tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14507736086149603792024-02-06T21:28:59.118-05:00Sun of Latin MusicA comer pasteles, a comer lechon, arroz con gandules y a beber ronJulian Dragohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15262247844126926246noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450773608614960379.post-21624990410486644262007-10-07T18:08:00.000-04:002008-12-08T23:06:50.304-05:00Los Dementes - El Tiempo Pasa, Pero Mi Salsa Llego (Palacio)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzei_klsodWebK_Qg7JS4p_vDCxNNXVPtDhzDtAc5c4XZRWpT__za8n7MkuDHFyrvflTwb9q2HnH8lpytwNRXIHt74wc1WCL5SO3YXH98gqvmBUz2G4udOGMTARRUXqPMxq0fjNjoAl00/s1600-h/Folder.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 194px; height: 194px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzei_klsodWebK_Qg7JS4p_vDCxNNXVPtDhzDtAc5c4XZRWpT__za8n7MkuDHFyrvflTwb9q2HnH8lpytwNRXIHt74wc1WCL5SO3YXH98gqvmBUz2G4udOGMTARRUXqPMxq0fjNjoAl00/s320/Folder.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5118621429340288434" border="0" /></a><br />This post has been a long time coming. It's time, at last, to dip into the forgotten origins of salsa outside of the United States.<br /><br />Some of you may remember <a href="http://sunoflatinmusic.blogspot.com/2007/08/el-cantante-2007-review.html">my comments about the origins of salsa</a> in my <span style="font-style: italic;">El Cantante</span> review, what one commenter called a "non-centrist" view of salsa. It is indeed a fact that salsa was not just a Nu-York creation. In the late 60s, many Latin American communities were collaborating in a world-wide vision of salsa that, despite being just as fresh and innovative as Nuyorican salsa, would be hidden behind the Fania logo. This is not to say that Nuyorican salsa was inadequate, or subpar (after all, I did a massive upload of the <a href="http://sunoflatinmusic.blogspot.com/2007/07/hector-lavoe-discography.html">Hector Lavoe & Willie Colon discography</a>); I'm simply pointing out that the American account of salsa is a biased one. In the process, we, the fans of Latin music, have missed out on some incredible music. Today's post is a small attempt to change that.<br /><br />Enter Venezuela, circa 1966. For years, radio waves from as far away as Spain, Mexico, and Puerto Rico have been criss-crossing the streets of Caracas, planting rebellious seeds of Latin music into the minds of its youth. Among them: Federico Betancourt, Olinto Medina, Oscar Simoza, and Ramon Rivas. You might know them better by the names of their bands: Federico y su Combo Latino, Sexteto Juventud, Oscar D'Leon, and today's featured artist, pianist Ray Perez.<br /><br />These are just some of the creative minds who would establish a flourishing salsa scene that was just as hard-hitting and unprecedented as anything that the streets of New York were putting out. Influenced by the aguinaldos of Venezuela, the seis of Puerto Rico, and the music of Mon Rivera, Ray Perez would begin his salsa career (though it was not called salsa then) in 1965 with Ray Perez y su Charanga, an early incarnation of the band featured today, Los Dementes (the crazy men). Ray, nicknamed "El Loco" (the crazy man), originally wanted to titl<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgARX32lZgy6JfdMFSzPgMZhrDWTXImYG8eLrWF-QOYVp5YmlDU_k1psULu4c7q7KDG_8aY-qQRYVm5Rp6xfZBkExhL-zkzU0Bey0sTpY-PdFFZvc7XriUuL02urbxZ_OIJk8V37T30TCU/s1600-h/rayp_alerta1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 215px; height: 252px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgARX32lZgy6JfdMFSzPgMZhrDWTXImYG8eLrWF-QOYVp5YmlDU_k1psULu4c7q7KDG_8aY-qQRYVm5Rp6xfZBkExhL-zkzU0Bey0sTpY-PdFFZvc7XriUuL02urbxZ_OIJk8V37T30TCU/s320/rayp_alerta1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5118638476065486274" border="0" /></a>e the band Los Dementes, but such a name would have sparked a riot in those days. Rather than let his band name set people off, he did it with his music. With a peerless melding of folk traditions and new experimentation, Perez began writing some of Venezuela's most furious music, an incendiary brand of salsa with heavy trombones as its centerpiece. The first Los Dementes album was released in 1966 (Ray Perez claims the year as 1966; other accounts claim the year as 1967).<br /><br />By now, you might be noticing the glaring similarities between Ray Perez and Willie Colon's respective forgings of salsa. Both were influenced by Mon Rivera; both were raised on the folk forms of their culture; both would incorporate this into their music while attempting a new, groundbreaking sound; both were recognized in rebellious ways (Colon had a reputation for being a tough kid, presumably informing his gangster marketing image for Fania; Ray Perez was dubbed El Loco for coming up with new things); both created a music that was culled from their streets (as Ray Perez put it, the barrios of Caracas are "like Brooklyn, or the Bronx."); and both released their first albums at about the same time. This is not to say that Perez and Colon are similar people, or that Nuyorican salsa and Venezuelan salsa are the same--the two movements are distinct and have their own legacy, and I cannot even pretend to know the nuances of each. But they share a trope that is central to much of the music that history remembers best: they dared to try something truly new.<br /><br />And yet, history hasn't recognized Ray's accomplishments as well as they have Colon's. Los Dementes would become a tour de force in Venezuela and abroad, earning Ray fame in Mexico and even Italy. A driven artist, he would also form myriad bands such as Los Calvos and Los Kenya. At clubs around Venezuela, he would share the honor of alternating the stage with greats such as Eddie Palmieri, Joe Cuba, Pete Rodriguez, and Ray Barretto. Barretto once joked to Perez, then called Ramon, that the era of the kings was coming to an end (the Spanish word for king is <span style="font-style: italic;">rey</span>, which is pronounced the same as "Ray"). It would be fitting, then, when in a seemingly inevitable move, Perez relocated to New York in 1969 and was dubbed Ray himself.<br /><br />In New York, he would play with Kako, Chivirico Davila, Cortijo, and Ismael Rivera. As if to cement the similarities between Venezuela and New York's thriving salsa scenes, Los Dementes would later record for Fania.<br /><br /><i>El Tiempo Pasa, Pero Mi Salsa Llego</i>, loosely translated as "Time passes, but my salsa is here now," is a fitting name for a retrospective of the work of Los Dementes, released only last year. It's a fortunate glimpse for those of us who don't have the $200 to shell out for a single Ray Perez-related LP (if we can even find one). Much like my personal favorite group <a href="http://sunoflatinmusic.blogspot.com/2007/07/conjunto-canayon-las-millas-th-1981.html">Conjunto Canayon</a>, you can distinctly hear folk music underpinning the Los Dementes sound, but the gritty trombones and frantic vocalizing of great singers such as Perucho and Teo Hernandez launch their music into an unmistakably modern timbre. Some of my favorites include the compilation opener, Vengo de Oriente; the truly CLASSIC La Llorona, with its haunting, reverberting plucks of cuatro (or is that violin?) and powerful performance by Teo; the fun, Vitin Aviles-esque El Perico; Justo Brito y Juan Tabare; and Cosas Que Pasan. But, as is the case with any well-put together compilation, picking favorites proves pointless. Grab it and see for yourself.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.divshare.com/download/2254929-990">Get it here</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">As a testament to his legacy, Ray Perez appeared in a club in Italy last week as part of a well-attended tribute to his music. Check out some footage of the event:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><object height="350" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/NDSdmMwWJuw"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/NDSdmMwWJuw" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="350" width="425"></embed></object><br /></div><br />And while we're hitting up Ray Perez videos, here's a much later incarnation of Los Dementes in a hilarious TV performance that is aaaaaalllllll 80s.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><object height="350" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/6Sa6exZ2CK0"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/6Sa6exZ2CK0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="350" width="425"></embed></object><br /></div><br />Also, check out <a href="http://www.descarga.com/cgi-bin/db/archives/Interview48">an excellent Descarga interview with the man himself</a>.<br /><br />And don't forget to check back soon, when I'll be uploading another gem from the early days of Venezuelan salsa.<br /></div></div>Julian Dragohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15262247844126926246noreply@blogger.com59tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450773608614960379.post-71257999653536077762007-09-29T13:45:00.000-04:002008-12-08T23:06:50.764-05:00Orquesta La Terrifica - Terrifica (International, 1974)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHuad0u23P1h8SCLPv5wTYWeNAvMd_NrngZqYfAQ-TijWVsVuK5dy_qNnx5EL8PmR3L8iTVML1g6kc_eOgnyrI4NZ2CaeJ5Zt3XXyuR3TOTqM-1SsNDhgQ_P8GXmrNTvTslhc1Ya4ENHY/s1600-h/Folder.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHuad0u23P1h8SCLPv5wTYWeNAvMd_NrngZqYfAQ-TijWVsVuK5dy_qNnx5EL8PmR3L8iTVML1g6kc_eOgnyrI4NZ2CaeJ5Zt3XXyuR3TOTqM-1SsNDhgQ_P8GXmrNTvTslhc1Ya4ENHY/s320/Folder.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5115655788782138770" border="0" /></a>Ready for more salsa brava in the vein of <a href="http://sunoflatinmusic.blogspot.com/2007/06/orquesta-guarare-renaissance-inca-1979.html">Orquesta Guarare</a>? Get your hair did for dancing, because this album is <span style="font-style: italic;">hot</span>.<br /><br />Much like the rather confusing Ray Barretto split that gave rise to Orquesta Guarare, Orquesta La Terrifica splintered off from Sonora Poncena in 1973, one of the most famous groups to ever come out of Puerto Rico. When I say that La Terrifica sounds like Guarare, there's good reason: La Terrifica's early albums featured vocalist Tito Gomez, who sang for Orquesta Guarare and Ray Barretto and just <a href="http://sunoflatinmusic.blogspot.com/2007/06/rip-tito-gomez-1948-2007.html">recently passed away</a>. The members defected with leader and Sonora Poncena trumpeter Jose Rodriguez; other members included Mikey Ortiz (timbales), Francisco Alvarado (bongos), and Tito Valentin (arrangements). Later veterans of La Terrifica would include famous arranger Jorge Millet (piano), Hector "Pichie" Perez (vocals), Yolanda Rivera (vocals), Manuel "Mannix" Martinez (vocals), and Hector Tricoche (vocals). I haven't been able to confirm this, but according to <a href="http://salsa-brava.blogspot.com/2007/06/hector-lavoe-14-aos-de-su-llorado.html">this site</a>, Hector Lavoe himself helped out on coro during live shows in 1974, alongside vocalists Yayo and Adalberto Santiago.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgepVekmlGz4K5wrlcwjVzJWVtrv8cfL6OJhabGZGEdTluksyPvuuyx2byipvb9SykUtQo5bnB7ja7AzTwlzKM0_vUDc9T7TPnOUJMEF_XEXdpRg6uXFOxCyBMm0isjE0cfUMn-uVhGCeo/s1600-h/laterrifica.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgepVekmlGz4K5wrlcwjVzJWVtrv8cfL6OJhabGZGEdTluksyPvuuyx2byipvb9SykUtQo5bnB7ja7AzTwlzKM0_vUDc9T7TPnOUJMEF_XEXdpRg6uXFOxCyBMm0isjE0cfUMn-uVhGCeo/s320/laterrifica.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5115669944994346402" border="0" /></a><br />Despite never being as popular as Sonora Poncena, La Terrifica put out some of the best salsa of their era and, thankfully, their devoted fans haven't forgotten them. A number of Orquesta La Terrifica albums have been reissued over the past few years (most famously, their self-titled was re-released in 2002, sporting their biggest Jorge Millet hit, Pura). To my knowledge, <span style="font-style: italic;">Terrifica</span>, their first album, has never been re-issued.<br /><br />From the first taste of Jose Rodriguez's horn lines on Acere Trumbero, you know you're in salsa heaven. The penchant for hard-edged salsa on <span style="font-style: italic;">Terrifica </span>overshadows their former (and slightly more complex) Sonora Poncena sound<span style="font-style: italic;"></span>. Tito Gomez and his coro do an excellent job here on cuts such as Hachero Mayor and the gorgeous bolero No Te Vayas Juventud, a poignant lament that finds Gomez begging his personified youth to "stay just a little longer." And for all of you from Ponce, PR, prepare to reminisce about la famosa Guancha with the fourth cut. Other tracks like Comedia and Vicente Camaron keep it upbeat, and Biribo is an incredible closer and my favorite on the album.<br /><br />Solid from start to end! Enjoy!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Note: Divshare has been experiencing random outages, so if the link below doesn't work, try again a little later.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.divshare.com/download/2157524-b96">Get it here</a><br /></div>Julian Dragohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15262247844126926246noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450773608614960379.post-69210859482760659162007-09-12T23:46:00.000-04:002008-12-08T23:06:51.018-05:00Monguito - Escuchame (Fania, 1971)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsKeEzkEUdEbY-CHHbHkZZ-h_8Y4PpC4lVh59MrQHPTz_sTpKrdJnJ3_x5wnXIMacncpFHDaH-hLeFxdTUj9MH5N5LZr39590MZe_9KO6kX_y_YtGEkN43Y0OV4etYLYpsQDwWdbG50Zs/s1600-h/Folder.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsKeEzkEUdEbY-CHHbHkZZ-h_8Y4PpC4lVh59MrQHPTz_sTpKrdJnJ3_x5wnXIMacncpFHDaH-hLeFxdTUj9MH5N5LZr39590MZe_9KO6kX_y_YtGEkN43Y0OV4etYLYpsQDwWdbG50Zs/s320/Folder.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5109528794012977170" border="0" /></a><br />The Cuban-born sonero Monguito is an often overlooked treasure in the extensive Fania catalog. Sporting one of the most recognizable voices in all of Latin music, Monguito aka Ramon Quian aka "El Unico" (The Unique One/The Only One, as he is nicknamed) sounds somewhat like the musical result of pinching Ismael Rivera's nose shut with a clothespin. It's not exactly the most flattering description, but not one meant to imply that Monguito is ever annoying. On the contrary, Monguito's voice is surprisingly satisfying. Much like Rivera, he embodies an earthy, pragmatic aesthetic in the tradition of the son montuno, forged in the streets of Cuba. Monguito also shows an excellent pedigree. His voice and acclaimed improvisational skills first appeared on Arsenio Rodriguez's <span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Primitivo</span></span> in 1963; he would go on to sing in the bands of Johnny Pacheco, Larry Harlow, and the Tico All-Stars, in addition to producing a string of solid cuts on the Fania label.<br /><br />If you're at all in doubt as to the power of Monguito's voice, check out Lindo Guaguanco, a hot tune that finds a brazen Monguito playfully wondering if anyone can sing a guaguanco better than him. Monguito's voice is also surprisingly flexible and is easily at home on boleros such as El Ano 2000. You'll also find slight hints of charanga on No Hay Amor Sin Caridad, in addition to Monguito's humorous pontificating on the fairer sex on Las Mujeres (Women). <span style="font-style: italic;">Escuchame</span> is an excellent melding of the street wisdom of son montuno with tinges of the polished Fania sound.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.divshare.com/download/1959817-5cb">Get it here</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">More info on Monguito courtesy of the fine folks over at Descarga <a href="http://www.descarga.com/cgi-bin/db/archives/Profile81?bX8ysTi6;;100">here</a>.<br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Julian Dragohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15262247844126926246noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450773608614960379.post-2945361688410786432007-09-11T13:48:00.000-04:002007-09-11T15:13:44.672-04:00"Hector Lavoe, tu es eterno"Still working on the next music update, but I wanted to hip you all to a couple of aftershocks in the world of <span style="font-style: italic;">El Cantante.</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.williecolon.com/">Willie Colon himself has had a few words to say about the film</a>. Taken from his official website (and much thanks to <a href="http://laondatropical.blogspot.com/">La Onda Tropical</a> for spreading the word):<br /><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;"><br />The Creators of El Cantante missed an opportunity to do something of relevance for our community. The real story was about Hector fighting the obstacles of a non-supportive industry that took advantage of entertainers with his charisma and talent. Instead they did another movie about two Puerto Rican junkies. The impact of drugs in the entertainment industry is nothing new; look at Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan and Whitney Houston today.</span><div style="text-align: center;"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">I think Hector deserves the recognition the movie pretended to give him. However, as someone who advised the producers, it's painfully obvious that they didn't understand what made him so important. It was the music. It was his talent. They didn't understand or respect the true importance of our music to people around the world. It's difficult to comprehend how two individuals who are in the music business like Marc and Jennifer are not aware of the damage and the consequences of promoting only the negative side of our Latin music culture.<br /> <br /> I was disappointed that there wasn't a minimal effort to correct what I felt were serious chronological and factual errors. This tells me that they expeditiously crafted the simplest cliché script in order to just make a film quickly. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">After the premier of El Cantante in </span> <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">Puerto Rico</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;"> there were several statements of protest by people who had supported and participated in the project until they saw it. Their complaints were not about sour grapes or J-lo and Marc bashing but from a sense of betrayal and disappointment. