Cubanoson – Recordando A Cuba

Released 2006
G.B. Records Cuba-001

Arrangements by Manolo Albo & Omar Castanos (1), Manolo Albo (2,6,7,9), Leonel “Papo” Ortega & Manolo Albo (3,8,10), Rey Roy (4), Silvio Sebrian (5).

Available at cdbaby.com and Descarga.

1. Cubanoson 4:46 (Leonel “Papo” Ortega)
2. Monsieur Jose 4:33 (Silvio Sebrian)
3. Recordando A Cuba 5:23 (Leonel “Papo” Ortega)
4. En La Campania 4:51 (Silvio Sebrian)
5. No Te Preocupes 4:28 (Silvio Sebrian)
6. Que Mala Suerte 5:02 (Arsenio Rodriguez)
7. Guajira Soy 4:55 (Leonel “Papo” Ortega)
8. Son Bailadores 5:03 (Mario J. Ortiz)
9. Mujeres De Mayari 4:54 (Francisco Repilado)
10. Lagrimas Negras 4:53 (Miguel Matamoros)

I really like their sound. The hit songs include Cubanoson and Recordando A Cuba. I also like Mujeres De Mayari and especially Lagrimas Negras. Lagrimas Negras seems to get recorded by pretty much everyone, but I had not found any version good for dancing - this version by Cubanoson by contrast is really good for both listening as well as dancing.

Musicians

Leonel “Papo” Ortega / Leader, Piano, Lead vocals (2,4,6,7), Duet (3,8,9,10), Chorus
Roberto Rodriguez / Lead Trumpet & Musical Director
Luisito Quintero / Percussion
Junior Rivera / Tres
Willie Cintron / Bass
Ernest “Chico” Alvarez / Lead vocals (1,5), Duet (3,8,9,10), Chorus
Hiram Ramon / Chorus
Ronnie Baro / French voice and Chorus (2)
Oscar Onoz / Second Trumpet
Alexis Llerena / Trombone

Dancemania con Isidro Infante

Produced by Isidro Infante

Released 2006
P&I Music PIM-373

Arrangements by Isidro Infante except Isidro Infante & Nelson Hernandez (8) and Reggaeton base by Joel Dandotra (5).

Available at Amazon, Descarga, Prodland, etc.

1. Songo Soron 4:21 (Isidro Infante) canta: German Olivera
2. Celia Y Tito 6:05 (Johnny Pacheco) canta: Domingo Quinones
3. Salsa Y Control 4:04 (Jose Lebron) canta: Johnny Rivera
4. Pegaso 3:50 (Efrain Duarte) canta: Jose Alberto “El Canario”
5. Permiso 4:25 (Isidro Infante & William Liriano Jr) canta: Johnny Ventura & Sergio Vargas
6. Ahnelo 3:45 (Bienvenido Valetin Mesa) canta: Paquito Guzman
7. Sube La Musica 4:48 (Isidro Infante & William Liriano Jr) canta: Tito Allen
8. Dejate Amar 4:36 (Bienvenido Valetin Mesa) canta: Wichy Camacho
9. Tus Recuerdos 3:06 (Jose Lebron) canta: La Corporacion Latina
10. El Pito 4:17 (Jose Cuba & Jimmy Sabater) canta: German Olivera

Mix of Salsa, Reggaeton and Bolero. Celia Y Tito and Salsa Y Control are both decent. El Pito made salsanewyork.com honor list.

