Bobby Valentin - La Boda De Ella

Released 1978

Produced by Bobby Valentin

Bronco 107

Available at Descarga, Prodland, etc.

Arrangements by Bobby Valentin (1,2,3,5,6,8) and Ray Santos (4,7)

1. La Boda De Ella 5:26 (Roberto Anglero)
2. Massa - Massa 5:38 (D.R.)
3. Ingratitudes 6:22 (Margarita Rivera)
4. Mas Bajo 4:52 (Tito Puente)
5. Libro De Amor 5:42 (Israel Perez)
6. El Muneco De La Ciudad 6:03 (Adrian Perez)
7. Post Data 3:19 (Roberto Anglero)
8. Canta Mi Gallo 6:46 (D.R.)

Bobby Valentin had in my opinion an annoying habit of releasing untitled albums. One might suspect this is another one of those, but fortunately everyone refers to this one by the first song on the album - La Boda De Ella. La Boda De Ella is also the standout song of this album and made salsanewyork.com list. Another song of note is Ingratitudes, which gets played only for birthdays.

Musicians

Bobby Valentin / Bass
Luis S. Garcia / Trumpet
Agustin Antomattei / Trumpet
Edwin Cintron / Trombone
Freddie Miranda / Baritone Saxophone
Justino "Tino" Labour / Alto Saxophone
William D. Thompson / Conga
Hector Faberlle / Bongos
Rafael "Koki" Rivera Martinez / Timbales
Charlie Aponte, Johnny Vazquez, Cano Estremera, Bobby Valentin, Leo Pacheco / Chorus
Johnny Vazquez / Lead Vocals
Carlos "Cano" Estremera / Lead Vocals

Bobby Valentin – Rey Del Bajo

Released 1974

Produced by Bobby Valentin
Recording Director: Johnny Pacheco
Arrangements by Bobby Valentin

Fania / E-Musica Remastered 2006

Available at Amazon, Descarga, etc.

1. Hay Craneo 3:54 (Tito Rodriguez)
2. Arenas Del Desierto 4:02 (Rafael Colon)
3. Guaraguao 3:30 (D.R.)
4. Mi Ritmo Es Bueno 5:43 (Bobby Valentin)
5. Codazos 3:59 (Bobby Valentin)
6. Cuando Te Vea 5:26 (Tito Puente)
7. Esperame En El Cielo 4:45 (Paquito Lopez Vidal)
8. La Vibora 4:19 (Tony Ramos)
9. Aqui No Me Quedo 3:50 (Roberto Anglero)
10. Coco Seco 3:37 (Luis Reyes Bacallao)

Rey Del Bajo is Bobby Valentin's 8th album (out of 9) with Fania label and is considered one of his best. Cuando Te Vea with Frankie Hernandez in lead vocals made salsanewyork.com list. The other big standout is Hay Craneo with Marvin Santiago in lead vocals. Some people I know think Mi Ritmo Es Bueno is one of Bobby Valentin's best - it's good but I wouldn't go that far.

Musicians

Bobby Valentin / Bass
Oscar Colon / Timbales & Traps
Juan Torres / Trumpet
Randolfo Gonzalez / Trumpet
Humberto Ramirez / Baritone Sax
Emilio Sanchez / Tenor Sax
William P. Thompson / Conga
Edwin Rodriguez / Piano
Hector Faberlie / Bongos
James Adames / Trombone
Ismael Quintana / Maracas
Elliot Randall / Guitar
Ismael Quintana, Bobby Valentin, Marvin Santiago, Frankie Hernandez / Chorus
Marvin Santiago / Lead Vocals
Frankie Hernandez / Lead Vocals

Kako Y Totico - Siguen Pa' Lante Y Pa' Lante

From early 1970s (1972?)

Produced by Al Santiago

Disco Hit 2039

Available at Descarga (review available), Prodland, Disco Hit, and possibly Amazon

1. Con Sabor Llego La Rumba (C. Curet Alonso) 3:20
2. La Mujer Que Yo Quiero (Joan Manuel Serrat) 3:43
3. El Doloroso (C. Curet Alonso) 3:24
4. Pongase Duro (Carlos Valdez, Eugenio Arango) 3:39
5. Que Quiere La Nina (Eugenio Arango) 4:00
6. Si Me Fuera De Tu Lado (C. Curet Alonso) 3:32
7. Del Agua Brava (C. Curet Alonso) 3:04
8. Volvera (D.R.) 4:02
9. Los Dicharachos (Carlos Valdez, Eugenio Arango) 3:52
10. Ganga Zumba (C. Curet Alonso) 4:19

This is second album by Francisco "Kako" Angel Bastar (timbales) and Eugenio "Totico" Arango (lead vocals & conga). This album has many nice slow Salsa songs such as Que Quiere La Nina, El Doloroso, and Del Agua Brava. It's not flashy but it is highly listenable throughout. Unfortunately, there isn't very much information about this album - no musician listings, not even the year of release!

