Tags: Afro Cuban

Review: Coming just after this seminal recording celebrated its 50th anniversary, Craft Recordings presents a carefully handled reissue of Tito Puente's Para Los Rumberos. Puente remains one of the all time greats of Afro-Cuban percussion, and he recorded this definitive set in New York in 1972, whipping through mambo, guaracha and cha-cha-cha with his trademark explosive drumming front and centre and backed up by some sharp-shooting players. Cut all-analogue from the original tapes and pressed in audiophile quality, this is a much-deserved revisit to one of the most iconic recordings in Puente's accomplished career.

Review: There have been many concurrent sounds of 60s and 70s New York, but the Latin soul subsidiary of said multipli-city saw and heard its heyday in the sweet-spot of 1964-78, where the Latin American favourite label Fania Records reigned supreme in its niche. Bannering the likes of Willie Colon, Hector Lavoe, Ruben Blades, Johnny Pacheco and Celia Cruz, Fania was born of a desire to promote salsa music and adjacent styles in New York, after Dominican musician and label boss Johnny Pacheco underwent financial woes and sought respite in memories of a quaint Cuban luncheonette of the same name. The heady mix of sonic pimento collides several of the best salsa bands in a New York otherwise dominated by soul and funk, amounting to a charred, lively stew.

Review: The indestructible Ray Barretto demonstrated superb skills on this record back in 1973. His band were at the forefront of the new Afro-Cuban musical movement that was emerging and became known as salsa. His composer skills were well known after he wrote 'Cocinando' and his band were also much loved in the live area though Johnny Rodriguez on bongo and cencerro, bassist Dave Perez, pianist Louis Cruz, along with trumpeter Rene Lopez and vocalist Adalberto Santiago all left him soon after. HIs Indestructible album is his most remarkable, with a constant sense of flow to the rhythms from front to back.

Review: Celia & Johnny, released in 1974 on Fania Records, marked a pivotal moment for both Celia Cruz and salsa music. By this point, Cruz was already a celebrated star in Cuba, but her attempts to break into the U.S. salsa scene had struggled. Enter Johnny Pacheco, co-founder of Fania Records and leader of the Fania All-Stars. A longtime admirer of Celia's powerful contralto voice, Pacheco believed her potential had been stifled by overly complex arrangements. He was confident that pairing her voice with his more streamlined Afro-Caribbean rhythms would catapult her into salsa stardomiand he was right. The album produced two defining hits, 'Toro Mata' and 'Quimbara', both of which immediately resonated with dancers and salsa enthusiasts. The infectious grooves provided by Pacheco's band allowed Celia's voice to shine, and the success of these tracks solidified her status as the Queen of Salsa. Celia & Johnny is now seen as a cornerstone of salsa's golden age. The record's blend of traditional Cuban styles like mambo, guaracha, and guaguanco with the modern salsa sound brought the genre to a wider audience, particularly younger U.S.-born Latinos. Deep cuts like 'Tengo El Idde', 'Lo Tuyo Es Mental', and 'Canto a La Habana' further showcase Cruz's versatility, with moving performances that tap into spiritual, comedic and patriotic themes. Ultimately, Celia & Johnny remains a landmark collaboration that helped define the global appeal of salsa.

Review: Joe Bataan's 1968 sophomore album Riot! is considered a cornerstone of Latin soul and the record that truly cemented his reputation as the genre's king. Backed by the dynamic Latin Swingers band, Bataan masterfully blends Afro-Cuban rhythms, soul and funk with his signature streetwise flair. Tracks like 'It's a Good Feeling' and the title song capture the energy and emotion of late-1960s urban life while reflecting both personal and societal struggles. Its infectious grooves, raw vocal delivery and tight instrumentation mean that this one remains a timeless classic that continues to resonate across the generations.