Musicians

Isidro Infante / Piano & Teclados
Johnny Torres / Bass
Carlos Henriquez / Fender Bass
Luisito Quintero / Percussion
Piro Rodriguez / Trumpet
Angie Machado / Trumpet
Elias Lopes / Trumpet
Rafy Torres / Trombone
Eliud Cintron / Trombone
Pablo Santaella / Trombone (all)
Angel Torres / Saxophone
Franky Perez / Soprano Saxophone (8)
Nelson Gonzalez / Tres (4)
Johnny Rivera, Wichie Camacho, Tito Allen / Chorus

Celia Cruz & Johnny Pacheco – Tremendo Cache

Produced by Jerry Masucci
Recording Director – Johnny Pacheco

Released 1975 Vaya

Fania / E-Musica 2006
ASIN B000FZET8E


1. Cucala 3:49 (Wilfredo Figueroa)
2. Oriza Eh 4:16 (Junior Cepeda)
3. Tres Dias De Carnaval 4:58 (Carlos Estrada)
4. No Me Hables De Amor 3:21 (Nico Cevedo)
5. Dime Si Llegue A Tiempo 3:52 (Junior Cepeda)
6. La Sopa En Botella 5:07 (Sene Suarez)
7. De La Verdegue 3:01 (C. Curet Alonso)
8. Ni Hablar 3:12 (Anam Munar)
9. Rico Changui 4:21 (Calixto Callava)
10. No Aguanto Mas 3:32 (Johnny Pacheco)

Three songs (Cucala, Tres Dias De Carnaval, La Sopa En Botella) made salsanewyork.com honor list. No Aguanto Mas is a Merengue people here still seem to find fun and danceable.

Musicians
Johnny Pacheco / Guiro & Quinto
Papo Luca / Piano
Johnny Rodriguez / Conga
Hector “Bomberito” Zarzuela / Trumpet
Luis Ortiz / Trumpet
Victor Venegas / Bass
Charlie Rodriguez / Tres
Ismael Quintana / Maracas
Louie Mangual / Bongos
Miguel Gutierrez / Tambora
Celiz Cruz / Lead Vocals
Johnny Pacheco, Justo Betancourt, Roberto Torres / Chorus

Arrangements – Johnny Pacheco (No Aguanto Mas), Bobby Valentin (Oriza Eh, Rico Changui), Papo Luca (Cucala, Sopa En Botella), Louie Ramirez (Tres Dias De Carnaval, Ni Hablar, De La Verdegue), Felipe Yanes (No Me Hables De Amor, Dime Si Llegue A Tiempo)

Celia-Ray-Adalberto – Tremendo Trio

Produced and Directed by Ray Barretto
Arrangements by Oscar Hernandez & Luis Cruz

Released 1983 Fania

Fania / E-Musica 2007
ASIN B000MM1FA0

1. Nadie Se Salva De La Rumba 5:45 (Ciro Rodriguez, A. Delachaux)
2. Debes Callar 5:03 (Ramon Luis Rodriguez Morales)
3. Margie 5:04 (Pedro Flores)
4. Ya No Puede Ser 5:15 (C. Curet Alonso)
5. De Repente 5:30 (Aldemaro Romero)
6. Caminando 4:58 (Ruben Blades)
7. Asi Empezo El Son Montuno 5:04 (Luis Cruz)
8. La Cana Y La Plantacion 5:24 (C. Curet Alonso)

Two songs (Nadie Se Salva De La Rumba, Ya No Puede Ser) made salsanewyork.com honor list. Notable among the musicians is a young Oscar Hernandez, who now leads the Spanish Harlem Orchestra.

Musicians

Oscar Hernandez / Piano
Ralph Irizarry / Timbales
Carlos Soto / Bongos
Ray Martinez / Bass
Joe De Jesus / Trombone
Ken Fradley / Trumpet
Charlie Hernandez / Trumpet
Ray Gonzalez / Trumpet
Tony Barrero / Trumpet
Ray Barretto / Conga
Celia Cruz, Adalberto Santiago / Lead Vocals
Adalberto Santiago, Felo Barrio / Chorus

Cheo Feliciano – Cheo

Produced by C. Curet Alonso & Jerry Masucci
Arrangements by Bobby Valentin & Nick Jimenez