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;"> We are all invested in the world that this movie represents. For many of us the hope of our story finally being told sank into the horizon with the final version of this film.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><strong> <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;"></span></strong><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial;">--Willie Colón</span></strong></span></b></p></div><br /><a href="http://www.accesshollywood.com/news/ah6355.shtml">Ismael Miranda and Jennifer Lopez have had their say as well</a>.<br /><br />...<a href="http://lilmikesf.blogspot.com/2007/08/el-cantante.html">and so have other fellow bloggers</a>.<br /><br />Though certainly authoritative, these voices are but a few of many being heard after the film's review, and I'd like to remind everyone who reads this that there have been numerous reactions to <span style="font-style: italic;">El Cantante</span> beyond simple film criticism (including my own). Some, like Colon, consider it a scar on the history of Latin music in the United States; others consider it a worthy testament to a cultural and historical period that deserves attention. At the risk of implicating myself in what seems to be a rather heated debate (admittedly one that I really have no kind of authority to speak about), I would like to make an observation. <br /><br />While I was cobbling the Lavoe discography together, I spent a lot amount of time revisiting the Lavoe I heard growing up as a child, and eagerly discovering the many corners of his discography that I'd never heard before. Even as I write this, the string ruminations and trumpet's herald of the epic El Cantante blares in my ears. Perhaps you, too, decided to throw on an old Colon/Lavoe record that you haven't spun for a while; or, if the music of salsa was new to you, you found your hips moving in ways never before attempted, your head nodding to the soul of <span style="font-style: italic;">la clave</span>. Through all of this, our ears have heard a lot of mudslinging, but we've also heard something much more enduring and sublime that withstands the debates and cultural politics. Seriously guys, this is timeless music, and it's my opinion as the "lowest" among all critics--a fan--that there is no better way to hear the story of Hector Lavoe than how he told it himself: as <span style="font-style: italic;">un cantante</span>, as a singer. Before long, this debate will be tidily filed away and forgotten. Will your Hector Lavoe records, CDs, mp3s, suffer the same fate? I trust that if you're here, they won't. Like Chapin over at <a href="http://laondatropical.blogspot.com/2007/08/salsa-marc-anthony-el-cantante-ost.html">La Onda Tropical</a> recommends:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">"Forget the movie, and go discover the music of Hector Lavoe, <b>Willie Colón</b>, <b><br />Ruben Bladés</b> and all other Fania stars."<br /></div><br />I'll admit, there were moments where I became more caught up in the frenzy of<span style="font-style: italic;"> El Cantante</span> than in the music of the real Cantante. I've come around. I'm going to keep on with Hector Lavoe the musician, not "Hector Lavoe: The Debate." I think there's a reason why Ruben Blades made a musical clarion call for Latin solidarity on the seminal Colon/Blades album <span style="font-style: italic;">Siembra</span>, as have countless artists before: because there is a kind of unity that you can find in art and creativity. Toward oneness with music; toward music with oneness.<br /><br />What can I say, my soap comes in big boxes.<br /><br />To close this, check out a hip poem by a messenger of the Nuyorican Poets Cafe, courtesy of <a href="http://lilmikesf.blogspot.com/"><i>Lil' Mike's Last Known Thoughts And Random Revelations</i></a>.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Willie Perdomo - The Day That Hector Lavoe Died<br /><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0" width="335" height="28" id="divaudio2"><param name="movie" value="http://www.divshare.com/flash/audio?myId=1944884-e6f"><embed src="http://www.divshare.com/flash/audio?myId=1944884-e6f" width="335" height="28" name="divaudio2" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed></object><br /><br /><br /><object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/cWm9N3zNbok"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/cWm9N3zNbok" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span></div>Julian Dragohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15262247844126926246noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450773608614960379.post-36241038483110589892007-09-09T13:43:00.000-04:002008-12-08T23:06:51.142-05:00Still alive, and now a Metro-Rican<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0L_2Qxeh_QT_a1IsMkNFcqcGzVGSt-QcWh6sR9JEXZAKpaIAWt_7rOt-E2VSkq5foK6JXMoqFLkj860V6tXBkQ7YOFCi3lqdqd33kOKbSnaprWvV8CmCWDmUfKmRFqUiwzLGd7FyKuRA/s1600-h/washington-dc-overview-s.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 264px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0L_2Qxeh_QT_a1IsMkNFcqcGzVGSt-QcWh6sR9JEXZAKpaIAWt_7rOt-E2VSkq5foK6JXMoqFLkj860V6tXBkQ7YOFCi3lqdqd33kOKbSnaprWvV8CmCWDmUfKmRFqUiwzLGd7FyKuRA/s320/washington-dc-overview-s.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5108269701700280962" border="0" /></a><br />Hey guys, sorry for the dearth of posts in here, I've been busy moving and adjusting to a new place and school. I now call Washington, D.C. my home, and I'm reaping the benefits of living in a (bigger) city. Case in point: this weekend, I'm seeing Willie Colon AND Eddie Palmieri, so stay tuned for pictures and reviews.<br /><br />And don't think that the music has disappeared. I've spent much of the past month listening to a lot of new and excellent stuff, and I'm certainly going to pass it on to all of you. That being said, I have a much busier schedule now, which means a few changes to this blog are forthcoming. I've always tried to make this blog more than just a mere depository for mp3s by adding background information, anecdotes, and opinions, hoping to bring the music to life for novice and veteran listeners alike. However, this requires a lot of time and research (a single album post can take 2-3 hours), and I just don't have that kind of time anymore. Letting this blog bite the dust, however, is even less of an option.<br /><br />This means that I can either 1) make my posts more sparse, but with the same quality of information and depth as my past posts, or I can 2) make more frequent posts but with little to no embellishment. Granted, I haven't been so hot with updating regularly as of late, but during the summer I was posting almost every day, or if not, every other day. I'm not sure whether or not I'll go with the more frequent, less quality posts or the less frequent, more quality posts, but if you guys have any preference, speak up. My decision will definitely hinge on what it is you guys appreciate (or don't appreciate) about this blog.<br /><br />Regardless, stay tuned for music. The Sun of Latin Music lives!Julian Dragohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15262247844126926246noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450773608614960379.post-52095737294350193872007-08-07T14:48:00.000-04:002008-12-08T23:06:51.417-05:00Tempo 70 - El Primer LP (Mericana, 1972)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy7RehyphenhyphenU36kHbLaSuUR_DiJzRW4Mpp1aNQds1BwK5S2sy7LP15Xv0QcVtsr9dtPt0DUDORuVC5__DLBttJ_9qItrnEv6RAyMaojW83h73zdMPGbAnqiJ9C-uOOtBRmC6UWlIadd2E5pnk/s1600-h/Folder.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy7RehyphenhyphenU36kHbLaSuUR_DiJzRW4Mpp1aNQds1BwK5S2sy7LP15Xv0QcVtsr9dtPt0DUDORuVC5__DLBttJ_9qItrnEv6RAyMaojW83h73zdMPGbAnqiJ9C-uOOtBRmC6UWlIadd2E5pnk/s320/Folder.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5096046545629144178" border="0" /></a><br />After all of the <a href="http://sunoflatinmusic.blogspot.com/2007/07/hector-lavoe-discography.html">Hector Lavoe, Willie Colon, and Fania</a>, I feel it's time to head out of mainstream Latin into the used record bins for another rare treat, and I don't think you'll be disappointed.<br /><br />Tempo 70 is the brainchild of Argentinean pianist Bebu Silvetti, who in the early 70s relocated to Puerto Rico and put together the band featured today. Over the course of his life, he played everything from son montuno and guaguanco to Latin jazz to disco. In fact, he is most well known for his 1976 disco hit Spring Rain. Four years prior, however, Silvetti's Tempo 70 would experiment with Latin soul ballads, guaguanco, and a notoriously funky, though relatively unknown, hit on <span style="font-style: italic;">El Primer LP.<br /><br /></span><span><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">IMPORTANT:</span></span> <span style="font-style: italic;">(Edited August 19) The information above has been disputed. A while ago a person claiming to be Silvia Silvetti, daughter of Bebu Silvetti, <a href="http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1450773608614960379&postID=5209573729435019387">commented on this post</a> saying that Bebu never lived in Puerto Rico and was never involved with Tempo 70. I attempted to contact this person via their email, sylviasilvetti@hotmail.com, and received an automated message saying that the email does not exist. About a week later, I received an email and more comments from that email address, with the message containing the following: "</span></span>I'm not disputing that those songs are my father's, I was disputing the information that he NEVER lived in Puerto Rico and was not aware of that album. I know many albums were published without his knowledge." <span><span style="font-style: italic;"> Previously, I claimed that this person was a fake internet identity. After being contacted again, I will admit that I am still skeptical as to the whether or not this person is legitimate after they emailed me, as a hotmail address can easily be created, and none of the things being said by this person are verifiable. That being said, it is certainly possible that Bebu wrote El Galleton and it was published/covered/stolen by another band without his permission. It is equally possible that it was otherwise. The person claiming to be Ms. Silvetti has their story; what follows is the evidence that supports another story. I cannot claim that either is right, I can only post it to keep everyone informed of the differing accounts. As always, I attempt to post as accurate information as possible, and in the event that the commenter actually is Sylvia Silvetti, then I would like to thank her for reading my blog and contributing to the information posted here.<br /><br />What follows is the evidence supporting the Bebu Silvetti and Tempo 70 link: the picture below of the El Galleton single clearly displays Bebu's name, and I have a number of web sources claiming the involvement of Bebu Silvetti with Tempo 70:</span><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">http://www.prpop.org/noticias/dic05/mandy_vizoso_dic12.shtml</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">http://www.officenaps.com/2007/07/latin-funk.html</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:jifixq8kldje</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">http://www.geocities.com/hotsprings/1392/SouthAmerica.html</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">And, furthermore, El Galleton was recently featured on a compilation entitled Nu Yorica! Culture Clash in New York City, and that compilation credits Silvetti as the man behind the song. A number of websites document this:</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">http://www.answers.com/topic/nu-yorica-culture-clash-in-new-york-city?cat=entertainment</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/store/artist/album/0,,227993,00.html</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">http://www.mmguide.musicmatch.com/album/album.cgi?ALBUMID=976199</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">http://www.all-tv.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&searchlink=BEBU|SILVETTI&sql=11:dpfpxqrgldke~T4</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> If anyone has more information about this, feel free to contact me. Continue reading for the rest of the review.</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span>To be fair: I am not a huge fan of <span style="font-style: italic;">El Primer LP </span>as a whole album (read on before you write it off, though). The first time I threw it on I was greeted with an absolutely horrible bolero (ballad), and there is a somewhat unspoken code in Latin music that if an album kicks off with a bolero, you'd either better be on your guard or 70 years old. To some extent, the sagely advice proves correct: about half of the album is plagued with very poorly done boleros with a cantante whose awful, gaudy high notes betray his safer swimming in shallower registers.<br /><br />On the other hand, the rest of the album is filled with upbeat, roots-based tunes. El Charlatan has the dynamics of Ismael Rivera's Cachimbos (aka Cortijo's band during a particular period in their stint with Rivera), and the singer performs <span style="font-style: italic;">much</span> better here. La Pequita de Paquita features some excellent Eddie Palmieri-esque piano work.<br /><br />The real gem of the album--and what makes buying the whole LP worthwhile....that is, if you can find it--is El Galleton, a much drooled-over 45 that turns both Latin and soul-heads alike. El Galleton plays more like a night at the Apollo than son montuno. The song begins with some excellent descarga on the bongos, and then a rather silly call-and-response verse comes in where the band orders you to <span style="font-style: italic;">Juntale la manteca a'l galleton</span> (Slap the butter on the cracker). The e song breaks down as they switch to pondering the philosophical difference between una galleta (a cracker) and un galleton (a &!*%&# huge cracker--the use of -on at the end of a Spanish word is somewhat, though not exactly, akin to the English superlative, much like changing "funky" to "funkiest," where the -est means "most or very funky"). Before you know it, a surge of organ feedback has washed over you and you're suddenly being chased by the fuzz across Spanish Harlem's 110th in a Latin-ised blaxploitation film. Even the church organs cut through the addictive horn lines to make you get up and dance.<br /><br />In the interest of flexibility, I've given you two options. You can listen to and download El Galleton as if it were a 7" single, or y0u can download the entire album. Both are available. I'm only presenting the option because I personally listen to El Galleton much more than I do the entire album, and I wouldn't force an album on anyone just for only one song. That being said, I still think that <span style="font-style: italic;">El Primer LP</span> is worth checking out, and it's so rare that you'll be one of the few ears to have ever heard it. As long as you just skip past the boleros (or slow-dance to them with your old lady, if that's your thing), you'll find some good cuts worth your time.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbQ0bfcNeu4y3SSx732eAHxGmxjp0TDvV8aIIzlQNAb6w6tvsFDJM1GzcaLlOpD62-9e3yxtthABvbbpxG_Fh8yBHigc3KF6kaaERf0Fd1DuY1tZYsaYhjgLfMv9aPXHoayrc_9RgSv0g/s1600-h/tempo70_elgalleton.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 185px; height: 183px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbQ0bfcNeu4y3SSx732eAHxGmxjp0TDvV8aIIzlQNAb6w6tvsFDJM1GzcaLlOpD62-9e3yxtthABvbbpxG_Fh8yBHigc3KF6kaaERf0Fd1DuY1tZYsaYhjgLfMv9aPXHoayrc_9RgSv0g/s320/tempo70_elgalleton.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5096047005190644882" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Picture taken from <a href="http://www.officenaps.com/">Office Naps</a></span><br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >Listen to El Galleton</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0" id="divaudio2" height="28" width="335"><param name="movie" value="http://www.divshare.com/flash/audio?myId=1498272-3c6"><embed src="http://www.divshare.com/flash/audio?myId=1498272-3c6" name="divaudio2" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" height="28" width="335"></embed></object><br /><a href="http://www.divshare.com/download/1498272-3c6">Download El Galleton here</a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >Download </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >El Primer LP</span><br /><a href="http://www.divshare.com/download/1498563-d93">Get it here</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div>Julian Dragohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15262247844126926246noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450773608614960379.post-22474991413710584312007-08-04T15:08:00.001-04:002008-12-08T23:06:52.235-05:00El Cantante (2007) Review<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifJbVFe1UEhPM6T6ZSHsCz7d0Qtsr6Orq_v2KdV3PETaz62pBAmqSxk7hyphenhyphenyhb2nPPCGDt-Edr7fBTme-C74Z_BmKo8lkCmd9R-QcSBYq_Y_aU3Dn5fcgYnfg3u6n5mPtGmHLZFZ5S3NVI/s1600-h/el-cantante.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifJbVFe1UEhPM6T6ZSHsCz7d0Qtsr6Orq_v2KdV3PETaz62pBAmqSxk7hyphenhyphenyhb2nPPCGDt-Edr7fBTme-C74Z_BmKo8lkCmd9R-QcSBYq_Y_aU3Dn5fcgYnfg3u6n5mPtGmHLZFZ5S3NVI/s320/el-cantante.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5094951028320953442" border="0" /></a>With all the fuss I've raised over <span style="font-style: italic;">El Cantante</span> (including uploading <a href="http://sunoflatinmusic.blogspot.com/2007/07/hector-lavoe-discography.html">the entire Hector Lavoe discography</a>), you can bet I was there opening day to revel in the glory of seeing Hector Lavoe's life adapted to the big screen. So what did I think? A very haphazardly put together review follows. <span style="font-weight: bold;">If you don't want spoilers, or just can't stomach strong opinion, then don't read it!</span><br /><br />In short: what a terrible disappointment.