Exactly like I suspected - the bar has been lifted too high by their previous works, which does not let to perceive this album adequately. It is wonderful, of course, but you can feel some fillers already, the album’s ending seem to be done by inertion (although the last theme «Ella tiene» is very good). There are no those beautiful saxophones as ( Read more... )

A North American conguero, quite praised by some experts, associates quite much with «Spanish Harlem Orchestra». Maybe associates too much, which is hardly a reason to be proud. The themes that explode the brain (like those of Delgado’s friend - Bosch) are absent on this album. The rumbaless salsa looks like a hard one, but has a smack of pendulum ( Read more... )

Just run and buy this album. You should have listened to it before your life ends! Looks like West Coast knows how to cook «salsa dura» too. Another pearl ignored by Latin Grammies. Some themes have been played by me to tatters and smudges. First of all, «Llevame con tu babalao», which is just a magic one. «Paloma blanca» is another absolute marvel ( Read more... )

I think, no one is going to mind that in the history of Latin music from now on there is a new milestone. The album evoked the highest admiration. Here are only musicians: "Chocolate" Armenteros, Luis Enrique, Cheo Feliciano and La India - vocals; Giovanni Hidalgo - congas; Edwin Bonilla - bongoes; Arturo Sandoval - trumpet; Paquito d'Rivera - ( Read more... )

Juicy and Eric are brothers Jose and Eric Jusino, boricuas from New York. This is salsa. Puertorican, but quite hard. One of the best album tracks, «Maestro de rumberos», is based on an excellent rumba. The rest of themes are all good too. I liked the cover version of Juanes' «La paga», as well as «Huracan» itself, quite huracanish indeed. But the ( Read more... )

Aguabella is a Cuban conguero who left Cuba even before the revolution - in 1954. Hence, his music possesses a strong North American feeling. But not to the prejudice of cubanism which you'll find plenty of in Francisco’s albums. Some themes, of course, are more jazzy, like Funky Cha, but anyway, very good. The central focus of the album falls on ( Read more... )

I’m not going to admire this album. Pure salsa of 60s. Too monotonous, with plain one-layer arrangements with no running into each other nor mutual soaking with each other. A bit primitive. Maybe some would find nice to start listening to salsa with this album, although I would still recommend something heavier ( Read more... )

The exalted reviews on salsaforums.com made me search for this album of «young Brooklyn musicians». Actually, they were young at the moment of recording which was back in 70s. What saw the light in 2002 was «a long-waited by the salsa fans CD version of the album». I think that you are not likely to pay serious attention to this work if you have ( Read more... )

If you have too many good music it gets more and more difficult for you to estimate it adequately. The bar gets higher and higher. Sometimes I catch myself at trying to find the flaws in a wonderful album only because the next one is even more wonderful. Spanish Harlem Orchestra plays pure Puerto Rican salsa, but the project was born in NY. The ( Read more... )

«Mamborama» nickname hides a Yuma Bill Wolfer, very competent and talented musician, who feels cubania very well. The album is good, it’s clear that Wolfer has a lot of ideas. The styles are diverse too. For example, arguably the best album’s theme, «Puro y temba», is a clear «hello!» to «Los Van Van» and Pupi. Another arguably best theme is called ( Read more... )