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

One of the first albums ever from Ricardo Ray – a really sharp-edged set that's quite different than any of his later work with Bobby Cruz! The groove here is a mix of Latin jazz and boogaloo modes – a really strong sound that draws heavily on Ray's bold piano lines, and which also features tight trumpet work from Doc Cheatham and Pedro Rafael Chapparo – both of whom get some good space to solo on the record! There's a bit of vocals – from Chivirico Davila and a young Bobby Cruz, who's not yet Ray's official musical partner – but the instrumentalists really direct the course of action here, and make the set a standout swinger from the 60s. Titles include "Azucare Y Bongo", "Lookie, Lookie", "Danzon Boogaloo", "Suite Noro Morales", "Guaguanco in Jazz", and a Latinized take on "Swedish Schnapps". LP, Vinyl record album

Smoking early work from the team of Ricardo Ray and Bobby Cruz – the kind of record that marked the pair as one of the freshest new voices to hit Latin music in the New York scene of the 60s! The rhythms and modes are all familiar ones, but they're delivered with a different sort of edge here – partly because of Ricardo's heavy use of dark notes on the piano, but also because there's a nice sense of space in the arrangements that almost points the way towards some of the freer thinkers of the Latin Soul years. Bobby's vocals are well-placed, and very soulful – and Chivirico Davila and Felo Brito also sing a bit on the record too. Titles include an incredible mambo reworking of "Parisian Thoroughfare", done as a longer descarga number that's really great – and other tracks include "Chachita", "Mirame", and "Yenyere". LP, Vinyl record album

Smoking early work from the team of Ricardo Ray and Bobby Cruz – the kind of record that marked the pair as one of the freshest new voices to hit Latin music in the New York scene of the 60s! The rhythms and modes are all familiar ones, but they're delivered with a different sort of edge here – partly because of Ricardo's heavy use of dark notes on the piano, but also because there's a nice sense of space in the arrangements that almost points the way towards some of the freer thinkers of the Latin Soul years. Bobby's vocals are well-placed, and very soulful – and Chivirico Davila and Felo Brito also sing a bit on the record too. Titles include an incredible mambo reworking of "Parisian Thoroughfare", done as a longer descarga number that's really great – and other tracks include "Chachita", "Mirame", and "Yenyere". LP, Vinyl record album