<br /><br />It's almost difficult to know where I should begin, but I would like to get one thing straight. <span style="font-weight: bold;">I want everyone who reads this blog to know that, contrary to what the film implies and a number of people are saying, Hector Lavoe did NOT create salsa music.</span> The line in the film where Johnny Pacheco (played by Nelson Vazquez) painfully delivers lines claiming that Lavoe & Colon mixed "mambo, merengue, jazz" into a "sauce like gumbo" and dubbed it salsa is outright false, and a gross mistake on the part of everyone involved in the making of the film. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYv2vrLtrVi1W9T6IZDGATpkLN72HFzPPa6a1DqHFS5EZBkN1XLdBSimKlVnuALmNr0dApvgGFhbiSGENVfA3wUgCmpFcwOA6cR58u24sJW3RYTuUkXRzgtK0QFH44XRQZKlZghIZ_0rE/s1600-h/90344movieimage7432123507lo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 184px; height: 277px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYv2vrLtrVi1W9T6IZDGATpkLN72HFzPPa6a1DqHFS5EZBkN1XLdBSimKlVnuALmNr0dApvgGFhbiSGENVfA3wUgCmpFcwOA6cR58u24sJW3RYTuUkXRzgtK0QFH44XRQZKlZghIZ_0rE/s320/90344movieimage7432123507lo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5094950070543246402" border="0" /></a>Though certainly instrumental in popularizing it, Lavoe was one of numerous poster children for the music at the height of its popularity, not its creator. The origins of salsa as a music are heavily disputed. Its earliest use dates as far back as the 1920s with the Cuban son of Ignacio Pineiro, and artists such as the Venezuelan Federico y Su Combo, the Puerto Ricans Charlie Palmieri, Pupi Legarreta, and Joe Cuba all released album utilizing the word salsa long before Colon and Lavoe began their career with 1967's <span style="font-style: italic;">El Malo</span>. In truth, salsa is a Latin hybrid drawing from the musical traditions of Cuba, Puerto Rico, and a host of other Latin countries. Cuba, Panama, Colombia and many more all had thriving salsa scenes that rivaled that of Fania, but simply did not have a place in American consciousness to lay claim to salsa music. So, for us over here in the states, whether gringo or even Nuyorican, salsa may seem to have been born in this country, but it was not. To say that Hector Lavoe or even Willie Colon and the Fania label were the architects behind this music would be as erroneous as claiming that Miles Davis invented jazz, or that Led Zeppelin invented rock n' roll. It's simply not true. A useful distinction that I make is in referring to the Fania scene as Nuyorican salsa, rather than simply salsa. This acknowledges that, in its tenure in New York City, salsa took on a new sound with refined instrumentation and production values that made it distinct from other forms of salsa. But the only and original form of salsa it is not.<br /><br />A few other inaccuracies plagued the movie as well. Some question whether or not Puchi (Hector's wife played by Jennifer Lopez) was as important in Hector's life as <span style="font-style: italic;">El Cantante</span> claims it to be. Furthermore, not only was the reference to the origins of the hit song El Cantante unconvincing, but the story is, by many accounts, false. The movie portrays Ruben Blades taking the stage with an acoustic guitar, and giving Hector, who is in the audience, as a gift, a new song that he had written. Considering that Blades ranks as one of the best singers in all of Latin music, it's rather unfortunate that the actor playing him could barely carry a true note. Moreover, the actual story of the song was one of enormous tension. Blades originally wanted to record the song himself, and some accounts say that Colon convinced him to reluctantly give it to Lavoe. Though afterwards Blades acknowledged that Lavoe did a better job with the song than he ever could have, the real-life account is still one of dispute, rather than that of the film in which a wide-eyed, naive Blades dedicates a song to a man whom he claims a childhood hero (which, in some ways, does not make chronological sense).<br /><br />Having seen director Leon Ichaso's previous biopic <span style="font-style: italic;">Pinero</span>, and being sorely disappointed at the hectic and overwrought cinematography and schizophrenic pacing in that movie, I should have anticipated those same aesthetic aches in the Lavoe film, but did not. Unfortunately, they are all there. Ichaso's pointillist, hurried glimpses of virtually every angle in a room or scene is a tried and true case of using far too much to say far too little. The film runs the chronological gamut of over thirty years, but Ichaso saw fit to make it seem as though a contextually-undefined, ten minute snapshot of Hector Lavoe's life every five or so years could paint an accurate and satisfying picture of the artist's career. Riding the Lavoe timeline with Ichaso at the helm is akin to a nauseating roller coaster. The plot only surfaces in fits, jumps, and starts, with no real sense of pacing in an attempt to make Lavoe's out-of-control lifestyle appear vibrant. To that effect, the film only falls into cliches, haphazardly using blurred scenes of Lavoe with a needle in his arm to say something about Hector's character.<br /><br />The portrayal of Hector Lavoe (as played by Marc Anthony) truly amounted to something as the film began, but had altogether vanished by its mid-point. Numerous accounts describe Hector as the most humble, good-natured man that one could ever meet, and Anthony surprisingly nailed that aspect during Lavoe's rise to fame. The initial romance between Puchi and Lavoe is charming, and Lavoe's lines witty without being overbearing. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY7dMxEtCUrW3rt1b3IOMPPPzTo8BZDhmxUas0wf0hgMd9jk3HZi-dgHpGvbSFQ3e3d_JjOK65adTwqWoeeeH9R2UF8e0GhPVsZR32ZkwHsNi3A7C6PohQ6VyL0Eygj981DNYn5Aqy1Mw/s1600-h/ElCantante.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 242px; height: 147px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY7dMxEtCUrW3rt1b3IOMPPPzTo8BZDhmxUas0wf0hgMd9jk3HZi-dgHpGvbSFQ3e3d_JjOK65adTwqWoeeeH9R2UF8e0GhPVsZR32ZkwHsNi3A7C6PohQ6VyL0Eygj981DNYn5Aqy1Mw/s320/ElCantante.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5094949585211941938" border="0" /></a>One of my favorite moments in the movie involves Lavoe on tour, after a show with a beer in hand, innocently following Willie Colon and his current female companion towards Colon's room. When Colon forcefully shuts the door behind for some privacy, thereby locking Lavoe out, Anthony produces the most perfect, awkward pause and unassuming saunter back to his room. Small details like this reeled me into Lavoe's character as the movie began, but as the sex-drugs-salsa kicks in, Anthony began portraying a completely different, aggressive character with no real impetus behind the change. Perhaps even more important, Ichaso places no substance behind Hector's depression and his battle with drugs. Throughout the movie, his faults are taken at face value with no apparent need for explanation. The result is a character who seems as unexplainable to audience members as he is to the actor impersonating him.<br /><br />Hector's wife Puchi has been heralded by many as the role that Jennifer Lopez was born to play. In some ways, this is absolutely correct, as Lopez's interpretation crackles with raw energy. That energy, however, is ultimately without direction, as Lopez fails to differentiate Puchi as anything other than plot-line filler. Yes, Lopez has done a terrific job of displaying a very heated Nuyoricena, but the problem is that Puchi is not simply that. What makes Puchi Puchi, as opposed to a stereotype of an aggressive wife of a musical superstar, is completely lost in the fray.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijp582DE3Q4BFq89lUIgqVOTMXOl49l6C6znAVQvR8BO8xsVmzxx1DyWQqyELt1xBEy4bM2uGdCQUZX9v-2GWF66Y8VvjH2tEXBO517j2G0N1xPOuSgkaf1V2vQFBozN1sqUjklsSUBJ8/s1600-h/07302007_elcantante_article.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 250px; height: 184px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijp582DE3Q4BFq89lUIgqVOTMXOl49l6C6znAVQvR8BO8xsVmzxx1DyWQqyELt1xBEy4bM2uGdCQUZX9v-2GWF66Y8VvjH2tEXBO517j2G0N1xPOuSgkaf1V2vQFBozN1sqUjklsSUBJ8/s320/07302007_elcantante_article.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5094950384075859026" border="0" /></a><br />The musical performances of Hector Lavoe, on the other hand, are vibrant, and I certainly have to commend Anthony for an excellent impression of Lavoe on stage. Anthony copies Lavoe's inflections while still retaining the signature timbre of his voice, and even nails many of Lavoe's live mannerisms such as cradling the bottom-most section of the microphone. The music was a welcome aside from the virtual strobe-lighting of the rest of the film.<br /><br />In that vein, it seems that "the music was great" is about all that I can say after seeing <span style="font-style: italic;">El Cantante</span>. I would have derived a more enjoyable experience from seeing Anthony impersonate Lavoe on stage for nearly two hours. I suppose that after this disappointment, at the very least I do have the Lavoe records to come back to. <span style="font-style: italic;">El Cantante</span> plays much better as a soundtrack than as a film.<br /><br />But, it's easy to be a critic, no? I highly recommend that you see the movie for yourself, and I encourage disagreement in the comments. I <span style="font-style: italic;">wanted</span> to walk out of the theater raving about the movie because I had placed a lot of weight in seeing a person so obscure to those around me--yet vital to my family, my culture, and myself--receive some due recognition. I will admit, in closing, that a large part of my review may very well derive from the the disappointment felt after having placed such importance on this film for so long.Julian Dragohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15262247844126926246noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450773608614960379.post-48509714696762945102007-07-26T18:00:00.002-04:002008-12-08T23:06:57.033-05:00The Hector Lavoe Discography<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">4/30/2008: IMPORTANT MESSAGE: I've noticed some people are still downloading these Lavoe albums, which is more than fine by me. But, there are a number of comments of people asking me to reupload the albums. <br />1) The problem isn't that the links are down, but that Divshare sets a monthly downloading limit of 50gb. Once, this limit is reached, no more downloads can happen until it resets at the end of the month. I don't have time to move the albums over to another host, so there's not much I can do about it. Generally, the downloads reset the 5th of every month. Just be patient, and also be considerate: if you're just downloading Lavoe albums to let them gather dust, then consider tapering your downloads to let some other people get a chance.<br />2) It's come to my attention that the Day 4 albums are actually down. I'll try to get these up when I get a chance.<br />Enjoy!<br /></span></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizS2rxqCdiVmef4RrgfwTHGUnIYQA0PInsgMJA223WN2GUiR9kJACL0FtiXpn9PajNV1rXwkiYmZMDqIE3sDGRY-mmV0GwiCegOdf6VIQRZjJbKp1RC4nAJkYUZ8RTejxrfoLvz8oYVZQ/s1600-h/Hector.Lavoe.jpeg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 177px; height: 259px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizS2rxqCdiVmef4RrgfwTHGUnIYQA0PInsgMJA223WN2GUiR9kJACL0FtiXpn9PajNV1rXwkiYmZMDqIE3sDGRY-mmV0GwiCegOdf6VIQRZjJbKp1RC4nAJkYUZ8RTejxrfoLvz8oYVZQ/s320/Hector.Lavoe.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5091626375741498002" border="0" /></a><br />No doubt many of you have heard about the biopic <a href="http://www.elcantantemovie.com/"><span style="font-style: italic;">El Cantante</span></a>, a film about the life of the legendary Puerto Rican salsa singer Hector Lavoe, starring Marc Anthony as the man himself and Jennifer Lopez as his wife Puchi aka Nilda Rosado. Directed by Leon Ichaso (who is no stranger to biographical films about controversial Puerto Rican artists, such as <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0261066/">Miguel Pinero</a>), the film is, I am very proud to say, a creation of the Latino community, as much of a Latin thing as the music it will no doubt feature. Trailer below.<br /><br /><object height="350" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/siMVv4Ovan8"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/siMVv4Ovan8" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="350" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br />Admittedly, I don't expect much from a big-budget film starring Anthony or Lopez. It's simply not my taste. However, the fact that a film is being made about an icon who is virtually unknown outside of Latino communities is astounding. Ask yourself: how many people walking down the street have ever heard of Hector Lavoe? Very few. While I would like to see the life of Hector Lavoe receive a more astute perspective with more artistic integrity, I am still happy to see even the Hollywood giants turning their heads and nodding to Puerto Rican culture. I remember being in Puerto Rico right after the "Puerto Rican invasion" of Ricky Martin, Enrique Iglesias, etc., and hearing the same consensus: it may not be the best, but Puerto Rico is a rich culture and something to be proud of, so the exposure counts for something. That being said, <span style="font-style: italic;">El Cantate</span> has garnered my support, and you can be sure I'll be in theaters on opening day, August 3.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">In anticipation of the Hector Lavoe fad that will no doubt precipitate in the wake of <span style="font-style: italic;">El Cantante</span>, I present to you all, in a series of posts, the entire accessible Hector Lavoe discography. </span>While Lavoe did earlier work with artists s<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrB7NDbhXV8_G1SOW9eov5XUIKJC8Gz3MmKRZDIAsg54t8wCo0r055eM0gDtY00KqxAPdNr3o_Zi1oLeDGFu_p6TreDBNVMsta-tR-BKuklN4y4gwGk0TUhv5jdA4YP8EArLb5rUj453c/s1600-h/220px-Lavoe_7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrB7NDbhXV8_G1SOW9eov5XUIKJC8Gz3MmKRZDIAsg54t8wCo0r055eM0gDtY00KqxAPdNr3o_Zi1oLeDGFu_p6TreDBNVMsta-tR-BKuklN4y4gwGk0TUhv5jdA4YP8EArLb5rUj453c/s320/220px-Lavoe_7.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5091627385058812578" border="0" /></a>uch as the Kako All-Stars and Johnny Pacheco, I will begin with his tenure as the singer of Willie Colon's band in 1967, his first real break and the most appropriate departure point for contextualizing Hector Lavoe as he will be seen in <span style="font-style: italic;">El Cantante</span>. Inevitably, this means that these posts will be, in part, a sampling of the Willie Colon discography as well. Posts will be chronological, and at least one installment will be uploaded per day as edits to this same post. Because Hector Lavoe is one of the more well known Latin artists I've featured on my blog and information about him is readily available, I'll be keeping biographical information to a minimum. By August 3, the entire discography will be posted. Be sure to check back often.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:180%;">Day 1:<span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /></span></span>Willie Colon - El Malo (Fania, 1967)<br /></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-u31Pox0C1ldxRmavYfiIxg4xLpBOfNYV74si59de70KV8uN7JwwP0pmkxBOHVQGCwG4LFuZT23gc61RdrMR0QRNLABUoSwr94aEUwqnavlybnK0Un5_5y74IDcBuMgDHpNQveTfOhgY/s1600-h/Folder.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-u31Pox0C1ldxRmavYfiIxg4xLpBOfNYV74si59de70KV8uN7JwwP0pmkxBOHVQGCwG4LFuZT23gc61RdrMR0QRNLABUoSwr94aEUwqnavlybnK0Un5_5y74IDcBuMgDHpNQveTfOhgY/s320/Folder.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5091627647051817650" border="0" /></a><br />Hector Lavoe was introduced to Willie Colon by the latter's Fania labelmate Johnny Pacheco. Because Pacheco already had a singer in Pete "El Conde" Rodriguez, he urged Willie Colon to give Hector Lavoe a shot. The result was the humble beginning of one of the greatest salsa duos in history. On <span style="font-style: italic;">El Malo, </span>Colon & Lavoe still hold on to the boogaloo and Latin soul sound so popular at the time, though you can hear hints of their later salsa style breaking through. A great album, and even more astounding when you consider that Colon is only 17 years old, and his band (including Lavoe) are mostly teenagers. As rebellious in its day as Charlie Parker was in his.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.divshare.com/download/1371870-0ea">Get it here</a><br /></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Willie Colon - The Hustler (Fania, 1968)<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUWfJZIfeYgSlaY49NJWMIDh6vwlm6xOFv_b-MsYGNEjJg8N0pYJ8_jHhWnFjfzLQWsvNm_BZGYa7dw-wso4QHUFtY-ODyjRtJYsBia3AdwjnjppY3qEK3IYjV7VHqMePU-H6ZlJoDYu4/s1600-h/Folder.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUWfJZIfeYgSlaY49NJWMIDh6vwlm6xOFv_b-MsYGNEjJg8N0pYJ8_jHhWnFjfzLQWsvNm_BZGYa7dw-wso4QHUFtY-ODyjRtJYsBia3AdwjnjppY3qEK3IYjV7VHqMePU-H6ZlJoDYu4/s320/Folder.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5091627917634757314" border="0" /></a><br />Hector steps up to become main vocalist on Colon's second album. The production is a little rough, but you can really hear Colon feeling out his trombone lines with a raw, edgy tone. Hector Lavoe recalls the style of Ismael Rivera on Eso Se Baila Asi, and gives a solid performance with Que Lio, as if anticipating his hit song El Cantante.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.divshare.com/download/1372525-ca4">Get it here</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:180%;" >Day 2:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Willie Colon - Guisando (Fania, 1969)</span><br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj52oyK5X7qNJHKNncaWb7bU-aH_7M2L8lZ8c0xf0mtsvVYSSPPTWVswSjDhFxGfGinYp5CI4_vg_cCmzZBP3y4VqTvPfytr1pf61K4awpWcsSBE5_KIltbnGkzxOZC-cq5LSemyvAx0Gc/s1600-h/Folder.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj52oyK5X7qNJHKNncaWb7bU-aH_7M2L8lZ8c0xf0mtsvVYSSPPTWVswSjDhFxGfGinYp5CI4_vg_cCmzZBP3y4VqTvPfytr1pf61K4awpWcsSBE5_KIltbnGkzxOZC-cq5LSemyvAx0Gc/s320/Folder.