, but still in ways that push Havens' music nicely past straighter folk modes. Richie's vocals are still beautifully warm and raspy – filled with life and honest energy – and although most tracks on the record are originals, the album also features a nice cover of "I Started A Joke". Other tracks include "Minstrel From Gaul", "Open Our Eyes", "Ring Around The Moon", "It's All Over Now Baby Blue", "Prayer", and "There's A Hole In The Future". LP, Vinyl record album