Ismael Miranda & Junior Gonzalez - Cantar O No Cantar

Released 1995
ASEFRA Music Productions

Musical Direction by Louis Garcia & Jose Mangual Jr

Out of print. Best bet might be Amazon.


1. Cantar O No Cantar 5:49 (Jhonny Ortiz)
2. Dame Tiempo 4:36 (Raldy Vasquez)
3. Tu Nuevo Amor 5:17 (D.R.)
4. Flor De Madrugada 4:55 (Mario Diaz)
5. Ole Gitana 4:49 (Elvira Quiles & Jose Mangual)
6. Se Me Escapo El Momento 4:58 (Pedro Azael)
7. Los Caminos De La Vida 5:44 (Omar Geles)
8. Tanto Andar 6:17 (Tite Curet Alonso)

Arrangements by Luis "Perico" Ortiz (1), Lenny Prieto (2), Angel Fernandez (3), Eric Figueroa (4), Lucho Cueto (5), Louis Garcia (6, 8), Isidro Infante (7).

Ismael Miranda is the lead vocalist for tracks 2, 4 and 6. Junior Gonzalez is the lead vocalist for tracks 3, 5 and 7. Ismael Miranda and Junior Gonzalez shares lead vocal duty for tracks 1 and 8.

It's something of an Orchestra Harlow reunion with Larry Harlow as a special guest and Lewis Kahn also participating. The CD liner insert opens up to an amusing photo of Ismael Miranda and Junior Gonzalez lying on the ground barefoot and holding a champagne glass towards each other.

Three songs made salsanewyork.com list - Tu Nuevo Amor, Ole Gitana and Los Caminos De La Vida. Los Caminos De La Vida with accordion and all should be instantly recognizable.

Musicians:

Puerto Rico
Luis Quevedo / Piano
Efrain Hernandez / Bass
Charlie Sierra / Timbales
Sammy Garcia / Conga
Alberto Machuca / Bongo
Ramon Sanchez / Accordion
Elias Lopez / Trumpet
Luis Aquino / Trumpet
Vicente Castillo / Trumpet
Antonio Vazquez / Trombone
Raffi Torres / Trombone
Jorge Diaz / Trombone
Louis Garcia / Tres
Ramon Sanchez / Keyboards
Lenny Priedo / Keyboards
Jerry Medina, Darvel Garcia, Tito Allen / Chorus
Chago Martinez / Minor Percussion
Jesus "Papo" Sanchez, Louis Garcia, Jose Mangual Jr / Mix
Ramon Sanchez / Synthesizer

New York
Isidro Infante / Piano
Larry Harlow / Piano
Lucho Cueto / Piano
Jhonny Torres / Bass
Papo Pepin / Conga
Rey Colon / Bongo, Campana
Chino Nunez / Timbales
Cesar Rivera / Timbales
Jose Mangual Jr / Maracas, Guiro
Yomo Toro / Guitar
Hector "Bomberito" Zarzuela / Trumpet
Ite Jerez / Trumpet
Joe King / Trumpet
Leopoldo Pineda / Trombone
Lewis Kahn / Trombone
Louis Lopez / Trombone
Nestor Sanchez, Joe King, Milton Cardona, Jose Mangual Jr / Chorus

Ismael Miranda - Asi Se Compone Un Son

Released 1973

Re-mastered 2006
Fania / E-Musica

Produced by Johnny Pacheco

Available at Amazon, Descarga, etc

1. Asi Se Compone Un Son 5:33 (Ismael Miranda)
2. Nicolas 5:24 (D.R.)
3. Salvame 3:48 (Atilio Bruni, Lambertucci Roberto)
4. Mulence 5:20 (Arsenio Rodriguez Scull)
5. Me Voy Pa Colombia 4:50 (Ismael Miranda)
6. Cuidate Bien 5:21 (Isaac Fernandez)
7. Ahora Si 5:33 (Ismael Miranda)
8. Las Cuarentas 4:29 (Roberto Grela, F. Govindo)
9. Sonerito 3:56 (C. Curet Alonso)
10. Ahora Que Estoy Sabroso 5:21 (Kalaff Luis)

This one got better after repeated listening for me. Two songs (Asi Se Compone Un Son, Ahora Si) made salsanewyork.com list. At over 45 minutes, this is an unusually long album by the standard of 70s Fania recordings.

Musicians:

Ismael Miranda / Musical Director, Lead Vocals, Chorus, Guiro, Maracas
Oscar Hernandez / Piano
Jose Raul Santiago / Bass
Nelson Gonzalez / Tres, Chorus
Nicky Marrero / Bongo, Timbales
Frankie Rodriguez / Conga
Carlos de Leon / Trumpet
Mariano Rodriguez / Trumpet
Miguel Colon / Trombone