Ray Barretto (Barreto) and Acid as a starting point?

Slowdance said:
Also just for completeness, and because I am not that deep in yet with my musical exploration of salsa, here are all the other salsa albums I have ever bought. This list may not be as interesting, but its where I started before "Acid" grabbed me:

Gran Combo - Sin Salsa No Hay Paraíso
Marc Anthony - Contra la Corriente
Marc Anthony - Libre
Marc Anthony - Valió La Pena
Marc Anthony - Todo a su Tiempo
Calle Real - Con Fuerza
Willie Colón / Ruben Blades - Siembra
Celia Cruz - Regalo del Alma
Grupo Niche - The Best
Grupo Niche - 20 Éxitos Originales
Orquesta Guayacán - Bueno y Mas
Sonora Carruseles - Heavy Salsa

Also, I own three albums by Cast (a Mexican prog-rock band): Al Bandaluz; Com.Union; and Nimbus. But they are not salsa. My salsa friends look at me funny in the car when I play anything by Cast. :)

I also own every Santana and Carlos Santana album. Its funny how now that I dance, its weird when I realize "this is rumba" or "this started as a cha-cha but switched to a fast salsa".

Anyway, thats my musical perspective as it may relate, however tangentially if at all, to salsa. :)
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I have to add that I too own all of Carlos Santana's work , I also have Heavy Salsa and Sin Salsa No Hay Paraiso!!, Incidentally, listening to Santana, indirectly let me to Afro-cuban music, you can find a lot of Cha Cha Cha songs (all though I didn't know it at the time) in his work, and also the song "amigos" sounds very Afro-Cuban. I think his music has always been heavily influenced by afro cuban sounds read 'Oye Como Va ' and 'Para los rumberos' et al both Tito puente songs.
 
To say more about Canales and Palmieri.

I would recommend trying the later Canales album: El Sentimiento del Latino en Nueva York, which to me has a fuller realization of his sound than Sabor, even though Sabor is great and has some great material on it. I think for someone interested in the jazzy/progressive even of things, it could have a lot of appeal. Perhaps Different Shades of Thought, as well, though that one actually took a while to grow on me.

Maybe try Unfinished Masterpiece by Eddie Palmieri. There's some pretty raw skronk on that album in places. Lucumi, Macumba, Voodoo is in a similar vein, with much better audio quality, although the musical quality is uneven. Most of 70s Palmieri will probably be in roughly the right ballpark. If you can get past some of the datedness, most of the early albums with La Perfecta, back in the 60s, are amazing. My favorite is Lo Que Traigo Es Sabroso.

What about Larry Harlow? Maybe Live in Quad would be your kind of thing, if that's available.

I would think Roberto Roena, Bobby Valentin, and Tipica 73 are all going to have some moments--maybe entire albums even--that woud appeal to you. But I actually don't like Barretto's Acid very much, so it's hard for me to think in terms of that exact sound.
 
Thanks for all the additional suggestions! I appreciate them!

Back to the Bobby Paunetto, its really growing on me. For some reason, I like "Why Is Woody Sad?" more than I should (also its not a salsa) and i really like "Mambo Sevilla" tho its pretty fast. I wouldnt look relaxed dancing to it. :) The rest of the album is cool too!

Thanks!
 
I just wanted to follow up to my own thread. I ended up buying two more Ray Barretto albums. I got:

El "Ray" Criollo
Indestructible

I must say that I absolutely love El "Ray" Criollo. I cant stop listening to it. I bought like eight albums new albums based on some recommendations here, and based on my own research/risk, but 75% of the time when listening to these new albums I listen to that one. Its amazing.

As for Indestructible, I like it, and its growing on me, but the wall of horns or wall of wind instruments on some songs when they do big horn hits, its a little too flat / shiny / tinny / thin / artificial or something. I cant put my finger on it. I am not claiming that it actually *is* artificial, but the kinda rhythm horn section stuff is a bit off from what I like. It has a weird flavor or style to me. I tend to not like brass sections playing backing rhythm hits, or I prefer more moderation. I do like everything else about it tho, and there are some sweet flute-playing moments on one of the tracks. I think La Familia, if I recall.

Dont get me wrong tho its a minor quibble, I do really like Indestructible.

But I LOVE El "Ray" Criollo.

Are there any more albums like El "Ray" Criollo out there in the past and present? By Ray Barretto or even someone else?

Also, are there any bands that are more flute-heavy instead of wall-of-brass heavy? I would love a flute-oriented album.

I would also kill for any album with trombone and trumpet that dont do lots of big identical-wall-of-brass hits. Thats why I love El "Ray" Criollo so much. It lacks that entirely, so the only stuff left in it is perfect! :)

Thanks for any responses, and all previous responses!
 
Slowdance said:
I just wanted to follow up to my own thread. I ended up buying two more Ray Barretto albums. I got:

El "Ray" Criollo
Indestructible

I must say that I absolutely love El "Ray" Criollo. I cant stop listening to it. I bought like eight albums new albums based on some recommendations here, and based on my own research/risk, but 75% of the time when listening to these new albums I listen to that one. Its amazing.

As for Indestructible, I like it, and its growing on me, but the wall of horns or wall of wind instruments on some songs when they do big horn hits, its a little too flat / shiny / tinny / thin / artificial or something. I cant put my finger on it. I am not claiming that it actually *is* artificial, but the kinda rhythm horn section stuff is a bit off from what I like. It has a weird flavor or style to me. I tend to not like brass sections playing backing rhythm hits, or I prefer more moderation. I do like everything else about it tho, and there are some sweet flute-playing moments on one of the tracks. I think La Familia, if I recall.

Dont get me wrong tho its a minor quibble, I do really like Indestructible.

But I LOVE El "Ray" Criollo.

Are there any more albums like El "Ray" Criollo out there in the past and present? By Ray Barretto or even someone else?

Also, are there any bands that are more flute-heavy instead of wall-of-brass heavy? I would love a flute-oriented album.

I would also kill for any album with trombone and trumpet that dont do lots of big identical-wall-of-brass hits. Thats why I love El "Ray" Criollo so much. It lacks that entirely, so the only stuff left in it is perfect! :)

Thanks for any responses, and all previous responses!
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For flute oriented stuff try Johnny Pachecco, for trombonistas try Willie Colon or Jimmy Bosch!!!
 
If you are looking for salsa from the 60's and 70's on vinyl then check out this website:

mixlr.com
Search for "DJ Hong"
Click on showreel for the archives of his web broadcasts. Each broadcast is about 3 hrs long and there are about 50 of them. He gives some info about the albums and artists
 
Slowdance said:
What other music or albums have Roberto Rodriguez or Rene Lopez on them? Or what other trumpet players have those styles? Other than Miles Davis ( esp in his Fusion era ) I dont know much about trumpet players. I would love to find more fiery brassy trumpet passion that is in latin jazz or salsa. Those guys are great. All the playing on "Acid" (the album) is cool actually!
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