A surprisingly great batch of modern salsa tracks – recorded with a really classic feel! The group's led by pianist/arranger Oscar Hernandez – and it features work by a number of older salsa legends, including Jimmy Sabater, Ruben Rodriguez, and Bobby Allende. Tight all the way through – with the feel of a mid 70s side on Fania Records – and with tracks that include "Tambori", "Obsesion", "Mam Guela", "La Banda", and "Pa Gozar". CD

Hot and wild – two of the best words you could use to describe the late 60s Latin Soul material of Pete Rodriguez – especially on an album like this! This album has Pete and his combo at their best – stepping effortlessly between English-language, soul-based tracks – and other material that has them showing their Latin chops in a straighter Pacheco-inspired style – really tight small combo grooving, with that Spanish Harlem sound that cats like Pete could do so well. The whole thing's a winner, and titles include "Here Comes the Judge" and "People Want to Know", plus "Tears on My Pillow", "Carmela", "Pa'Lla Va", "Arranca En Fa", and "Cata Con Tata". LP, Vinyl record album

A mighty nice little package – one that's overflowing with the special sort of Latin and soul music hybrids that rose up from the Spanish Harlem scene in the late 60s – the kind of cuts that helped establish Fania Records as one of the most important Latin labels around – and one of the grooviest too! These aren't the 70s salsa tracks that Fania spread across the globe – but the more New York-styled numbers that often had English language lyrics in the lead, sung by a soulful vocalist – and set to small combo rhythms that were overflowing with energy, and plenty of touches of jazz, soul, and funk! These are all the mixes from the rare 45rpm singles issued by Fania back in the day – and although the songs are wonderful, the collection together is even cooler as a whole – dozens of tracks, including some really rare ones – all bound up in a 7" book-styled cover, with 60 pages of notes, and a bonus funky 45! Titles include "Silent Heart" by 125th Street Candy Store, "Micro Mini" and "Make Out" by Harvey Averne, "Too Much Lovin" and "So Fine" by Joe Bataan, "Willie Baby" by Willie Colon, "Soul Drummers" and "Mercy Mercy Baby" by Ray Barretto, "Geronimo" and "Funky Big Feet" by Bobby Valentin, "Mercie" by Ralph Robles, "Camel Walk" by The Latinaires, "Batola Boogaloo" by Bobby Quesada, "Grazin In The Grass" by Orchestra Harlow, "Spinning Wheel" by El Apollo Sound, "Hey Sister" by Monguito Santamaria, "Who Is The Girl For Me" and "Look At Her" by Ralfi Pagan, "New York Soul" by Ray Barretto, "Some Lonely Heart" by ronnie Marks, "Let's Get It Together This Christmas" by Harvey Averne, "Shaft" and "If I Were A King" by Joe Bataan, "Johnny's No Good" and "Blonde Latin Blues" by WRLC, and "Today" and "Try Just a Little Harder" by Butter Scotch. Lots more too – and the bonus 7" single features two promo tracks recorded for DJ Symphony Sid – one by Joe Bataan, the other by Bobby Valentin! CD

A mighty nice little package – one that's overflowing with the special sort of Latin and soul music hybrids that rose up from the Spanish Harlem scene in the late 60s – the kind of cuts that helped establish Fania Records as one of the most important Latin labels around – and one of the grooviest too! These aren't the 70s salsa tracks that Fania spread across the globe – but the more New York-styled numbers that often had English language lyrics in the lead, sung by a soulful vocalist – and set to small combo rhythms that were overflowing with energy, and plenty of touches of jazz, soul, and funk! 2LP set features great notes on this special time in Latin music – and many titles are presented in their rare 45rpm single mixes. The set comes with 26 gems that include "Geronimo" from Bobby Valentin, "Willie Baby" by Willie Colon, "Hey Girl" by 125th Street Candy Store, "Batola Boogaloo" by Bobby Quesada, "Camel Walk" by The Latinaires, "Silent Heart" by 125th Street Candy Store, "Ungawa" by Ali Baba, "Spinning Wheel" by El Apollo Sound, "Let's Get Together This Christmas" by Harvey Averne, "Some Lonely Heart" by Ronnie Marks, "Grazin In The Grass" by Orchestra Harlow, "Soul Drummers" by Ray Barretto, "Micro Mini" by Harvey Averne, "Mess Around" by Larry Harlow, "Juicy" by Monguito Santamaria, "Johnny's No Good" by WRLC, "Just A Little While" by Ralfi Pagan, "Shaft" by Joe Bataan, and "Just Try A Little Harder" by Butter Scotch. LP, Vinyl record album

The Aldrich feeling is certainly in place here – that beautiful twin-piano approach that almost has Ronnie's keys "answering" themselves as they move from speaker to speaker on the record! The orchestrations here are light and often a bit groovy – not the hippest of 60s easy, but certainly hipper than Aldrich sometimes got – and the recording quality of the session is really wonderful, with fluid notes on the Steinway floating out and drifting in the air, really making the best use of stereo in the way things are juxtaposed from track to track! Titles include "Moonglow", "My Favorite Things", "Magic Moments", "The Sweetest Sounds", "If Ever I Should Leave You", "If The Rain's Got To Fall",a nd "Spanish Harlem". LP, Vinyl record album