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5091950259225289458" border="0" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size:100%;"><span><br /></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:100%;">The addition of black pianist Mark Diamond adds a new side to Willie Colon's raucous third album. This also adds a rather sketchy dimension to the name of the fifth cut (I Wish I Had A Watermelon), but Diamond nonetheless puts forth some smokin' piano with gritty Colon trombone to match. The slowed-down and dirty No Me Den Candela is one of my favorites in all of Colon's discography, featuring some great energy from Lavoe. Colon considers this album cover to be his second favorite, and certainly continues the gangster image that made him both hugely controversial and a huge hit.</span><br /><br /></span></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.divshare.com/download/1380506-dba">Get it here</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >Willie Colon - Cosa Nuestra (Fania, 1969)</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFdcGfme52N8D4kGbnlTFs7qLkeq0L8Ajl76kXusVe3I3g5L5pU7oa-Nhrsl6UU5Rlw8yWDg5hCuMhLlCz2DV2mYbHjJtO4NY5Y62Q1xJDtmabgNf2vHAeLc8apU9iuBMJj2CYv7Hq8NU/s1600-h/Folder.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFdcGfme52N8D4kGbnlTFs7qLkeq0L8Ajl76kXusVe3I3g5L5pU7oa-Nhrsl6UU5Rlw8yWDg5hCuMhLlCz2DV2mYbHjJtO4NY5Y62Q1xJDtmabgNf2vHAeLc8apU9iuBMJj2CYv7Hq8NU/s320/Folder.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5091948356554777314" border="0" /></a><br />Crucial Colon! Released the same year as <span style="font-style: italic;">Guisando</span>, many consider <span style="font-style: italic;">Cosa Nuestra</span> to be his first real masterpiece, and with good reason. Pretty much every song on here is a hit, and some of the songs have become colloquial phrases among us Puerto Ricans, such as "te conozco bacalao," as if to slyly say "I know you, I know what you're up to, I know you better than that." Ausencia was one of my first exposures to Hector Lavoe, and remains a favorite to this day, a gripping lament with a powerful breakdown and vocal performance. Essential Latin music for beginners and veterans alike!<br /><a href="http://www.divshare.com/download/1385159-a88"><br /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.divshare.com/download/1385159-a88">Get it here</a><br /></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:180%;" >Day 3:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Willie Colon - La Gran Fuga (Fania, 1970)</span><br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0mdy-b_knYvLd3XJiBWI9OtYum2aqMyHmGN6FplcJwh2TXa27T6pp0HCt4-q8rjke8n0HEtely2h20ohi05BG3FcgetXPP9YRtsbjNhr-u3Ugm7kH1rKuDaMI1k0EbehgPkM26mr85Os/s1600-h/Folder.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0mdy-b_knYvLd3XJiBWI9OtYum2aqMyHmGN6FplcJwh2TXa27T6pp0HCt4-q8rjke8n0HEtely2h20ohi05BG3FcgetXPP9YRtsbjNhr-u3Ugm7kH1rKuDaMI1k0EbehgPkM26mr85Os/s320/Folder.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5092343600920191794" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><br />Certainly Colon's most versatile work thus far, La Gran Fuga continues to develop the salsa sound while throwing in some unpredictable (and fun) nuggets. Growing up, I clearly remember hearing family members throwing out the "I-ata, ay yo yo" chant of the first cut, based on an African children's lullaby. Pa' Colombia and Barrunto are classics in the by now clearly emerging Colon style, and Abuelita features a hot breakdown that consumes almost half of the song. As always, Hector Lavoe continues to shine. Excellent stuff, and a great follow up to the classic Cosa Nuestra.<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.divshare.com/download/1396411-95b"><span style="font-size:100%;">Get it here</span></a><br /></div><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Willie Colon - Asalto Navideno (Fania, 1971)</span><br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAbbqiTRo3vW6jz6-V86Vo9jeYjzYG3At-GIQDZlDNW2hDAwEQyA6rKaHAXohyovyc9aU_5uvwUyKlpzQThuB6_vmGtVGlgzb6Po8PibxQi8wW-ODAjAvGu_DNELvTbGXLf040TfRoW10/s1600-h/Folder.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAbbqiTRo3vW6jz6-V86Vo9jeYjzYG3At-GIQDZlDNW2hDAwEQyA6rKaHAXohyovyc9aU_5uvwUyKlpzQThuB6_vmGtVGlgzb6Po8PibxQi8wW-ODAjAvGu_DNELvTbGXLf040TfRoW10/s320/Folder.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5092343429121499938" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><br />While most artists these days release Christmas albums that trip over their own gimmicks, in 1971 Colon released a holiday scorcher that would prove essential in his discography. It's not Christmas in a Puerto Rican household if you're not blasting this album. Just listen to the epic introduction and you know you're listening to something special. It features what may very well be Colon's biggest hit, La Murga, a catchy, furious trombone romp through the world of Panamanian dance. In keeping with the tradition of Puerto Rican Christmas music, the album is heavily tinged with jibaro (Puerto Rican folk music), thanks to Yomo Toro on the four-stringed cuatro. This is Yomo Toro's first outing with Colon, and would prove a major launching point for his career. Lavoe belts out a gorgeous ode to his native island in Canto A Borinquen, utilizing a very traditional form of lyrical verse, almost as distinct to the Puerto Rican ear as a limerick. Similarly, Esta Navidad kicks off with an equally traditional cuatro riff. I can't mention Asalto without mentioning the closer, Vive Tu Vida Contento, a song of humorously crude, but simple advice within an unforgettable chorus. Roughly translated, it states: Live your life content; that is how you'll live well; because if you rush through life you'll die but if you stay put, you'll still die. I can't emphasize enough how so many of these songs have become a part of the Puerto Rican consciousness; in our parrandas (somewhat like Christmas caroling), we sing older Christmas jibaros in the same breath as these Colon classics. Full of many great memories, I hope this album becomes as timeless for you as it has been for me. And no matter your nationality, don't be afraid to play it loud at Christmas time.<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://www.divshare.com/download/1396655-6a7">Get it here</a><br /></span></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:180%;" >Day 4:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Willie Colon - El Juicio (Fania, 1972)</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRi8UbKbMXcXrsMOl58KCJV1b3Oo_J-9LGGmUuBdxpY7V2kyFjudxzgmrH5MGXdQP3wC-g6t0g_gMGrSMey8aKJshxTjDNWPTbU04RBEpgDeFKUQi-p5e0-1ml8qDyYiivao_4dc1mhig/s1600-h/Folder.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRi8UbKbMXcXrsMOl58KCJV1b3Oo_J-9LGGmUuBdxpY7V2kyFjudxzgmrH5MGXdQP3wC-g6t0g_gMGrSMey8aKJshxTjDNWPTbU04RBEpgDeFKUQi-p5e0-1ml8qDyYiivao_4dc1mhig/s320/Folder.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5092692201940771650" border="0" /></a><br />To me, <span style="font-style: italic;">El Juicio</span> is a continuation of the previous year's <span style="font-style: italic;">La Gran Fuga</span>--a collection of songs that explore new Colon territory anchored by solid salsa hits. The almost goofy Ah-Ah O-No, the santeria-tinged Aguanile, or the jazzy, slow tempo closer Pan y Agua find Colon and Lavoe stretching beyond their salsa repertoire. Nonetheless, they always come back to the salsa and horn lines with hits like Pirana and the extended Timbalero. You'll hear Lavoe say "Para ti (for you) motherflower" on Sonando Despierto, referencing an altercation in a nightclub where Lavoe's at times unprofessional, clown-like stage presence put him on the bad side of an audience member who requested a danza. When Hector not only refused but proceeded to make the fan a victim of some not-well-taken sarcasm, the fan assaulted Lavoe and nearly sent him to the hospital. The "para ti motherflower" line (the last word being an obvious cover up for the more vulgar version) prefaces a danza section written into the song at the last minute, and is a sarcastic dedication to the violent fan. Not as impressive as <span style="font-style: italic;">La Gran Fuga</span>, but very much worth your attention.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.divshare.com/download/1404467-ef3">Get it here</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Willie Colon - Asalto Navideno Vol. 2 (Fania, 1972)</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8bMU2q0j_V7OdvXC915CT6rSRW1buYG5LEB136L3n9YcryzEACMbUSd-BFsTNu53kCxyTd-zgYvuf38mxDgNzKIqNOG1Y4AtW2Gn4QP2dF2EGG0PajihK342c1hMLbPPLK1v-pa4gU0E/s1600-h/Folder.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8bMU2q0j_V7OdvXC915CT6rSRW1buYG5LEB136L3n9YcryzEACMbUSd-BFsTNu53kCxyTd-zgYvuf38mxDgNzKIqNOG1Y4AtW2Gn4QP2dF2EGG0PajihK342c1hMLbPPLK1v-pa4gU0E/s320/Folder.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5092692356559594322" border="0" /></a><br />On the heels of the first <span style="font-style: italic;">Asalto Navideno</span>, Colon and Lavoe put out another Christmas album the following year. Unfortunately, it lacked the hits of the first <span style="font-style: italic;">Asalto</span>, and somewhat fell flat on its face. Still, the album is full of Christmas energy and once again features Yomo Toro's cuatro skills. Check out the furious La Banda (in a sense the cousin of La Murga), or the upbeat rendition of a lyrically plaintive Christmas classic, Arbolito. Sure to get any parranda going.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.divshare.com/download/1404490-638">Get it here</a><br /></div></div></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:180%;" >Day 5:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Willie Colon - Lo Mato (Fania, 1973)</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO7ihMmj5ewbS2AuLtZnZcxG5nTnH781aNqSyCQI7Xqk3WvhT1x1Bc5vIdMnSEeiKQSKUQ13nHRcp920sq4axVwzaV9Wh9VI9kO7yYs3vhmxRMYuulncUCuXT9VVqCLd3VT5rQOLLbXdA/s1600-h/Folder.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO7ihMmj5ewbS2AuLtZnZcxG5nTnH781aNqSyCQI7Xqk3WvhT1x1Bc5vIdMnSEeiKQSKUQ13nHRcp920sq4axVwzaV9Wh9VI9kO7yYs3vhmxRMYuulncUCuXT9VVqCLd3VT5rQOLLbXdA/s320/Folder.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5093068479730606946" border="0" /></a><br />Featuring Colon's most infamous cover, this album is fully titled <span style="font-style: italic;">Lo Mato....Si No Compras Este LP</span> (I'll kill him.....if you don't buy this LP). Not that Colon was getting desperate, as the cover/title are just a humorous extension of the gangster image that had followed him since his earliest albums. In spite of <span style="font-style: italic;">Asalto</span> 2's commercial failure, Colon was still riding a wave of new found creativity and fame and you can really hear it on this album. The arrangements and production are his sharpest yet. Calle Luna Calle Sol has the quality of his later work with Ruben Blades, particularly on <span style="font-style: italic;">Canciones Del Solar De Los Aburridos</span>. As always, the dual-trombone assault leads a number of classic jams such as Todo Tiene Su Final and the slowed-down Senora Lola. There's always room for folk forms as well, on Guajira Ven or one of my favorites, the upbeat El Dia De Mi Suerte, which finds Lavoe at his peak. Lavoe has truly settled in as a front man by this point, and this album finds him at his most natural and energetic yet. Great stuff.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.divshare.com/download/1414814-c20">Get it here</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Willie Colon - The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly (Fania, 1975)</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy926gBIUV0zoY-Ap22b3EclGMjXIGlfAoO8riSr4-sJE_tuVYfO48Ts0vCBouT1yIUUhwGGmoKPHdBZ42vmADP0L1Dsvdm5JtQqpvoNmzpRrV7YMPmRgwtTkk0VUaY5ruNyEjbnJ_tYU/s1600-h/Folder.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy926gBIUV0zoY-Ap22b3EclGMjXIGlfAoO8riSr4-sJE_tuVYfO48Ts0vCBouT1yIUUhwGGmoKPHdBZ42vmADP0L1Dsvdm5JtQqpvoNmzpRrV7YMPmRgwtTkk0VUaY5ruNyEjbnJ_tYU/s320/Folder.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5093068990831715186" border="0" /></a><br />Much like on <span style="font-style: italic;">La Gran Fuga</span> or <span style="font-style: italic;">El Juicio</span>, Colon is trying out a new set of tricks on <span style="font-style: italic;">The Good</span>, only this time the experimentation is even greater in scope. New production values, a host of new styles from rock to bossa nova, and Colon, who went on a year long hiatus (some say because he was getting tired of being artistically constrained) takes over main vocal duties and nearly removes the two-trombone sound altogether. Ruben Blades makes his first appearance with Colon on El Cazanguero, a heavy-handed and rather unimpressive debut before becoming main vocalist. The album is also Colon's most jibaro since the first <span style="font-style: italic;">Asalto</span>, with Yomo Toro playing at his best. That being said, it can be an unsettling listen if you only swear by <span style="font-style: italic;">Cosa Nuestra</span> or <span style="font-style: italic;">Asalto Navideno Vol. 1</span>, but still very rewarding to the open ear. You can still find Lavoe on the classic jibaro Que Bien Te Ves, where he uses an excellent style of inflection to better portray the lament of the jibaro, thus showcasing his talent and versatility. This album, however, would be Lavoe's last with Colon until their reunion on 1983's <span style="font-style: italic;">Vigilante</span>. For all intents and purposes, Lavoe is by this point beginning his solo career. The rest of the uploads will chronicle Lavoe as frontman.<br /></div></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.divshare.com/download/1415009-a4b">Get it here</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Day 6:</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Hector Lavoe - La Voz [Fania, 1975]</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCNsGlGbEFMGe1WgsJ99uyoypOkZlHbTWhtnMXuffablS6WrS0GWDd9gbERAPFnIPfJid5OomFJ8i-WX_SZuIGL75aTSCsNa6NaEXfF3tseWOLr2bPi1fH-yD7rfbHCVxcFdGVIqn7J_k/s1600-h/Folder.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCNsGlGbEFMGe1WgsJ99uyoypOkZlHbTWhtnMXuffablS6WrS0GWDd9gbERAPFnIPfJid5OomFJ8i-WX_SZuIGL75aTSCsNa6NaEXfF3tseWOLr2bPi1fH-yD7rfbHCVxcFdGVIqn7J_k/s320/Folder.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5093417252549878658" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:78%;">Admittedly the nerdiest looking cover in all of Latin music.....</span></span><br /></div><br />Lavoe's solo debut was named after the title of his idol Felipe Rodriguez, which Lavoe's manager had suggested he shorten to "Lavoe" for his stage name. <span style="font-style: italic;">La Voz</span> is to Lavoe's career what <span style="font-style: italic;">Cosa Nuestra</span> was for Colon: a solid, early work that set him apart from all of his contemporaries. That being said, Lavoe was certainly still part of the Colon camp and the two remained great friends amidst rumors of a heated dispute. In fact, Colon had pretty much given Lavoe his band, and Colon and Fania labelmate Johnny Pacheco are responsible for some of the cuts on the album. With Colon's talented orchestra backing up a reinvigorated Lavoe, <span style="font-style: italic;">La Voz</span> is one of his best. Stellar performances abound on classics like El Todopoderoso, a starkly religious ode and lyrical anomaly in his career. It's my suspicion that Lavoe and Colon penned the song to combat Lavoe's bad boy image as a womanizer and drug addict, though this is entirely unfounded. Other hits include Rompe Saraguey and Mi Gente, a complex survey of his people that predated Ruben Blades's more well-known call for Latin unity on <span style="font-style: italic;">Siembra</span>. A fantastic debut for Lavoe.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.divshare.com/download/1425261-806">Get it here</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Hector Lavoe - De Ti Depende [Fania, 1976]</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-79jRzxqV9Ls4w0XD_wtDS6M4Biz5lxxEr-W9nZm_IPt0wJRwZephUsdxWL-eg5XVFewPiaj7Dzo18MLnJzqhmomLX8TtpFr8TsoKf7wrHgzZ88d75iG4jKvWt3ltfl_NcrjRjsTYdEo/s1600-h/Folder.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-79jRzxqV9Ls4w0XD_wtDS6M4Biz5lxxEr-W9nZm_IPt0wJRwZephUsdxWL-eg5XVFewPiaj7Dzo18MLnJzqhmomLX8TtpFr8TsoKf7wrHgzZ88d75iG4jKvWt3ltfl_NcrjRjsTYdEo/s320/Folder.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5093417858140267410" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">De Ti Depende</span> features one of Lavoe's biggest hits, Periodico de Ayer, penned by Tite Curet Alonso. This biting indictment of a former lover stayed at the number one spot on Mexican charts for a full four months, and features some of the best string arrangements ever done on a Lavoe tune. Lyrically, it's one of my favorite Lavoe songs.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Tu amor es un periódico de ayer<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span>(Your love is like yesterday's newspaper)<span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">que nadie más procura ya leer<br /></span>(that no one bothers to read anymore)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">sensacional cuando salió en la madrugada<br /></span>(sensational when it hits the presses at dawn)<span style="font-style: italic;"> </span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />a mediodía ya noticia confirmada <span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></span>(well-known by mid-day)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">y en la tarde materia olvidada.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span>(and forgotten at dusk)<br /><br />Hacha y Machete is another excellent tune with strong arrangements and a great chorus. Cheo Feliciano and Felipe Pirela had already done versions of the title track, with no success. It took Lavoe to breathe new life into the song and make it a hit. Overall, another fantastic solo outing from Lavoe with Colon and Blades helping him out on choro.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.divshare.com/download/1425533-361">Get it here</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:180%;" >Day 7:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Hector Lavoe - Comedia (Fania, 1978)</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh47RxlFWo4IKPqXQxW0bAiwtJspE_6FhxkAX2VN-yS5TXwX1CuyQuYQinHemtxzTxCcj4xFnskeF1Ah7aFE6HuZ3nCLhQrBYt71sKLBb_AxwFzTJUM0jEicWo5hmWK1QJCFNEzY8z0_Ao/s1600-h/Folder.