Released 1974 Vaya

Fania / E-Musica 2006
ASIN B000EMGK2Q

1. Anacaona 4:15 (C. Curet Alonso)
2. Pienso En Ti 4:41 (Jose “Cheo” Feliciano)
3. Pa Que Afinquen 4:18 (C. Curet Alonso)
4. Mi Triste Problema 3:46 (C. Curet Alonso)
5. Esto Es El Guaguanco 3:47 (C. Curet Alonso)
6. Si Por Mi Llueve 3:20 (Jose “Cheo” Feliciano)
7. Mano Caliente 2:58 (C. Curet Alonso)
8. Medianoche Y Sol 3:15 (D.R.)
9. Poema De Otono 3:26 (D.R.)

I believe this was the biggest hit album for Cheo Feliciano. Practically everyone involved here belongs to who’s who in Latin music. The album is a classic and everything sounds great. Anacaona made salsanewyork.com honor list.

Musicians
Johnny Pacheco / Conga
Larry Harlow / Piano
Bobby Valentin / Bass
Louie Ramirez / Vibes
Orestes Vilato / Timbales
Johnny Rodriguez / Bongos
Ismael Quintana / Maracas, Clave
Vinnie Bell / Electric Guitar
Charlie Rodriguez / Tres
Cheo Feliciano / Lead Vocals
Ismael Quintana, Justo Betancourt, Santos Colon, Johnny Pacheco / Chorus

Exitos de Chivirico Davila con la Orquesta de Joe Cotto

Released by International Records / Salsa-International
CD3M7

Recorded in 1960s?
Re-issued 1995?

Available at Descarga, Passiondiscs and for the moment Amazon.co.uk

1. Cuando Yo Muerra 3:39 (C. Davila) (arr. Javier Vazquez) [Guaguanco]
2. Silencio 3:26 (D.R.) (arr. Louie Ramirez) [Guaguanco]
3. Soy Borincano 3:15 (R. Marrero) (arr. Joe Cain) [Guaracha Guaguanco]
4. Traigo Mi Guaguanco 3:27 (C. Davila) (arr. Javier Vazquez) [Guaguanco]
5. Tremendo Jala Jala 3:22 (C. Davila) (arr. Louie Ramirez) [Ritmo Jala Jala]
6. Chivirico’s Descarga 5:43 (Joe Cotto, C. Davila) (arr. J. Vazquez, L. Ramirez, J. Cain)
7. Mira Ese Pollo 1:53 (C. Davila) (arr. Joe Cotto) [Plena Bomba]
8. La Casa Del Jabonero 3:21 (C. Davila) (arr. Joe Cain) [Plena Bomba]
9. Pollero Gavilan 3:25 (C. Davila) (arr. Louie Ramirez) [Guaguanco]
10. Preferi Perdete 2:58 (J. Jimenez) (arr. Javier Vazquez) [Bolero]
11. Ven Guajira 3:01 (D.R.) (arr. Javier Vazquez) [Guajira]
12. Asi Es Mi Mona 2:39 (D.R.) (arr. Louie Ramirez) [Bomba]

This is a difficult album to figure out source material etc because liner notes provided with the CD gives little hint. Who is Joe Cotto? I have no idea. The title of the album seems to indicate that these songs were recorded with Joe Cotto's band with Chivirico Davila as the lead singer. Chivirico obvious did more than just sing - he is credited as the author of 8 of 12 songs in this compilation. The people who did the arrangement of the songs are fairly well known within the Latin music community - Javier Vazquez, Louie Ramirez and Joe Cain. Did they have any additional role? No idea although it's possible that Vazquez was on the piano and Ramirez on timbales as they have done in other Chivirico album(s). When were the recordings made? The best guess is that these are from the 1960's before Chivirico Davila was signed by the Fania label.

For Salsa dancers, the songs of interest are of the Guaguanco style in particular Silencio and Traigo Mi Guanguanco. Also of interest is Ven Guajira, which can be danced as Cha Cha.