Ray Barretto – Soy Dichoso

Released 1992

Produced by Ray Barretto

Fania / E-Musica Remastered 2006

Available at Amazon, Descarga, etc

Arrangements by Angel Fernandez (2,4,6,8), Ricky Gonzalez (1,7), Hector Martignon (5), Barry Olsen (3)

1. Soy Dichoso 4:50 (Hugo Gonzalez)
2. Lo Que Me Paso En La Guagua 5:05 (Mercelino Guerra)
3. Los Ejes De Mi Carreta 5:16 (Atahualpa Yupanqui, Romildo Risso)
4. En Entierro Del Feo 4:53 (D.R.)
5. Tal Vez 4:14 (D.R)
6. Café Con Leche 4:41 (D.R.)
7. Flor De Los Lindos Campos 4:42 (C. Curet Alonso)
8. Diganme La Hora 4:46 (Ray Barretto)

Ray Barretto's final Salsa album. Four songs (Soy Dichoso, Los Ejes De Mi Carreta, En Entierro Del Feo, Flor De Los Lindos Campos) made salsanewyork.com list, which makes the album appear better than it is. It's a solid album, but I wouldn't call it a standout.

Musicians

Ray Barretto / Leader, Conga
Tito Gonzalez / Maracas, Guiro
Ricky Gonzalez / Piano
Hector Zarzuela / Trumpet
Angel Fernandez / Trumpet
Steve Gluzband / Trumpet
Jimmy Delgado / Timbales
Carlitos Soto / Bongos
Jimmy Bosch / Trombone
Adalberto Santiago, Tito Allen, Tito Gonzalez, Felo Barrios, Saba / Chorus

Other players in (2,3,5)

Hector Martignon / Piano
Jose Jerez / Trumpet
Christ Anderson / Trumpet
Tim Ouimette / Trumpet
Jeffery Lopez / Timbales
Jorge Gonzalez / Bongos
Jaime Moreno / Bass
Barry Olsen / Trombone

Ray Barretto – Rican / Struction

Released 1979

Produced by Ray Barretto

Fania / E-musica Remastered 2006

Available at Amazon, Descarga, etc

Arrangements by Oscar Hernandez (1,2,7), Eddie Martinez (3,4), Gil Lopez (5), Dick “Taco” Mesa (6)

1. Al Ver Sus Campos 5:36 (Johnny Ortiz)
2. Un Dia Sere Feliz 5:27 (D.R.)
3. Piensa En Mi 4:43 (Agustin Lara)
4. Ya Vez 5:38 (D.R.)
5. Adelante Siempre Voy 6:01 (C. Curet Alonso)
6. Algo Nuevo 6:53 (Dick Mesa)
7. Tumbao Africano 7:10 (Ray Barretto)

A Grammy winner. Some consider it more experimental or avant garde. To me it sounds fairly conventional Ray Barretto. Two songs (Al Ver Sus Campos, Adelante Siempre Voy) made salsanewyork.com list.

Musicians

Jose Jerez, Puchi Boulong, Hector “Bomberito” Zarzuela, Jose Febles / Trumpet
Papo Vazquez / Trombone
Todd Anderson / Tenor and Soprano Saxophone, Flute
Oscar Hernandez / Piano
Sal Cuevas / Electric Bass, Acoustic Bass
Jose Fajardo / Flute solo (6)
“Little Ray” Romero / Lya Bata drum (7)
Eddie Rodriguez / Ltotele Bata drum (7)
Luis Gonzalez / Bongos and Cencerro and Chorus
Ralph Irrizary / Timbales, Snare drum, Floor tom-tom, Bass drum, Cymbals set up
Tito Allen / Chorus (2,3,4,7)
Ray De La Paz / Chorus (1,5,6)
Adalberto Santiago / Lead Vocals and Chorus
Ray Barretto / Conga