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh47RxlFWo4IKPqXQxW0bAiwtJspE_6FhxkAX2VN-yS5TXwX1CuyQuYQinHemtxzTxCcj4xFnskeF1Ah7aFE6HuZ3nCLhQrBYt71sKLBb_AxwFzTJUM0jEicWo5hmWK1QJCFNEzY8z0_Ao/s320/Folder.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5093832249469887394" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Comedia</span> features the quintessential El Cantante, a title that would become the source of his nickname, "El Cantante de Los Cantantes" (the singer of singers; taken in the same sense as "king of kings"), and of course serves as the inspiration for the title of the Marc Anthony/J-Lo biopic. The epic, 10-minute opus ranks among his best with lush string arrangements set in a minor mood, which, for Latin music in general, is rare and rather experimental. The song was originally written by Ruben Blades, who allegedly wanted to perform the song himself. However, after it became a signature Lavoe hit, Blades acknowledged that Lavoe did a much better job with it than he ever could have. Other excellent songs include the La Verdad, with an excellent rhythm section and very subtle organ flourishes; Tiempos Pasados, a samba-based tune with lyrics sung in a quasi-bolero style; and Songoroconsongo, a Nicolas Guillen poem set to music. Bandoleras is another controversial Lavoe hit due to its explicit threats of violence towards women, and had many Puerto Rican feminists up in arms (I am both Puerto Rican and a feminist and admittedly find the lyrical content a little disturbing, though I ultimately separate art from politics and so I don't discourage listening to it). Essential Lavoe.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.divshare.com/download/1436433-9a1">Get it here</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Hector Lavoe - Recordando a Felipe Pirela (Fania, 1979)</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJh6p-7KgSJdYMSbBv5w97vVP5ktNkY3REIBUPcCHH0LH6ZGtqn_FYaOD_-3JfXC-eEa1AJBlEFmsnv7ojp2D-p6LAYJ4BJtjI1I_rxc3nGhRqZlt6sjA7aIC6zWnCd49v3jS5_Xe1h_g/s1600-h/Folder.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJh6p-7KgSJdYMSbBv5w97vVP5ktNkY3REIBUPcCHH0LH6ZGtqn_FYaOD_-3JfXC-eEa1AJBlEFmsnv7ojp2D-p6LAYJ4BJtjI1I_rxc3nGhRqZlt6sjA7aIC6zWnCd49v3jS5_Xe1h_g/s320/Folder.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5093832438448448434" border="0" /></a>Hector's tribute to his idol, Venezuelan vocalist Felipe Pirela, the "Bolerista de America" who had moved from Venezuela to Columbia to Mexico and finally to Puerto Rico, where he was murdered in 1972. Pirela is recognized as one othe great Venezuelan voices, and here Lavoe interprets some of his most famous works. Solid stuff.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><a href="http://www.divshare.com/download/1437115-a45">Get it here</a><br /></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Day 8:</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Hector Lavoe - Feliz Navidad (Fania, 1979)</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSyug2w4DAkOIuKR70cNfPNO-I5EZ8RtWCJfQ1TV67niBOb9GvLFqK5QKU-kJw-4A6lGyJQUKd2Kr9imwvNOM2lgZWBB8uyXx4Jdz2fc6X0heUUYoMvHbbY4EjI_39A4ByIed71381v34/s1600-h/Folder.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSyug2w4DAkOIuKR70cNfPNO-I5EZ8RtWCJfQ1TV67niBOb9GvLFqK5QKU-kJw-4A6lGyJQUKd2Kr9imwvNOM2lgZWBB8uyXx4Jdz2fc6X0heUUYoMvHbbY4EjI_39A4ByIed71381v34/s320/Folder.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5094587613958169538" border="0" /></a><br />Hector gives the Fania Christmas album a shot, and brings in Yomo Toro and Santos Colon for some seriously solid jibaro. Almost as much a comedy album as a Christmas album, <span style="font-style: italic;">Feliz Navidad</span> features Lavoe impersonating certain groups of gringos (Americans) as they try to speak, talk, and act like they are Puerto Rican/Nuyorican (at times done with arguably racist tones). The very distinct Spanish-with-a-gringo-dialect has since become a light-hearted, national joke.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.divshare.com/download/1457274-200">Get it here</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Hector Lavoe - El Sabio (Fania, 1980)</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm7uWiyqVQO_MJHPkvF9mKJrm4Ey9rs1_6vK_ehaQA8dYmA0iwIQh26zEErcNpkkkVcGS1dtiWAk0taXxYlr9AON_Iy9vRuAJ7lst9yIZOVHodG9gWQ-mNt6GkXV1ElSkTtztPGagr-Jo/s1600-h/Folder.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm7uWiyqVQO_MJHPkvF9mKJrm4Ey9rs1_6vK_ehaQA8dYmA0iwIQh26zEErcNpkkkVcGS1dtiWAk0taXxYlr9AON_Iy9vRuAJ7lst9yIZOVHodG9gWQ-mNt6GkXV1ElSkTtztPGagr-Jo/s320/Folder.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5094587759987057618" border="0" /></a><br />Another excellent Lavoe album! The fantastic opener and titled track pretty much says everything about what's in store. Noche de Farra even nods to charanga! The production here is very much rivaling that of the Colon/Blades duo akin to their seminal <span style="font-style: italic;">Siembra</span> (Alejate is a perfect example).<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.divshare.com/download/1457883-916">Get it here</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Hector Lavoe - Que Sentimiento (Fania, 1981)</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1AbTyaMajJp1LkEFfmJn4lfcJdofQqTmehNejqIOSB1nUZUzNrQHXBe2xq_W_wwZW_m-ZJbfv27q3jSxKGaZIxQgU5GyyhPmC7tfToPiVvw1uyHU5FZsm3tQDxT2e1fI3xcE7rRsI2aw/s1600-h/Folder.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1AbTyaMajJp1LkEFfmJn4lfcJdofQqTmehNejqIOSB1nUZUzNrQHXBe2xq_W_wwZW_m-ZJbfv27q3jSxKGaZIxQgU5GyyhPmC7tfToPiVvw1uyHU5FZsm3tQDxT2e1fI3xcE7rRsI2aw/s320/Folder.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5094587948965618658" border="0" /></a><br />By this point, you'll be marveling at Lavoe's ability to put out consistently quality albums, and even without Colon contributing any production, arrangements, or songwriting. The closer, No Hay Quien Te Aguante, is one of my Lavoe favorites. <span style="font-style: italic;">Que Sentimiento</span> features Lavoe's best production values yet, a mixture of quality engineering without falling into the trap of overproduced, heavily synthesized 80s salsa, a very welcome breath of fresh air to contrast what his replacement with Colon, Ruben Blades, was doing with the 80s sound by this point.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.divshare.com/download/1457408-43d">Get it here</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Willie Colon & Hector Lavoe - Vigilante (Fania, 1983)</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3iNuqNn6noUN8oz3Q8ZPKod183VOSEsxSuMrM3zs7jiBpY1O2z3F4yEfr88MiU222R6dDgCOayK-iSnQF2UsCZ7ti9wnxtrgN7XSoS5xn4voyszrshQLTtHO6-R9rIWaLbi0gpw7n3NE/s1600-h/Folder.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3iNuqNn6noUN8oz3Q8ZPKod183VOSEsxSuMrM3zs7jiBpY1O2z3F4yEfr88MiU222R6dDgCOayK-iSnQF2UsCZ7ti9wnxtrgN7XSoS5xn4voyszrshQLTtHO6-R9rIWaLbi0gpw7n3NE/s320/Folder.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5094588202368689138" border="0" /></a><br />Though Colon has contributed in some way to many of Lavoe's solo albums, it wasn't until <span style="font-style: italic;">Vigilante</span> that the duo made their official return with Lavoe once again bestowing his talented crooning to Colon's band. You'll notice something right away: only four songs. Indeed, the songs here tend to be flowing romps than simple hits, and the title track is an incredibly experimental opus (even for Colon) that you'll either love or hate. That being said, everything else here harkens right back to the old Lavoe & Colon days, so it's quite a triumphant reunion!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.divshare.com/download/1457734-0d1">Get it here</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Hector Lavoe - Revento (Fania, 1985)</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrXdAMnL7lRegZKoqJMQPDEUMB942Qpu6hr9NJEe6utLR2birZWVLVhSFC2B9gm3OHorAQrcJzb6jdLelsNDBqloDcLIUwAj47ytVSHzZpSTNXDrSgHwH_ZqPTeoyh7MuwY6NP8JjkGdk/s1600-h/Folder.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrXdAMnL7lRegZKoqJMQPDEUMB942Qpu6hr9NJEe6utLR2birZWVLVhSFC2B9gm3OHorAQrcJzb6jdLelsNDBqloDcLIUwAj47ytVSHzZpSTNXDrSgHwH_ZqPTeoyh7MuwY6NP8JjkGdk/s320/Folder.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5094588515901301762" border="0" /></a><br />Revento finds Lavoe's career at its nadir. I would argue that his growing unpopularity has much more to do with the dwindling Fania sound and the state of Latin music in general than Lavoe's own work, as <span style="font-style: italic;">Revento</span> and his preceding albums are all worthwhile outings. That being said, his chronic depression (the album closer translates as "I Can't Be Happy), battle with drugs, and the somewhat faltering quality of his voice certainly did not help. Regardless, Lavoe puts on an excellent performance here and still proves himself El Cantante de Los Cantantes. Listen to the smooth, vibe-heavy bolero Don Fulano De Tal to see what I mean.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.divshare.com/download/1458072-cb1">Get it here</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Hector Lavoe - Strikes Back (Fania, 1987)</span><br /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP9Mh9v6RBGL2BYqAp18c1BjuiDNyiN-ARIRGn-re-zVdJEZ2IUxqi6aF8m-klkVwyEbuAD6Tm9khTJnBZLKqzAwRmM94SrKCfaBdjPViLiD2i0mEP0magwZ5vaHglS6paY4QRVkAa-7I/s1600-h/Folder.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP9Mh9v6RBGL2BYqAp18c1BjuiDNyiN-ARIRGn-re-zVdJEZ2IUxqi6aF8m-klkVwyEbuAD6Tm9khTJnBZLKqzAwRmM94SrKCfaBdjPViLiD2i0mEP0magwZ5vaHglS6paY4QRVkAa-7I/s320/Folder.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5094588713469797394" border="0" /></a><br />Lavoe's final album of original material, the title is more a reference to his fame (or lack thereof) than to an actual hiatus from his music. While it may be difficult to imagine that an artist from the 60s and 70s could record an album called <span style="font-style: italic;">Strikes Back</span> in the late 80s with any kind of integrity, that's exactly what's happened. <span style="font-style: italic;">Strikes Back</span> is among his best and, moreover, may be his most intimate. Many of the lyrics deal with how the public perceives him and his struggles with fame and addiction, all put forth with an astute ear for the very pulse that put Latin music on the map nearly two decades before <span style="font-style: italic;">Strikes Back</span>. Don't let the stereotype of a comeback album fool you. If you haven't heard <span style="font-style: italic;">Strikes Back</span>, then you haven't heard everything that Lavoe has to offer.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.divshare.com/download/1458340-020">Get it here</a><br /></div></div></div><br /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: left;">That's it! This marks the entire accessible Lavoe discography as will be relevant to <span style="font-style: italic;">El Cantante</span>. I have not posted his pre-Colon work, nor his work with the Fania All-Stars. These may come at a later date (if you want to see these uploaded, speak up in the comments). For now, you are officially ready to hit up the movie theaters (TODAY! AUGUST 3RD!) and sing and dance in aisles to the Hector Lavoe film. I certainly hope you enjoy these albums as much as I do, and thank you all for the support and kind words. If you dig the music you see here, remember that much of this music is being reissued, so go out and buy it! And for the many newcomers to this blog, feel free to check back often as I continue to delve into Latin music's greatest rarities as well as its classics!<br /></div></div>Julian Dragohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15262247844126926246noreply@blogger.com62tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450773608614960379.post-74040123923849462872007-07-25T21:40:00.000-04:002007-07-25T21:57:20.167-04:00The Latin Show (July 22, 2007) playlistHere's the playlist for those who missed my show this past Sunday:<br /><br />1. Monguito - Lindo Guaguanco<br />2. George Guzman - Cacumen<br />3. Vitin Aviles - Sufre<br />4. Tito Rodriguez y Su Orquesta - Payaso<br />5. Jack Constanzo & His Afro-Cuban Band - Melado de Cana<br />6. La Playa Sextet - Salta Perico<br />7. Trio Lissbet - Black Tears<br />8. Los Pleneros De La 21 - Traigo un Coco<br />9. Orquesta Revolucion '70 - Llego La Revolucion<br />10. Adalberto Santiago - Fuego y Candela<br />11. Tony Pabon y La Protesta - Madre<br />12. Orquesta Guarare - Que Linda Te Ves<br /><br />Much thanks to <a href="http://meshes.blogspot.com/">Meshes of the Afternoon</a>, <a href="http://revolucionno.wordpress.com/">Revolucion, No?</a>, and <a href="http://pepane.blogspot.com/">Pepanito</a> for each contributing a track to my playlist through their own fantastic blogs.<br /><br />Some have asked whether or not I archive my shows. Unfortunately, I can't distribute my show as it puts WCBN, as opposed to just myself, at legal risk, and I love WCBN far too much to walk that line. The good news is that most of these songs will be featured in future uploads, so you'll hear it all eventually!<br /><br />And, if you missed this show, I am hosting the Latin Show again this upcoming Sunday on July 29th. Tune in, as I'll be doing a small tribute to Hector Lavoe to celebrate the release of the biographical film <span style="font-style: italic;">El Cantante</span>. You can listen online <a href="http://www.wcbn.org/listen.html">here</a>.<br /><br />On that last note, I don't want to give the surprise away, but check back very soon, you won't be disappointed. That's all I'll say for now.....Julian Dragohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15262247844126926246noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450773608614960379.post-82903614614484122952007-07-21T15:45:00.001-04:002008-12-08T23:06:57.206-05:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ9LeOVzcVuL1oHqQTa69kqp3GEXeXKxv_azqjBFZnhlH6_cvasbxatf4Lw4_EB050l3Ia23GEjwYB0JsTHcIInDs-I9STls43JOeCUiqRwuRMA5YHbbG46DTRAfhP2dx9eIGHsXeUcws/s1600-h/800px-WCBN_lobby.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ9LeOVzcVuL1oHqQTa69kqp3GEXeXKxv_azqjBFZnhlH6_cvasbxatf4Lw4_EB050l3Ia23GEjwYB0JsTHcIInDs-I9STls43JOeCUiqRwuRMA5YHbbG46DTRAfhP2dx9eIGHsXeUcws/s320/800px-WCBN_lobby.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5089740859328750210" border="0" /></a><br />Just a reminder to all of you Latin fans that I'll be hosting the Latin Show tomorrow (Sunday, July 22) from 1-2pm, Eastern time. You can listen online at <a href="http://www.wcbn.org/listen.html">WCBN FM</a> as I spin the best in salsa, guaganco, and boogaloo, and much more from the rarest gems to the hottest classics. Tune in!Julian Dragohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15262247844126926246noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450773608614960379.post-37787781591493356952007-07-18T20:25:00.001-04:002008-12-08T23:06:57.337-05:00Conjunto Canayon - Colection Series, Vol. 1 (Kanayon, 1998)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_s1I3hXh_4qo/Rp6v2bY7IhI/AAAAAAAAAEM/vbiEG0fyHBo/s1600-h/Folder.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 178px; height: 176px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_s1I3hXh_4qo/Rp6v2bY7IhI/AAAAAAAAAEM/vbiEG0fyHBo/s320/Folder.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5088697978575331858" border="0" /></a><br />More Conjunto Canayon!! For my first Conjunto Canayon upload, <i>A Las Millas</i>, go <a href="http://sunoflatinmusic.blogspot.com/2007/07/conjunto-canayon-las-millas-th-1981.html">here</a>.<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span><br /><br />Not too much to say here. In 1998 the members of the defunct Conjunto Canayon got together and created their own label, simply titled Kanayon Records, and released this retrospective of their work, now out of print. You'll find cuts from <span style="font-style: italic;">A Las Millas</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Criollo y Mas, </span>and presumably <span style="font-style: italic;">Folkloriko Tropical</span>, though I've never seen the tracklisting for the latter. Much of the stuff on here is standard Conjunto Canayon fare, which is to say that it's absolutely incredible son/salsa/cumbia with hints of jibaro (Puerto Rican folk music) mixed in. I would like to draw attention to the last cut, Tropical Jungle, another one of the Canayon jazz jams with a smooth groove and some really nice flute and horn lines, also a regular on my Latin Show.<br /><br />Fans of my <span style="font-style: italic;">A Las Millas </span>upload will love this rare glimpse into Canayon's other material. Enjoy!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.divshare.com/download/1306444-e81">Get it here</a><br /></div>Julian Dragohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15262247844126926246noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450773608614960379.post-1552170204338767602007-07-16T14:18:00.000-04:002008-12-08T23:06:57.700-05:00Conjunto Canayon - A Las Millas (TH, 1981)As promised, my personal favorite Latin music album. Ever.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlO967t1wMT_nOyW36ZXdEteTrOcLK7XvnxNQG26MUByiN6OlMLlOsNMpPTIS_v_nhtw-LIysnMreKgrRCzVy-aWvhgaoUySZAIhf4PUVI2dBolm9WLUvoVHP4mW-ZVjghXSh-LWe1FFA/s1600-h/Folder.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlO967t1wMT_nOyW36ZXdEteTrOcLK7XvnxNQG26MUByiN6OlMLlOsNMpPTIS_v_nhtw-LIysnMreKgrRCzVy-aWvhgaoUySZAIhf4PUVI2dBolm9WLUvoVHP4mW-ZVjghXSh-LWe1FFA/s320/Folder.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5087886620598411746" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:78%;">Yea, it's a lousy cover. You wanna fight about it?<br /><br /> </span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLZhH0M8Lm9KsefF3KbqQk1qbnMI4PU0ze-66z6eWGlO-QvojgDsXhhEH58PsZmBrNqGfLWMaQVKFmO3MW2_Nw7WvniUA2bVq7Eyd9AuM2jzHBbhDB2ShTctC8pcDCcdY00dcpHbNWunQ/s1600-h/Back.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLZhH0M8Lm9KsefF3KbqQk1qbnMI4PU0ze-66z6eWGlO-QvojgDsXhhEH58PsZmBrNqGfLWMaQVKFmO3MW2_Nw7WvniUA2bVq7Eyd9AuM2jzHBbhDB2ShTctC8pcDCcdY00dcpHbNWunQ/s320/Back.