Exitos de Santiago Ceron

Released by International Records / Salsa-International
CD746

Compilation of recordings from 1980 onwards
Released 1994?

Available at Descarga, Passiondiscs and for the moment Amazon.co.uk

1. Lindo Yambu 5:45 (Ignacio Pineiro) (arr. Chiripa Aracena)
2. La Loma De Belen 4:03 (D.R.) (prod. Louie Ramirez)
3. Espiritu Burlon 3:45 (D.R.) (arr. Marty Sheller; prod. Louie Ramirez)
4. A La Mala No 5:00 (Ramon Rodriguez)
5. Don Lengua 5:16 (Ignacio Pineiro) (arr. Luis "Perico" Ortiz)
6. Momposina 4:13 (D.R.) (arr. & prod. Louie Ramirez)
7. Cruel Tormento 6:07 (D.R.) (arr. Marty Sheller; prod. Luis "Perico" Ortiz)
8. Palo E' Cucuye 5:41 (Johnny Pacheco) (prod. Johnny Pacheco)
9. Vacio 3:54 (Tony Pabon) (prod. Luis "Perico" Ortiz)
10. Borrachito 4:05 (Ramon Rodriguez) (arr. Marty Sheller)
11. Baja Y Tapa La Olla 4:33 (Los Compadres) (arr. Chuito)
12. Sirena 4:06 (Ramon Rodriguez) (prod. Ramon Rodriguez)
13. La Mato 2:40 (D.R.) (Orq Porfirio Fernandez, canta: Santiago Ceron)

This is another difficult album to get much information out from the liner notes provided by International Records. All the songs have conjunto feel to them - the main instruments are piano, bass, two trumpets, trombone, tres, conga and bongos. At the moment, the original album for only 3 of the songs are available as CD - Lindo Yambu in "Tumbando Puertas: Luis "Perico" Ortiz Presenta A Santiago Ceron" and Espiritu Burlon and Momposina in "Bueno De Vicio."

Four songs made salsanewyork.com honor list including La Loma De Belen, Lindo Yambu, Momposina and Espiritu Burlon.

[added Oct 11, 2007: Don Lengua also made salsanewyork.com list recently.]
[added Dec 21, 2007: Sirena also made salsanewyork.com list recently.]

Musicians include

(Lindo Yambu)
Luis "Perico" Ortiz / Trumpet
Hector "Bomberito" Zarzuela / Trumpet
Lewis Khan / Trombone
Eric Figueroa / Piano
Eddie "Gua Gua" Rivera / Bass
Charlie Rodriguez / Tres
Luis Mangual / Bongo and campana
Angel "Cachete" Maldonado / Conga
Hector Casanova / Percussion, coro
Ramón Rodriguez / Percussion, coro
Santiago Ceron / Lead vocals

(Espiritu Burlon & Momposina)
Santiago Ceron / canta, coro
Elvis Cabrera / piano
Enrique Breton / bass
Freddy Sanchez - congas
Luis Mangual Jr. / bongo y campana
Charlie Rodriguez / tres
Roberto Lugo / maracas
Johnny Kenton / guiro
Puchi Boulong / trompeta
Hector "Bomberito" Zarzuela/- trompeta
Johnny Gonzalez / trombon
Ramon Castro / coro
Tito Nieves / coro

Cal Tjader's Latin Concert

Recorded at the Blackhawk, San Francisco
September 1958

Fantasy Records
Reissued by Original Jazz Classics (OJC) 643
ASIN B000000YUJ

Available at Amazon, Descarga, etc.