Ray Barretto – Indestructible

Released 1973

Produced by Ray Barretto

Fania / E-Musica Remastered 2006

Available at Amazon, Descarga, etc

Arrangements by Louie Cruz (1,2,6,7), Eddie Martnez (3,5,8), Louie Ramirez (4)

1. El Hijo De Obatala 5:02 (C. Curet Alonso)
2. El Diablo 5:21 (Bienvenido Julian Guetirrez)
3. Yo Tengo Un Amor 5:03 (Rafael Hernandez)
4. La Familia 3:49 (Julia Gunda Merced)
5. La Orquesta 4:32 (Roberto Rodriguez)
6. Llanto De Cocodrilo 3:54 (D.R.)
7. Ay No 6:06 (D.R.)
8. Indestructible 4:11 (Ray Barretto, Joseph Roman)

This arguably is one of the more popular Ray Barretto album for a rather large number of Salsa dancers. The best known song is Indestructible - perhaps best played slowed down. Next is El Hijo De Obatala - also arguably better played slowed down. The one song that did make salsanewyork.com list is La Familia.

[note added March 7, 2008 - The composer credit for La Familia is a little strange in my opinion. I have a Jose Curbelo CD which gives the composer credit to Jose Curbelo Sr. In any case, La Familia was one of big hits for Jose Curbelow in the early 50s.]

Musicians

Ray Barretto / Conga, Clave, Musical Director
“Little” Ray Romero / Timbales
Tony Fuentes / Bongso and Cencerro
Edy Martinez / Piano
Julio Romero / Baby Bass
Art “Artie” Webb / Flute
Roberto Rodriguez / Lead Trumpet
Joseph “Papy” Roman / Second Trumpet
Manuel “Manny” Duran / Third Trumpet and Flugelhorn
Pete “El Conde” Rodriguez / possibly Maracas
Felo Barrio / Guiro (3,5)
Menique (2,3,4,6,7,8), Hector Lavoe (1,2,3,4,6,7,8), Roberto Rodriguez (5), Felo Barrio (5), Willie Colon (1) / Chorus
Tito Allen / Lead Vocals

Ray Barretto – Carnaval

Released as double-album in 1973
Original albums released 1961 and 1962

Produced and engineered by Ray Fowler

Fantasy

Available at Amazon, Descarga, etc

Selections 1-8 originally released as Latino! (Recorded Sep 20, 1962). Selections 9-18 originally released as Pachanga With Barretto (Recorded Jun 1 and 2, 1961)

1. Manha De Carnaval 4:25 (Bonfa-Peretti-Creatore-Weiss)
2. Sugar’s Delight 3:23 (Ray Barretto)
3. Exodus 5:20 (Ernest Gold)
4. Descarga La Moderna 4:26 (Gil Lopez)
5. Summertime 2:57 (Gershwin-Heyward)
6. El Negro Y Ray 5:54 (Barretto)
7. Mira Que Linda 2:31 (Pedro Calzado)
8. Cocinando Suave 6:01 (Barretto)
9. Pachanga Oriental 2;42 (Hector Rivera)
10. Barretto En La Tumbadora 3:04 (Hector Rivera)
11. Cumbamba 2:47 (Hector Rivera)
12. El Paso 2:49 (Hector Rivera)
13. Linda Mulata 3:03 (Hector Rivera)
14. Oye Heck 2:44 (Hector Rivera)
15. Los Cueros 3:07 (Hector Rivera)
16. Pachanga Suavecito 3:38 (Hector Rivera)
17. Ponte Dura 3:59 (Hector Rivera)
18. Pachanga Para Bailar 2:55 (Hector Rivera)

I had this album for quite some time yet I had only a few listening for the second half of the album, which is Ray Barretto's debut album as a leader and is all Pachanga and Charanga and has a distinctive sound. From the second album (or the first half of this album), two Salsa (Descarga La Moderna, El Negro Y Ray) and two Cha Cha (Summertime, Cocinando Suave) made salsanewyork.com list.

Musicians

Ray Barretto / Conga, Bongos (2), Timbales (6)
“El Negro” Vivar / Trumpet
“Chombo” Silva / Tenor Saxophone (1-8)
Frank Mercado / Tenor Saxophone (9-18)
Jose Canoura / Flute
Mike Stancerone / Violin
Alfredito Valdez Jr / Piano
Ricky Jackson / Bass
Ray Mantilla / Timbales
Wito Kortwright / Guiro
Willie Rodriguez / Percussion
Rudy Calzado / Percussion