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5087887402282459634" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:78%;">Click to see album details<br /></span></span></div><br />Who is Conjunto Canayon? I wish that I could tell you. There's very little information about this band outside of their discography, which itself seems incomplete. What I can tell you is that Canayon (sometimes spelled as Canallon or Kanayon, making information even harder to come by) is a Puerto Rican band led by timbalero Cano Robles. They recorded in the early 80s, during a time when the wave of 70s salsa was diminishing and succumbing to the glossy, overproduced sounds of the decade. Consider a case-in-point. During this time Ruben Blades would record <span style="font-style: italic;">Escenas</span>, featuring the song Sorpresas, the "sequel" to one of his greatest songs on one of the great Latin records of all time: Pedro Navaja, found on Blades's collaboration with Willie Colon, <span style="font-style: italic;">Siembra</span>. While lyrically astute, the energy of the new Seis de Solar band wasn't there, perhaps muddled by the electronic drum kits and synthesizers. It was, in my humble and perhaps very biased opinion, salsa without its musical soul. The fact that such a important legacy in Latin music could not be aptly carried on, for me, perfectly summarizes the state that Latin music would find itself in by the mid-80s. <span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >(This is only my opinion....many disagree, and I encourage you to decide for yourself, as </span><span style="font-size:85%;">Escenas</span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" > is still in print)<br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;">But if there's anything I've learned from my lifelong affair with music, it's that any generalization about a genre or time period in music always carries exceptions. I offer up one of those exceptions today.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">A Las Millas</span>, euphemistically translated as "going fast" or "at lightspeed," was recorded in 1981 and released on the Puerto Rican Top Hits label. To my knowledge, this is the band's first album. They would record <span style="font-style: italic;">Criollo y Mas</span> in 1982, and another album, perhaps their most obscure, <span style="font-style: italic;">Folkloriko Tropical</span>, was recorded at a date unknown to me. In 1998, a "best of" of their material, entitled <span style="font-style: italic;">Colecion Series Vol. 1</span>, was issued on a record label created by the Conjunto Canayon members, simply entitled Kanayon Records. It has since become out of print. There may very well be more installments in the Canayon discography that I am not aware of.<br /><br />It's truly astounding that Conjunto Canayon has gone virtually unheard. Their music fused salsa, cumbia, and descarga while retaining a truly original sound unlike any other artist I've heard. Furthermore, they were incredibly innovative, giving even the great Ray Barretto a run for his money by employing complex rhythms, stop-start structures, and perhaps most intriguing, a boldness in experimenting with <span style="font-style: italic;">dissonance</span> in their melodies, an avenue of exploration that I cannot say even Barretto braved. Indeed, Conjunto Canayon, much like Ray Barretto, sounds like a band founded on Latin jazz playing Latin dance music. Though rare, a few songs such as Wild Tropical (found on <span style="font-style: italic;">A Las Millas</span>) and Tropical Jungle (album unknown, as I've only heard it on the 1998 retrospective) find the band casting off lyrics and pop song structure for extended, flute-centered jams.<br /><br />The first song on <span style="font-style: italic;">A Las Millas, </span>No Se Puede Vencer, perfectly encapsulates my point. The sweeping piano intro recalls Eddie Palmieri in his more experimental years. Pay attention to the guitar as it comes in. It is slightly <span style="font-style: italic;">dissonant</span>, a tactic virtually unheard of in Latin music. Immediately, you get the feeling that you are listening to something different, something truly unique. Vocalist Cheo Quinones captures this perfectly. He is in no way as refined or polished like the greats Tito Allen or Ruben Blades. Rather, there is something undeniably earthy in his timbre, much more down to earth. This is a vocalist that you would hear singing on the streets of Puerto Rico, accompanying <span style="font-style: italic;">las parrandas </span>(small, roving, improptu bands formed to visit and sing to neighbors) through the barrios, as real as the Puerto Rican soil itself. The flutes move throughout, setting up a darker, minor mood to take the fall for an explosion into more upbeat territory as led by Quinones and his backing vocalists, Pipo Pica and Rafael Lopez.<br /><br />Then, there's the next track, Chaflan, the hit song of the record. It is a perfect song, start to end, and a classic in the Puerto Rican canon (modern reggaeton artist Residente Calle 13 references the song's chorus in his self-titled album). Once again it begins with the signature Canayon build-up, a dissonant rumbling of the bass and congas, and an elegaic plea from the choro. Soon the polyrhythms come in over the groove, but this is only foreshadowing; if you thought the song was settling in at this point, you are wrong. Soon enough, the real groove comes in, an unforgettable chorus referencing the fugitive main character, Chaflan, as he runs "a las millas." Though it makes more grammatical sense in Spanish, the chorus (<span style="font-style: italic;">Nadie sabe donde viene, pero a las millas</span>) is linguistically playful: no one knows where's he is going--but fast. It is catchy and furious, and features an excellent horn break once again showcasing a penchant for dissonance. The almost haunting, reverberating lyrics during the outro harken back to the production ideas emerging out of the Willie Colon camp in the 70s. This song is, to say the least, sublime.<br /><br />If the rest of the album slows down, it's only because Chaflan can't be topped, and the songs compose an excellent album no matter what they follow. Rafael Lopez, as on Chaflan, sings Hace Tiempo; Pipo Pica takes over on the hit La Revelacion, a song about a man's epiphany concerning salvation through music. The song features an excellent vocal solo as it improvises with an accompanying guitar, ending in a heavy, bass-driven breakdown that virtually deconstructs the entire song. Cosas Del Amor is an upbeat dance number and ode to love, featuring an unforgettable chorus. Que Cosa's horn lines rank among their best; Nuestra Musica, a Johnny Ortiz cover, showcases fiery flute and percussion work as bookends to the song. The album closer, Wild Tropical, is a Latin jazz jam showcasing the band's musical foundations. Incredible flute abounds, courtesty of Coco Andujar.<br /><br />I could go on and on about this album and how much I love it (and virtually already have). It is a true gem, one of those finds that is not only treasured for it's rarity, but because it's quality is unequaled. It's a great pleasure to share this with you guys, I can only hope you'll enjoy this band's music as much as I have.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">IMPORTANT NOTE: </span></span> This is an original vinyl rip, and, unfortunately, features a few skips (on Que Cosa and particularly on Cosas Del Amor). There is an another mp3 rip floating around on the internet (itself very difficult to find), though the quality is much worse and sounds like it has been heavily treated with noise removal, resulting in a tinny film over the recording. I've included my original, unedited rip, skips and all, but I've also included versions of Que Cosa and Cosas Del Amor in a separate download so that you can hear the song uninterrupted, despite the poor sound quality. I apologize folks, there's nothing I can do about the skips, and you may very well never see this album anywhere else.<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >The Full Album<br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://www.divshare.com/download/1281993-ac0">Get it here</a><br />or <a href="http://www.megaupload.com/?d=VR4SZ9X8">here</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Que Cosa & Cosas Del Amor (no skip versions, see above)</span><br /><a href="http://www.divshare.com/download/1282140-862">Get it here</a><br />or <a href="http://www.megaupload.com/?d=CHE4LAZX">here</a></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" > </span></div>Julian Dragohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15262247844126926246noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450773608614960379.post-66031796399908315452007-07-14T16:38:00.000-04:002007-07-14T21:44:43.598-04:00Sorry for the lull in posting guys, I've been incredibly busy. BUT, I think all of you will find it well worth the wait as I'll soon be uploading my <span style="font-weight: bold;">FAVORITE LATIN RECORD EVER.<span style="font-style: italic;"> </span></span>It's a gem and a rare one at that, so there's a good chance it'll be new to you.<br /><br />In the meantime, and in keeping with my Tipica '73 post, Pepanito has shown some great timing and posted three Tipica '73 albums! <a href="http://pepane.blogspot.com/2007/07/tipica-73.html">Check 'em out!</a>Julian Dragohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15262247844126926246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450773608614960379.post-18943120086239137552007-07-05T17:14:00.000-04:002008-12-08T23:06:57.991-05:00Tipica '73 - Los Dos Lados De La Tipica '73 (Inca, 1977)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBH_f9OFHuNEizQGaE1hTf6XbUZBN1-57fFVwixRh0K4QZTmvUx9-b8K8mcmqLiH8Hp5yWm1SNpZ-Z-bKbXOSYktnC9zeO2KNgBKrNdBjkQ_MtD2UfVjyyElug8jBxL1X9bw__6dWgUmc/s1600-h/Folder.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBH_f9OFHuNEizQGaE1hTf6XbUZBN1-57fFVwixRh0K4QZTmvUx9-b8K8mcmqLiH8Hp5yWm1SNpZ-Z-bKbXOSYktnC9zeO2KNgBKrNdBjkQ_MtD2UfVjyyElug8jBxL1X9bw__6dWgUmc/s320/Folder.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5083811928228216178" border="0" /></a><br />Tipica '73 is a loose collective of often rotating members formed during the Ray Barretto fallout in the 70s (detailed in my <a href="http://sunoflatinmusic.blogspot.com/2007/06/orquesta-guarare-renaissance-inca-1979.html">Orquesta Guarare post</a>). Unlike Orquesta Guarare, Tipica '73 tended towards the more Ray Barretto side of experimentation and Latin jazz, thus making it difficult to to understand why the band members would want to split off in the first place. Orquesta Guarare, it seems, wanted to play straight dance music, making it easy to ascertain why they wanted out of Barretto's experimentalism. Tipica '73, on the other hand, continued to refine the nuances of jazz and Latin fusion with a host of new styles and rhythms. It was as if Barretto himself was split in half by a mighty Janusian blow: on one side, the friendlier but still excellent roots of dance music performed at their best; on the other, a desire for innovation, and moving forward within an already conservative style of music.<br /><br />But if this schizophrenic fault line tore the Barretto legacy in two, then what is most interesting about today's album is the way in which it carries that duality. Indeed, the album title translates to <span style="font-style: italic;">The Two Sides of Tipica '73</span>, and the LP, originally released on Fania's sister label Inca, was meant to showcase the very split that resulted in the Ray Barretto fallout in the first place; in other words, the continuum between tradition and innovation. Both tendencies exist side by side on this album, from the furious improvisations and stop-start dynamics of the orchestra on Bongo Fiesta, Salsa Suite, and It's A Gay World (my personal favorite), to the straightforward dances of La Botija de Abuelito or Tumba Tumbador. I would also like to point out the electric side of Tipica '73: the electric organ (of some sort?) on Salsa Suite, and the smokin' Yo Bailo De Todo, which features a hot Eddie-Benitez-meets-Santana guitar squaring off against violin and trading fours.<br /><br />The music here is truly the best of the best, excelling in all respects, whether conservative or cutting-edge. Such quality is to be expected with a line-up boasting violinist Alfredo De La Fe, trumpetist Lionel Sanchez, conguero Jose Grijales, flutist Dick Meza, and the new additions of timbalero Nicky Marrero and ex-Cortijo vocalist Camilo Azuquita, who steps in to take the place of famous Barretto singer Tito Allen from previous Tipica '73 records. He fills in quite beautifully.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCKaeKT8Fiwp6KLDOYJTsw0D2NVZy41gAIRdRjOle6FaXp1B27Sq_9H7hzE6A3kCs7PJ5-69NKXaLcD70Qxommn2cb-AH10mhXx7GnzAlVi_5vhpkM2cEwAvFKj0ijgS4-Rbpcjuv_Ef8/s1600-h/tipica73+from+77.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 248px; height: 238px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCKaeKT8Fiwp6KLDOYJTsw0D2NVZy41gAIRdRjOle6FaXp1B27Sq_9H7hzE6A3kCs7PJ5-69NKXaLcD70Qxommn2cb-AH10mhXx7GnzAlVi_5vhpkM2cEwAvFKj0ijgS4-Rbpcjuv_Ef8/s320/tipica73+from+77.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5083813959747747202" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >The 1977 line-up of Tipica '73, as featured on <span>Los Dos Lados</span><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" ><span style=""><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Back row:</span> Dave Perez, Lionel Sanchez, Joe Grajales, and Nicky Marrero.<br /></span></span><span style="font-size:78%;"><span lang="ES-PR"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Mid row:</span> Camilo Azuquita, </span><span style="">Rene Lopez, Dick Mesa, and</span><span lang="ES-PR"> Alfredo De La Fe. </span><span style=""><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Front row: </span>founding members Leopoldo Pineda, Sonny Bravo and Johnny Rodriguez.</span></span></span><br /></div><br />Tipica '73 will appeal to Barretto fans and beyond. Enjoy!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.megaupload.com/?d=Z4YUFCUR">Get it here</a><br />or <a href="http://www.sendspace.com/file/e93r3i">here</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">And feast your eyes on Tipica '73! This first video features the 1975 line-up, as headed up by Adalberto Santiago on vocals, performing Canuto from their album <span style="font-style: italic;">Candela</span>.<br /><br /><object height="350" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/y9Ysg8EJZF4"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/y9Ysg8EJZF4" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="350" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br />Same line-up, performing El Jamaiquino, but with better sound. Check out the organ (?) at 1:45 in, and the sweet wah'd out classical guitar!<br /><br /><object height="350" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/sknVG6VWWuM"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/sknVG6VWWuM" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="350" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br />Want to know more about Tipica '73? An excellent article by Tommy Muriel covers them in much more detail <a href="http://www.mindspring.com/%7Emarcsue/nelson/tipicaprofile.htm">here</a>.<br /></div></div>Julian Dragohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15262247844126926246noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450773608614960379.post-53714269572155407482007-07-03T16:10:00.000-04:002008-12-08T23:06:58.639-05:00Chivirico Davila - Chivirico (Cotique, 1973)I've finally gotten a system for ripping LPs, so starting with today's album, you can look forward to uploads from my personal record collection!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7iRelJRfLrOhPqUS6yLaUrFXmpAoV2_OAKyJ0wQtpROX36rdRDcfVFD3DX5Tzzr3meGplMkibsV5Hh88-FbhlCG5vZoxVraGeU5rmQGRGRCWMW8C2hQ4sbwyDRxOHCVN5NfjwWDOkclw/s1600-h/chivirico+front.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 272px; height: 205px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7iRelJRfLrOhPqUS6yLaUrFXmpAoV2_OAKyJ0wQtpROX36rdRDcfVFD3DX5Tzzr3meGplMkibsV5Hh88-FbhlCG5vZoxVraGeU5rmQGRGRCWMW8C2hQ4sbwyDRxOHCVN5NfjwWDOkclw/s320/chivirico+front.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5083085176812059954" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiitbV6vWzZZAO06KDuIXGRNHrzBzX_2Q-lvgZ_wHwfo_oxvmgle0LMFtwOXc_NZ5sb8SpeywOapErhFPI2WtSPh_kofFtsWQweCJtdrM9GDTgzURo_0nxWyRD7LU9w3LBj8ZssIGPvzfE/s1600-h/chivirico+back.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 274px; height: 207px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiitbV6vWzZZAO06KDuIXGRNHrzBzX_2Q-lvgZ_wHwfo_oxvmgle0LMFtwOXc_NZ5sb8SpeywOapErhFPI2WtSPh_kofFtsWQweCJtdrM9GDTgzURo_0nxWyRD7LU9w3LBj8ZssIGPvzfE/s320/chivirico+back.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5083085537589312834" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:78%;">Click to see album details</span></span><br /></div><br />For me, Chivirico Davila, or Rafael Davila Rosario, is part of a group of soneros representing a vital link between the mambo/bolero and salsa divide. When the old guard of mambo, cha cha cha, and the like began to go out of style, few were able to successfully cross into the new era of salsa and boogaloo and compete with the ever famous Fania sound. Offhand, there are three singers I can come up with who were not only able to cross that bridge, but do so successfully, all the while enriching the new sound of salsa with subtle throwbacks to its predecessors: Santos Colon, <a href="http://sunoflatinmusic.blogspot.com/2007/06/vitin-aviles-con-mucha-salsa-alegre.html">Vitin Aviles</a>, and the artist whose album I am proud to present today.<br /><br />A native of Santurce, Puerto Rico, Chivirico was a hit in pre-70s Latin music, respected highly as a bolero antillano. Some of his earliest work finds him heading up the orchestra of Perez Prado. Here he would begin to develop his acclaimed improvisational skills. Later, he would w<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgVYppinmqzKrq4TS2YTa62ONHI9CevTtRY3ncE03hge_8XNvywW5cGsdzFLtXnez6yL-k_IUgBlScUUcXb99sXAfUCcHkBxnAqZ0K-36T-WXlzq0TJuMa-Nb78PY9TAHWs7za_60avpg/s1600-h/chiviricoalegre.