1. Viva Cepeda 3:40 (Cal Tjader)
2. Mood For Milt 3:13 (Tjader)
3. The Continental 3:40 (Magidson-Conrad)
4. Lucero 4:26 (Tjader)
5. Tu Crees Que? 4:47 (Mongo Santamaria)
6. Mi Guaguanco 4:43 (Santamaria)
7. Cubano Chant 4:04 (Bryant)
8. A Young Love 9:24 (Tjader)
9. Theme 0:54

This is arguably my favorite Cal Tjader album. It's also arguably the best Latin album Cal Tjader has done. Great lineup - a quintet with Tjader's best Latin sidemen. Viva Cepeda made salsanewyork.com honor list.

Perhaps someone with a LP version of this album can tell me what the sign, which one of the spectators in the stadium is holding. My best guess is "Nixon Go Home." I have no idea if that makes sense.

Musicians

Cal Tjader / Vibes
Mongo Santamaria / Conga
Vince Guarardi / Piano
Al McKibbon / Bass
Willie Bobo / Timbales, drums

Henry Fiol - El Secreto

Released 1981

SAR SCD-1026

Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble (clips), Descarga, etc.

Minimal (read essentially none) liner notes supplied with the CD.

1. Mala Suerte 6:44 (Augusto Coen)
2. Trecero De Manigua 5:28 (Ramon Cabrera)
3. Si Tu Cocinas Como Caminas 6:19 (Henry Fiol)
4. Esta Vida Es Un Mango 7:31 (Henry Fiol)
5. El Secreto 6:40 (Henry Fiol)
6. Tiene Sabor 5:51 (Rolando Valdes)

An excellent album with plenty of solo by many accomplished artists signed to the SAR label at the time. Two Salsa (Si Tu Cocinas Como Caminas, Tiene Sabor) and one Cha Cha (El Secreto) made salsanewyork.com honor list. The cover art is a painting by Henry Fiol, who used his paintings for several of his albums over the years.

Musicians in this recording almost certainly includes Alfredo Valdes, Alfredo "Chocolate" Armenteros, Charlie Rodriguez, Roberto Torres and Johnny Rodriguez.

Musicians (not completely sure but likely very similar to Fe, Esperanza Y Caridad)

Henry Fiol / Vocals
Alfredo Valdes / Piano
Alfredo "Chocolate" Armenteros / Trumpet
Lionel Sanchez / Trumpet
Alberto Valdes / Conga
Johnny Rodriguez / Bongos
Guillermo Edghill / Bass
Charlie Rodriguez / Tres
Roberto Torres / Maracas, Guiro, Clave
Yayo El Indio, Ramon Rodriguez, Roberto Torres / Coro

Henry Fiol - Fe, Esperanza Y Caridad

Released 1980

Produced by Roberto Torres

SAR SCD-1012

Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble (clips), Descarga, etc.


1. Ahora Me Da Pena 6:44 (F. Replicado) [son montuno]
2. Ven Y Baila Mi Son 9:13 (D.R.) [son montuno]
3. La Juma De Ayer 7:49 (W. Guevara) [son montuno]
4. Oriente 9:55 (Cheo Marquetti) [guajira son]
5. El Guateque De Ciprian 6:58 (Maria Luisa Lamadrid) [son montuno]
6. Caridad 6:10 (E. Arrango) [guaguanco]

An excellent album with plenty of solo by many accomplished artists signed to the SAR label at the time. Ahora Me Da Pena (Salsa) and Oriente (Cha Cha) made salsanewyork.com honor list. An alternative is a compilation album called Retrato Musical, which contains all 6 songs from this album plus 3 songs each from Henry Fiol's next two albums, El Secreto and La Ley De La Jungla.

Musicians

Henry Fiol / Vocals
Alfredo Valdes / Piano
Alfredo "Chocolate" Armenteros / Trumpet
Lionel Sanchez / Trumpet
Alberto Valdes / Conga
Johnny Rodriguez / Bongos
Guillermo Edghill / Bass
Charlie Rodriguez / Tres
Roberto Torres / Maracas, Guiro, Clave
Yayo El Indio, Ramon Rodriguez, Roberto Torres / Coro