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 210px; height: 211px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgVYppinmqzKrq4TS2YTa62ONHI9CevTtRY3ncE03hge_8XNvywW5cGsdzFLtXnez6yL-k_IUgBlScUUcXb99sXAfUCcHkBxnAqZ0K-36T-WXlzq0TJuMa-Nb78PY9TAHWs7za_60avpg/s320/chiviricoalegre.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5083086160359570770" border="0" /></a>ork with Cortijo y Su Bonche (an earlier incarnation of Cortijo's band before it became Cortijo y Su Combo), <a href="http://sunoflatinmusic.blogspot.com/2007/06/ismael-rivera-con-kako-y-su-orquesta-lo.html">Kako</a>, Joe Cuba, Pete Rodriguez, the famous Richie Ray/Bobby Cruz duo, Tito Puente, and Johnny Pacheco, who produced today's featured album. He would also become an esteemed member of a bevy of "all-star" groups: the Fania All-Stars, the Alegre All-Stars, and, in the 90s, the Puerto Rican All-Stars. From '71-'78, Chivirico signed with the Cotique label issuing a number of excellent, though relatively unknown, albums, including the simply titled <span style="font-style: italic;">Chivirico</span>. With Cotique, Chivirico was not only able to ride the wave of salsa, but to contribute to it as well.<br /><br />On <span style="font-style: italic;">Chivirico</span>, however, his talents as an old bolero have far from vanished, and the arrangements of Jorge Millet skillfully allow older and newer sounds to coexist. The album generally follows the format of salsa-bolero-salsa-bolero, or salsa songs with ballads in between. While this somewhat halts the pace of the album, the salsa songs still retain an older Cortijo or Ismael Rivera feel, while the ballads sound surprisingly updated. The end result is an excellent work straddling a turbulent line of Latin music that was still in the process of being refined when this album was made. Respetala, a song advising respect for women, and the lament of Como Fue are two of the harder-hitting boleros. For great salsa, check out the opener, which I play often on my Latin Show, and Cuando Tu Quieras. Sin Dinero is a solid boogaloo tune, and you can't forget the rhumba on Se Formo El Rumbon.<br /><br />In 1993, Chivirico would tour Colombia, despite by this time being 69 years old. Only a year later, he passed away in NYC. Born in Puerto Rico; died in NYC: nothing summarizes the story of Puerto-Rican Latin music better.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.megaupload.com/?d=2665I4G1">Get it here</a><br />or <a href="http://www.divshare.com/download/1142552-c88">here</a><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPuohmrw8azjGqI5wB7EvieapnThvWm9AeMp3H6qWlkjrKZk7xxyGN0dWrRclJu0YnlzBXAKPNMGS5ioENxtlHcif09b4WHsI0KG_AvCPV2nlMlhemSRlmgarwtpWt0PauAQivfIym4UU/s1600-h/Chivirico.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPuohmrw8azjGqI5wB7EvieapnThvWm9AeMp3H6qWlkjrKZk7xxyGN0dWrRclJu0YnlzBXAKPNMGS5ioENxtlHcif09b4WHsI0KG_AvCPV2nlMlhemSRlmgarwtpWt0PauAQivfIym4UU/s320/Chivirico.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5083086546906627426" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:78%;">Chivirico pictured center<br /></span></span></div></div></div>Julian Dragohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15262247844126926246noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450773608614960379.post-71032035754783872512007-06-29T16:16:00.000-04:002008-12-08T23:06:58.756-05:00Ismael Rivera con Kako y Su Orquesta - Lo Ultimo En La Avenida (Fania, 1971)A very special post today guys. One of the most unique and recognizable voices in all of Latin music, Ismael Rivera is my personal favorite cantante, and this is one of my favorite albums featuring him. Curious as to why I consider Rivera the best? See for yourself.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><object height="350" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/QhF-lN2IXo0"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/QhF-lN2IXo0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="350" width="425"></embed></object><br /></div><br /><br />What's odd, though, is that <span style="font-style: italic;">Lo Ultimo En La Avenida</span> is Rivera out of his element. Almost all of Rivera's career is anchored by the support of good friend and percussionist Rafael Cortijo in a duo famously known as Ismael Rivera y Sus Cachimbos. This album, however, finds Rivera backed by another excellent conguero-led band: Kako y Su Orquesta. Though Rivera and Cortijo grew up in the barrios together and formed a timeless bond--both personally and musically--that would rock the world of Latin music, Rivera doesn't seem to skip a beat with Kako behind him, and neither does Kako himself. In fact, it's as if these two had just as much of a history together as the Cortijo and Rivera duo. The arrangements are tight here, as Rivera, in classic form, weaves his singing in and out and over the band's energy, teasing <span style="font-style: italic;">la clave</span> as if he were born with it. This isn't to say that Rivera wasn't at home with Cortijo's band, but the incredible performance on this record really makes me wonder what we would have seen had Rivera and Kako worked more closely together.<br /><br />Released in 1971 on the Fania label (and recently reissued along with a host of other Fania jams, so do them a favor and buy it if you like it! I've got mine!), <span style="font-style: italic;">Lo Ultimo En La Avenida</span> hosts some of my favorite songs in Rivera's catalog, which itself reads like an extended greatest hits album. I already posted El Cumbanchero in an earlier post (<a href="http://sunoflatinmusic.blogspot.com/2007/06/el-cumbanchero-rafael-hernandez.html">link</a>), and it's my favorite song on here. There are some other classic tunes as well, including the playful poetics of Mi Negrita Me Espera, making humorous comparisons between the color of the night and the skin color of his demanding wife. The ostentatious El Truquito showcases Rivera's sportive ego as well as penchant for skillful inflection, and for some excellent rhumba, check out Cantar Maravilloso. In truth, pretty much every song on here is a hit. From me to you, one of my favorite albums ever!<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSutMF4QLIZHq_E61tTqeaT3n6OjibfmL_D1p6KypK2Dey9Hs9oRYblNXOYAEXtL38Q16QfwfgS6O8IMHbSWmJu5VkpRY0XZRUq9qc39IXB4-308hySJqG6dhZV1kUx9xHJSbB5XDMFVY/s1600-h/Folder.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSutMF4QLIZHq_E61tTqeaT3n6OjibfmL_D1p6KypK2Dey9Hs9oRYblNXOYAEXtL38Q16QfwfgS6O8IMHbSWmJu5VkpRY0XZRUq9qc39IXB4-308hySJqG6dhZV1kUx9xHJSbB5XDMFVY/s320/Folder.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5081603447454678306" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.megaupload.com/?d=WXV8CN3D">Get it here</a><br /> or <a href="http://www.divshare.com/download/1120443-250">here</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br />One final note. Before I say goodbye for the weekend, I'd like to hip you to another excellent Latin music blog run by Pepanito. Check it out <a href="http://pepane.blogspot.com/">here</a> for a lot of quality Latin music. Pepanito has great taste and has been nothing but supportive of my entrance into the world of Latin music blogs, and I'd like all of you who aren't already privy to his blog to show him the same!<br /></div></div>Julian Dragohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15262247844126926246noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450773608614960379.post-57080757868468921542007-06-27T12:10:00.000-04:002008-12-08T23:06:59.178-05:00Vitin Aviles - Con Mucha Salsa (Alegre, 1978)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3s1g1SITf1KsE0eu8gO_xEKfFJwxt_869KD7-oiiatZJH76pbUS1jh5SsbccpjDNh-OboP5tzJf_Jyx8FZR_ebhQml27IC1MLXghKmiCbnOX-uycgw81buq5yQptZH4VSVedA8zzh7AY/s1600-h/Folder.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3s1g1SITf1KsE0eu8gO_xEKfFJwxt_869KD7-oiiatZJH76pbUS1jh5SsbccpjDNh-OboP5tzJf_Jyx8FZR_ebhQml27IC1MLXghKmiCbnOX-uycgw81buq5yQptZH4VSVedA8zzh7AY/s320/Folder.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080792287046253778" border="0" /></a><br />An underrated vocalist who passed away on January 1, 2004, Víctor Manuel Avilés Rojas led much of his life in relative obscurity despite his tenure with some of the greats of mambo, cha-cha-cha, and the like: Tito Puente, Xavier Cugat, Pupi Campo, Noro Morales, the Lecuona Cuban Boys, and many more. This may be due in part to the constant accusations that Vitin Aviles is merely a Tito Rodriguez clone, copying his technique of shortening notes and "reading" the lyrics as if they were prose. This accusation continues in spite of the fact that Max Salazar, senior writer of Latin Beat magazine, has unearthed recordings clearly demonstrating Vitin Aviles in full vocal form long before Tito Rodriguez's singing debut. It doesn't help that, when Aviles and Rodriguez later became good friends, Aviles would consider Rodriguez his teacher, despite the former being the latter's predecessor. Amidst all of this controversy, however, Aviles is more than conciliatory: "I learned diction with Tito Rodríguez. My voice is a little deeper, but the way I pronounce the words, I sound just like him. I feel very proud of the comparison because Tito Rodríguez was a superstar."<br /><br />This dedication to fame would wear heavy on Aviles. When his parents bought their fir<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGwbPJyl5_VmxNLH1Irk04LLOheFQNaUUgyYiAXqd0WOIO5geZ-Zjzg40w5lwbZLKrLR4bJ_GQ6RAFvlmjnTctTTP6e_UzcF56KbIWMvGk3nu7PPIk5YwZi8dzD6mI0-miBF6C6x-s87w/s1600-h/VitinaViles_cantaAmor.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 143px; height: 143px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGwbPJyl5_VmxNLH1Irk04LLOheFQNaUUgyYiAXqd0WOIO5geZ-Zjzg40w5lwbZLKrLR4bJ_GQ6RAFvlmjnTctTTP6e_UzcF56KbIWMvGk3nu7PPIk5YwZi8dzD6mI0-miBF6C6x-s87w/s320/VitinaViles_cantaAmor.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080792712248016098" border="0" /></a>st radio in 1932, an eight-year-old Vitin exclaimed, “<span style="font-style: italic;">Caja extranjera con cable pegado a la pared. ¿</span><span style="font-style: italic;">Hay gente ahí adentro? Si la hay, yo voy a estar con ellos algún día.</span>" (A foreign box with a cable going to the wall. Are there people in there? If there are, I'm going to be with them one day.) By the 50s and 60s, he certainly was, but never as recognized as many (including myself) believe he should have been. What is particularly troubling is the waning of his popularity after 1975, despite scoring one of his biggest records that same year on the Alegre label, <span style="font-style: italic;">Canta al Amor</span>.<br /><br />This may have been due to his perception as a vocalist of the old guard, but then 1978's <span style="font-style: italic;">Con Mucha Salsa</span>, featured here today, seems even more of a mystery. The album, produced by Louie Ramirez, sports a jaw-dropping line-up: Luiz Ortiz and Ray Maldonado on trumpet; Charlie Palmieri on piano; Nicky Marrero on bongos and Johnny Rodriguez on congas; and Adalberto Santiago sharing choro with Miguel Barcasnegras. Clearly, Vitin Aviles can pull off salsa just as well as he can mambo. Why this album was overlooked and did little to curb Aviles's declining popularity is beyond my understanding.<br /><br />Charlie Palmieri's piano lines kick off the album with Sufre, featuring an unforgettable hook and a performance by the deep-voiced Aviles that makes you wonder why he wasn't a staple on the Fania catalog. Pay attention to the hot breakdown at about 2:40, perfectly summarizing the Nuyorican sound. The commanding Levanta y Anda features some raucous horn lines and a dynamic rhythm that writhes and squirms beneath Aviles's crooning. Dale Cara a Tu Dolor sounds like it was arranged by Willie Colon himself, and it's not a huge leap to picture Ruben Blades sharing the vocal duties. The trumpets on Compay Salsa throw back to Vitin Aviles's earlier tenure with Puente, Cugat, etc., and is sure to get any dance floor moving.<br /><br />Here's to recognizing him where many others could not. Enjoy.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioA42GcE-y1qV35J1f1Du1BBm7c-_I2JHCU2SOSkDqyTNqevY-rt8JraEnb-zd0hgFGUK1dG9hB0hcIAcmu1I4a6Xdb8pUxxq7k6Pm-ql0o5rNGUqG2tkmMrSbA-k4J9DTROgM6TGQH3A/s1600-h/vitinaviles.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 148px; height: 167px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioA42GcE-y1qV35J1f1Du1BBm7c-_I2JHCU2SOSkDqyTNqevY-rt8JraEnb-zd0hgFGUK1dG9hB0hcIAcmu1I4a6Xdb8pUxxq7k6Pm-ql0o5rNGUqG2tkmMrSbA-k4J9DTROgM6TGQH3A/s320/vitinaviles.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080793738745199874" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.megaupload.com/?d=U409IB3E">Get it here</a><br />or <a href="http://www.divshare.com/download/1094516-7ab">here</a><br /></div>Julian Dragohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15262247844126926246noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450773608614960379.post-61425050724018952022007-06-26T14:58:00.000-04:002008-12-08T23:06:59.531-05:00Orquesta Guarare - Renaissance (Inca, 1979) aka Ray De La Paz - S/T (Fania, 1995)Orquesta Guarare is one of those excellent groups from what I like to call the "precipitacion radiactiva de Ray Barretto" : the Ray Barretto fallout (for once, something sounds more eloquent in En<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghV8BgtmmuRIHZoKuN3HI2hHc3Znq7HVypfJ8_VQpgKcKmOv0yu4E9d6vRcpyzyHghLHLovX01-pG-Kb7oaDFmoqfsGcdxHUOILg_Dp0tUw4IEfeaGmkWLdUK3m3sui0y6MJiMLLeW_Js/s1600-h/Folder.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 165px; height: 165px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghV8BgtmmuRIHZoKuN3HI2hHc3Znq7HVypfJ8_VQpgKcKmOv0yu4E9d6vRcpyzyHghLHLovX01-pG-Kb7oaDFmoqfsGcdxHUOILg_Dp0tUw4IEfeaGmkWLdUK3m3sui0y6MJiMLLeW_Js/s320/Folder.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080468492757918850" border="0" /></a>glish than in Spanish). Creative differences between Barretto and his band in the late 70s led to a musical fault line<span style="font-style: italic;">. </span>At the risk of oversimplifying, the members wanted to play straight<span style="font-style: italic;"> </span>Latin dance music, running contrary to Barretto's Latin jazz and fusion tendencies. Eventually, the Ray Barretto band fired their own leader, and in the wake of this upheaval a number of Ray Barretto bands emerged in a chain reaction the details of which I can never quite get straight. What I do know is that among those bands, two of the best were Tipica 73 (who I will post soon) and the group featured here today. [<span style="font-style: italic;">Anyone who has more detailed information on the Ray Barretto fa</span><span style="font-style: italic;">llout, feel free to add in the comments!]</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Renaissance</span> is the second effort from Orquesta Guarare, re-released by Fania as the s<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUur83Ur87-DAzF3DrYQzwduJ3-lhh_H4_kYWeATIT54jcqNa_kEu3q2V2KmIxDbqCOHz-p-v9K2OrO5p7oRQiQojwo8o6Qe4coxgVVnBGwN8qhG4f8KSHXwi_9YqcV6w7aJRn-SIBN5M/s1600-h/Folder2.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUur83Ur87-DAzF3DrYQzwduJ3-lhh_H4_kYWeATIT54jcqNa_kEu3q2V2KmIxDbqCOHz-p-v9K2OrO5p7oRQiQojwo8o6Qe4coxgVVnBGwN8qhG4f8KSHXwi_9YqcV6w7aJRn-SIBN5M/s320/Folder2.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080468694621381778" border="0" /></a>elf-titled <span style="font-style: italic;">Ray De La Paz</span> in 1995, though I'm not quite sure as to the details of the reissue. To my knowledge, their first album has never been released on CD. Guarare originally featured the great Tito Gomez & Ruben Blades duo on vocals, but by their first recording date the singing duties would belong to Ray De La Paz, who you hear on <span style="font-style: italic;">Renaissance</span>. In addition to working with Barretto (most notably on Rican/Struction), De La Paz has also recorded with Louie Ramirez (the Ramirez/De La Paz duo would pioneer "Salsa Romantica" with the <span style="font-style: italic;">Noche Caliente</span> album), and is presently a member of the Spanish Harlem Orchestra. Nicky Marrero protege Jimmy Delgado, who was playing bongos in Willie Colon and Hector Lavoe's band at about the same time, leads on percussion.<br /><br />Though not as inventive as the man that Orquesta Guarare left, the band plays some seriously solid dance music with tinges of Barretto here and there. Pay attention to the sound of the production, as, in my opinion, this is the beginnings of modern Latin production value (listen to Spanish Harlem Orchestra today to see what I mean). My favorite on here by far is the heavy Maria, exhibiting some of the more poignant lyricism of the album. Oh, that chorus....<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Maria, quiero saber, si tu me vas a querer<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span>(Maria, I want to know, if you are ever going to love me)<br /><br />Guapo is a lot of fun as well, a warning to "Guapo" 's everywhere. It's fairly difficult for me to directly translate this connotation of Guapo, but think of it as a egotistical guy who thinks he has everything. <span style="font-style: italic;">Ten' cuidado, que al guapo le llega lo suyo </span>(Be careful: the guapo gets his). The percussive explosion on the outro of Que Linda Te Ves will have your butt movin'. <span style="font-style: italic;">Renaissance</span> isn't groundbreaking, but an excellent album nonetheless and a great way to see the sheer talent backing up Ray Barretto in the mid-70s.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.megaupload.com/?d=S1UUHF0L">Get it here</a><br />or <a href="http://rapidshare.com/files/39518250/Orquesta_Guarare_-_Renaissance__Inca__1979_.rar.html">here</a><br /></div>Julian Dragohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15262247844126926246noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450773608614960379.post-56635982160822793912007-06-25T16:16:00.000-04:002008-12-08T23:07:00.137-05:00Henri Guedon - Early Latin & Boogaloo Recordings by The Drum Master (Comet, 2004)<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_zyYJ_vWO2MmUf_hntAsm3_rYffXPBcLpNmjaehfhk2PMZdgH-_Z9iEXwU13Fkl4XQ3V5iQOY5CPu0PA66wUPlC3qFxx-SRomRKLzcRLlr71AWETZoKkPXFfqz3rT09RQCfwjUphDBGw/s1600-h/henri+guedon.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 235px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_zyYJ_vWO2MmUf_hntAsm3_rYffXPBcLpNmjaehfhk2PMZdgH-_Z9iEXwU13Fkl4XQ3V5iQOY5CPu0PA66wUPlC3qFxx-SRomRKLzcRLlr71AWETZoKkPXFfqz3rT09RQCfwjUphDBGw/s320/henri+guedon.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080141637156758594" border="0" /></a><br /></div>I had never heard of Henri Guedon until the fine folks over at Comet put together this excellent retrospective of his work from the 60s. A French bongo player, Guedon was instrumental in exporting the new sound of 60s and 70s Latin--guaguanco, boogaloo, salsa, descarga--to France and the rest of Europe. When Guedon began placing his percussion instruments at the front of the stage in the style of his great influence Ray Barretto, French audience members found themselves shocked and intrigued. Soon enough, greats like El Conde and Pacheco were touring France, and Guedon was dubbed The French Salsa King. Were it not for Henri Guedon, Europe could have conceivably taken years to move forward from mambo and cha-cha-cha.<br /><br />Aside from his novelty status as an exporter of Latin music across the Atlantic, Guedon is an innovator in his own right. He referred to himself as "The Rootless Negro," a metaphor for his willingness to embrace black diversity in his music. Indeed, listening to <span style="font-style: italic;">Early Latin and Boogaloo</span> invokes African-based influences encompassing a number of different contexts, from the drum work (and at times even the Afrobeat) of the African mainland, to the jazz and salsa of Americas, to the culturally-rich creole influences born in a Spanish-French hybrid. The fact that he was born in the Caribbean in the city of Martinique and would spend much of his career in Paris and New York does not simply coincide with the character of his music: it determines it.<br /><br />Guedon was also a talented painter, his inspiration coming from the same source that fueled his music.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW5CiNB-hIoGzMo0YQ12yDoJRLmkNm-52eA59OElxfxFEhNcMIeZ_VN0Z9i1I0cRsmyIB9ztuK41jwyuEtI5F88aEXK6qoVegWSCMpAr9WdTQ-tJ6ALgvaVHVEg-L4LbBCN5eqqSZSqq0/s1600-h/henri+guedon+paintin+violon+light.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 169px; height: 220px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW5CiNB-hIoGzMo0YQ12yDoJRLmkNm-52eA59OElxfxFEhNcMIeZ_VN0Z9i1I0cRsmyIB9ztuK41jwyuEtI5F88aEXK6qoVegWSCMpAr9WdTQ-tJ6ALgvaVHVEg-L4LbBCN5eqqSZSqq0/s320/henri+guedon+paintin+violon+light.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080142470380414034" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH-GOlMQHWW1L46jhQP-x5SyiLEgBKvVALaTAZgxUcra6yAnjeV5MiBE4uw-XKlz1sj05n585EKTTOHw0RNaynDzU0GRqtftBWuGFBfIwzkDITQfsqnXKYueJqqGVsJwoGYKnZ8ofRXz4/s1600-h/guedon-henripaintingsoleil.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 167px; height: 224px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH-GOlMQHWW1L46jhQP-x5SyiLEgBKvVALaTAZgxUcra6yAnjeV5MiBE4uw-XKlz1sj05n585EKTTOHw0RNaynDzU0GRqtftBWuGFBfIwzkDITQfsqnXKYueJqqGVsJwoGYKnZ8ofRXz4/s320/guedon-henripaintingsoleil.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080142771028124770" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXzVolb37KJV0dF1-Ke7xU_QeOHWnkcYs5S_CecC3Fbk-aYdqSxyqtFtiMDM622b1KcTnFQRzPSCCJvYvL_00OYYBZOFcy4sxtOMIVuYDHNg4qWOaOCw7w1IuqDjoLdWr84k-xk1XKPJY/s1600-h/guedon.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 261px; height: 208px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXzVolb37KJV0dF1-Ke7xU_QeOHWnkcYs5S_CecC3Fbk-aYdqSxyqtFtiMDM622b1KcTnFQRzPSCCJvYvL_00OYYBZOFcy4sxtOMIVuYDHNg4qWOaOCw7w1IuqDjoLdWr84k-xk1XKPJY/s320/guedon.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080143703036028018" border="0" /></a><br /><br />That's not, however, to muddle an incredible collection of Latin dance music with cultural analysis. Make no mistake: <span style="font-style: italic;">Early Latin and Boogaloo</span> is a fantastic look into a fantastic artist's music. The album begins with some of Henri's more conventional songs, solid boogaloos, and his more mainstream hits (Faut Pas Pousser was a hit in France). For me, the real meat of this compilation and Guedon's style begins with Los Antillanos de Paris, beginning a focus on Guedon's descargas and extended jams. Vulcano is a funky, stop-on-a-dime scorcher that is in some ways more Afrobeat than Afro-Cuban; the bass-driven Machapia is perhaps the most overt example of Guedon's African influences, showcasing African drumming; Sainte-Marie, one of my favorites, bring out the funky bass for an extended jam with a <span style="font-style: italic;">hot</span> sax solo. A few other "notables among notables" include Concierto de Mi Bongo, Marcel Song (bring on the flute), Negro Lucumi, and the slowed-down but still solid closer, Descaguajira. Pointing out favorites on a compilation like this, though, is ultimately pointless. Every song on here demands your full attention, and perhaps most importantly, your hip shakin'. Enjoy.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.megaupload.com/?d=38S7PESN">Get it here</a><br />or <a href="http://www.badongo.com/file/3551056">here</a><br /></div>Julian Dragohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15262247844126926246noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450773608614960379.post-88778642586913181082007-06-22T17:57:00.001-04:002008-12-08T23:07:00.239-05:00Larry Harlow - Salsa (Fania, 1974)Seth Watter, who runs an incredible freeform music blog over at <a href="http://meshes.blogspot.com/">Meshes of the Afternoon<span style="font-style: italic;"></span></a>, recently asked if I had any plans to post some Larry Harlow, and well....who am I to disappoint?<br /><br />Released not long after his famous tribute to idol Arsenio Rodriguez, pianist Harlow's <span style="font-style: italic;">Salsa</span> was released at a time that proved critical in establishing the Fania Records reputation. Some of my favorite Harlow tunes are on here: from the jovial lament over losing one's wallet on La Cartera, to the more serious lament of No Hay Amigo, tackling the betrayal of friendship. In fact, Harlow's nickname, El Judio Maravilloso (The Marvelous Jew), originated on La Cartera as a bandmember introduces a smokin' Harlow solo, shouting "Ya viene, Larry Harlow: El Judio Maravilloso!" On Wampo, smooth horn-lines recall a ballad in the early morning bar, only to send you home with a descarga hangover on the album closer, Silencio. On top of adding to the Fania sound, <span style="font-style: italic;">S</span><span style="font-style: italic;">alsa</span> took part in a brief charanga revival before the music would virtually die in the United States. Adalberto Santiago and Junior Gonzalez (who I'll be posting in the future) share vocal duties, and Johnny Pacheco contributes some excellent flute work.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiecMBOkPPa7zKwreWWRaxPld5_Z1NMobmbtjJXEnCN17-SOdpDKApCPoH_cwVzvEpma27Y-qLxFfG0puFSbu0ctkdA7GJkJVl_IXpvBL8nNwIJRY5JIk1s4m97U2nDS4z7gxgfhR_Si2k/s1600-h/Folder.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiecMBOkPPa7zKwreWWRaxPld5_Z1NMobmbtjJXEnCN17-SOdpDKApCPoH_cwVzvEpma27Y-qLxFfG0puFSbu0ctkdA7GJkJVl_IXpvBL8nNwIJRY5JIk1s4m97U2nDS4z7gxgfhR_Si2k/s320/Folder.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5079011309138633778" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.megaupload.com/?d=6KFF71CX">Get it here</a><br />or <a href="http://rapidshare.com/files/38786830/Larry_Harlow_-_Salsa__Fania__1974_.rar.html">here</a><br /></div>Julian Dragohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15262247844126926246noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450773608614960379.post-87660660512751235732007-06-22T17:37:00.000-04:002008-12-08T23:07:00.360-05:00R.I.P. Tito Gomez (1948-2007)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5BdidiLd7twru7Z9ites2t5ro6j0erqZzn13SxberGdLWfH9-QqGky41FYZmP0mpQpaA7vhz_hsSJB0-TANGpBfSBHfaQ71vPTrWIOMFNY662TaoK1knNdDEzTDWPB5VcaCxS3hguReY/s1600-h/titogomez.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 261px; height: 193px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5BdidiLd7twru7Z9ites2t5ro6j0erqZzn13SxberGdLWfH9-QqGky41FYZmP0mpQpaA7vhz_hsSJB0-TANGpBfSBHfaQ71vPTrWIOMFNY662TaoK1knNdDEzTDWPB5VcaCxS3hguReY/s320/titogomez.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5079010368540795938" border="0" /></a><br />I'm quite late on getting this news, but it's tragic nonetheless. Sonero Tito Gomez (not to be confused with the Cuban singer of the same name), perhaps best known for his work with the early Sonora Poncena, unexpectedly died of a heart attack on June 12 at the far too young age of 59. A great friend of the legendary Ruben Blades (to the right of Tito in the adjacent picture), Gomez also worked with Charlie Palmieri and Ray Barretto, and would later go on to do more contemporary work with acts such as the Colombian Grupo Niche.<br /><br />Here's Tito Gomez singing choro in Ray Barretto's Ban Ban Quere, next to long time friend Blades.<br /><object height="350" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/TeM3dGwOw9s"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/TeM3dGwOw9s" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="350" width="425"></embed></object>Julian Dragohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15262247844126926246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450773608614960379.post-54117448064170147072007-06-21T18:30:00.001-04:002008-12-08T23:07:00.815-05:00El Cumbanchero (Rafael Hernandez)El Cumbanchero is a Latin standard penned by the man I think of as the Cole Porter of<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_s1I3hXh_4qo/Rnr97DtmY_I/AAAAAAAAAAs/2ZPTKTHGU24/s1600-h/Rafael_hernandez.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 100px; height: 118px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_s1I3hXh_4qo/Rnr97DtmY_I/AAAAAAAAAAs/2ZPTKTHGU24/s320/Rafael_hernandez.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5078650720864330738" border="0" /></a> Puerto Rican music: Rafael Hernandez. Among his many hits (Lamento Borincano, Preciosa, Mi Provisa, Mi Patria Tiembla, Siciliana), El Cumbanchero was one of his least favorites. Its popularity, however, could not be denied. When Hernandez was invited to a White House ceremony in the early 60s to honor the then governor of Puerto Rico Luis Munoz Marin, President Kennedy amiably greeted him as "Mr. Cumbanchero."<br /><br />Of all the versions of El Cumbanchero I've come across, the award for the <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_s1I3hXh_4qo/Rnr9ajtmY-I/AAAAAAAAAAk/pyVi3sy3GQg/s1600-h/irivera44.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 125px; height: 180px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_s1I3hXh_4qo/Rnr9ajtmY-I/AAAAAAAAAAk/pyVi3sy3GQg/s320/irivera44.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5078650162518582242" border="0" /></a>best belongs to my favorite Latin singer of all time: Ismael Rivera (whom I'll be doing a post of in the future). Rivera had the energy, the presence, and, of course, the voice to successfully bring El Cumbanchero from the older (though no less incredible) musings of Tito Puente and Bebo Valdes into the modern sound of 60s and 70s Latin music. Pay attention to the tongue work-out about 0:29 into the song. Rivera is backed up by Alegre timbalero Kako and his Orquesta, an incredible band that certainly deserves much of the credit for this furious arrangement.<br /><a href="http://www.megaupload.com/?d=IJZ61VBB">Ismael Rivera con Kako y su Orquesta - El Cumbanchero</a><br /><br /><br /><br />Of course, if it's a Latin standard, you can bet that Tito Puente has done an incredible version of it. Check out this <span style="font-style: italic;">excellent </span>video of El Cumbanchero as done by The Mambo King and his orquesta. About 2 minutes in, you're reminded of what makes this man one of the greatest.<br /><object height="350" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/v6fhsmVyNaw"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/v6fhsmVyNaw" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="350" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br /><br />Tito Puente backs up Celia Cruz in a medley covering Babalu, Siboney, and, finally, El Cumbanchero. You can catch El Cumbanchero at about 3 minutes in. It's not the best version, and I actually think the babalu treatment is a lot better, but it's still great to hear Celia's part in the tradition.<br /><a href="http://www.megaupload.com/?d=RRCWDYGA">Celia Cruz - Medley: Babalu, Siboney, El Cumbanchero</a><br /><br /><br />Xavier Cugat rocks the upbeat big band uproach.<br /><a href="http://www.megaupload.com/?d=UMTCEOPP">Xavier Cugat & His Orchestra - El Cumbanchero</a><br /><br /><br />And Bebo Valdes does it even better!<br /><a href="http://www.megaupload.com/?d=UZN3JQRK">Bebo Valdes - El Cumbanchero</a><br /><br /><br />For a more modern take, check out a version by pianist Ruben Gonzalez of Buena Vista Social Club fame. A little more subdued in energy, but talent abounds. Having recently started playing the trumpet, I can only marvel at the grit of Manuel Mirabal's trumpet playing (check him out at 25 seconds in).<br /><a href="http://www.megaupload.com/?d=CP4VUFKV">Ruben Gonzalez - El Cumbanchero</a><br /><br /><br />And there's always the kitschy good life/lounge version, on Hammond organ no less!<br /><a href="http://www.megaupload.com/?d=OXZVJU61">Klaus Wunderlich - El Cumbanchero</a><br /><br /><br />And finally, for your entertainment: ....what?<br /><object height="350" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/zTHgDQFnMZc"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/zTHgDQFnMZc" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="350" width="425"></embed></object><br />"I wanna do it faster than this."Julian Dragohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15262247844126926246noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450773608614960379.post-40563463598370747942007-06-20T13:50:00.000-04:002008-12-08T23:07:01.144-05:00Javier Vazquez - Javier (1976)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1IKCENyiO8DGAMkhZSuxEsxzwZrcLm6k3v-RQO8-r8DGGotz4YWoQ438UqQKUHUaH2SOtlwSRspHJGh4PHBBW83hWeaUBPpRvL9mpa2ycs89o8LPfE12rsLqpK9rKewdejXqQtLg7mVI/s1600-h/Folder.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1IKCENyiO8DGAMkhZSuxEsxzwZrcLm6k3v-RQO8-r8DGGotz4YWoQ438UqQKUHUaH2SOtlwSRspHJGh4PHBBW83hWeaUBPpRvL9mpa2ycs89o8LPfE12rsLqpK9rKewdejXqQtLg7mVI/s320/Folder.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5078208184614020018" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />One of the lesser known Cubans swallowed up in the primarily Puerto Rican 70s New York salsa scene, I first discovered pianist Javier Vazquez through his appearance on Ismael Rivera's <span style="font-style: italic;">Maelo</span>, where he rocks the piano and takes arrangement on a few key cuts. He's also worked with Johnny Pacheco, Frankie Vazquez, Daniel Santos, Rudy Calzado, and Cali Aleman, in addition to brief stints on the mighty Fania and Alegre labels.<br /><br />Not as well known as some of his other albums (<span style="font-style: italic;">La Verdad</span>), <span style="font-style: italic;">Javier</span> is a smoking set with some unforgettable songs. Si Acaso starts off with a reverb guitar playing a lullaby, only to launch into a dance floor jam all about, paradoxically, getting to bed early to go to work. Tu No Me Has Visto Miguel is a regular on my Latin Show, and features some interesting electric guitar work, paving the way for Javier's brief work on electric piano later through the album, particularly on the ballad Companeros del Sabor. And Mi Ritmo Esta Bueno has an unmistakable Ismael Rivera vibe to it.<br /><br />My first official upload. I hope you enjoy!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.megaupload.com/?d=YRO8IGEP">Get it here</a><br />or <a href="http://rapidshare.com/files/38388243/Javier_Vazquez_-_Javier__Sony_International__1976_.rar.html">here</a><br /><br /></div>Julian Dragohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15262247844126926246noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450773608614960379.post-75279693542538606792007-06-18T15:12:00.001-04:002007-06-18T15:14:38.842-04:00Willie Colon - La Murga<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Sfmg6g4d_0M"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Sfmg6g4d_0M" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object><br /><br />This may very well be one of the most famous horn lines to ever come out of Puerto Rico. I'm not sure who the other cantante is. I want to say Pete Rodriguez, but this guy's voice is too high and he doesn't have the whole Barry White facial structure going on. Yomo Toro from Chile tears it up on cuatro. Believe it or not, this is technically Christmas music.Julian Dragohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15262247844126926246noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450773608614960379.post-40599100867320501812007-06-18T08:41:00.000-04:002007-06-18T08:49:50.703-04:00El primerI created this to share my love for Latin music, and as an adjunct resource to the Latin Show on WCBN FM (www.wcbn.org), which I host every three weeks in addition to my normal freeform show, The Sourdough Rag. You can expect periodical updates of songs or albums, ranging from 70s Nuyorican salsa to Latin soul to plena to guajira and beyond, all with an admittedly Puerto Rican bias. Without further ado, the playlist to my show from earlier today:<br /><br />The Latin Show (June 17, 2007)<br /><br />1. Larry Harlow - No Hay Amigo<br />2. Cuco Valoy y Los Virtuosos - El Amigo y La Mujer<br />3. Orquesta Novel - Papas Fritas con Hamburger<br />4. Ismael Rivera con Kako y Su Orquesta - El Cumbanchero<br />5. Los Dementes - La Llorona<br />6. Ray Barretto - Indestructible (Live)<br />7. Orquesta Sociedad '74 - Ahora Tengo Una Vieja<br />8. Chivirico - Cuando Tu Quieras<br />9. Pete "El Conde" Rodriguez - Soy La Ley<br />10. Javier Vazquez - Tu No Me Has Visto Miguel<br />11. Tempo 70 - El Galleton<br />12. Cortijo y Su Maquina del Tiempo - De Coco y AnisJulian Dragohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15262247844126926246noreply@blogger.com1