Have you ever wondered where musicians get their inspirations for their songs from to create new classics? The ideas come from life experiences, relationships, childhood memories, etc. but Latin Jazz is unique in that the sources can come from many more places not limited to tradition, culture and life in general. In Latin Jazz you see many standard covers being recorded but the true vintage gems that are destined to be future classics are the ones that are created by pushing the envelope and going to places we have never heard before within the genre we call Latin Jazz. The mix of elements can be folkloric, religious, Rock, Soul, Jazz, Afro-Latin, Asian, African, European and more. For me one of the music genres that has a wealth of great music and vibes that make for excellent Latin Jazz is FUNK/R&B. There are some fantastic jams by some fabulous performers that were part of my youth that would do very well today as Latin Jazz. The best bands of the Funk genre include Names like Sly & The Family Stone, The Ohio Players, Earth Wind & Fire, Kool & The Gang, Mandrill, James Brown & The JB’s, War, and Bohannon. There are many songs I can recall but my favorites I’d love to see re-recorded simply by adding more percussion (in some cases these songs already include the heavy use of Latin percussion). Some of these songs include: Bohannon’s “Stop & Go”, The Temptations “Ball Of Confusion”, Mandrill’s “Git It All”, Sly & The Family Stone’s “It’s A family Affair”, Dennis Coffey & The Detroit Guitar Band’s “Scorpio”, Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Power”, The Ohio Players’ “Funky Worm”, Kool & The Gang’s “Electric Frog” & “Love The Life You Live”, Lynn Collin’s “Think”, War’s “All Day Music”, New Birth’s “Got To Git a Knutt”, The Isley Brothers’ “Who’s That Lady”, Gil Scott Heron’s “The Bottle”, James Brown’s “Super Bad”, The Beginning Of The End’s “Funky Nassau”, Barrabas’ “Woman”, The Chakachas “Jungle Strut”, Cymande’s “Bra”, Herbie Mann’s “Hijack”, The Jackson 5 “I Am Love”, Fred Wesley & The JB’s “Doin’ It To Death”, Jimmy Castor Bunch “It’s Just Begun”, & Lonnie Liston Smith’s “Expansions”.
These are just a few examples that I would love to see more of taken to a new level in the same way that Jazz and Soul/R&B acts incorporated Latin percussion and musicians into their world. In The same way salsa acts should be doing the same as artists did during the 70’s. This keeps the music from getting stagnant. That’s why artists such as Eddie & Charlie Palmieri, Libre, Tito Puente, Richie Ray & Bobby Cruz, Yambu, Louie Ramirez, Tipica 73 and many others are iconic today. We do see sprinkles of that era in today’s Salsa but not enough. We do see it in Latin Jazz (the voice of the musician)!
With all that said we do have some interesting full records & EP’s (short albums of about 5-6 tracks) that have come out recently. Violinist Freddy Rodriguez who has played with Novel, Johnny Pacheco, Orchestra Broadway and others has formed Freddy Rodriguez and his Urban Charanga Project with the EP “Se Enciende La Candela” (La Candela by Los Van Van that was taken to a new level) featuring vocalist Hector ‘Papote’ Jimenez. The EP has three charanga flavored R&B tracks “All Of Me” by Jon Legend, “I’ll Be Around” by The Spinners and “Backstabbers” by The O’Jay’s. Freddy Rodriguez also did a version of El Gran Combo’s “Brujeria” and the best track the title track “Se Enciende La Candela”. The band was unique in adding urban to the charanga!
While there have been some creative albums this year so far, like in previous years, there have been more and more poorly done albums with nothing to say. This could be one or several factors that include the lack of input from a record label, a marketing person/team or just input from others knowledgeable on selections of songs, sequencing of songs or how to properly promote in today’s digital world.
John Santos Sextet & Friends is one band that continues to remain true to their recordings doing good music that they want to do not looking for commercial radio success. As they did, at the beginning of last January, they were the first release of 2025 with the CD “Horizontes” celebrating 40 years of recordings at Machete Records. The band’s mission was to bring people together with love, to touch, lift and inspire anyone and everyone. Their music always has intention and a message! “Levantamiento” is for uplifting wit guest vocalist Jerry Medina and Orestes Vilato (The HOF legendary timbalero of Ray Barretto fame), “Mañengue”, also with Jerry Medina, is a tribute to Jose Manuel Hidalgo (Giovanni’s son) who died last March. A song that John added that he had stored away was “Calzada Mexico-Tacuba”, with guest jerry Gonzalez on muted trumpet (Jerry died in 2018), inspired by the streets in Mexico City where bassist Saul Sierra was born. Pianist Marco Diaz’ “Times Up” is influenced by Jazz, Afro Cuban, Funk, & middle east elements. The kind of music I referred to at the start of this article. “Yes, Yes Si Pues” is my favorite and the CD has excellent performances by flutist Dr. John Calloway, drummer David Flores, saxophonist Melicio Magdaluyo, cuatrista Pedro Pastrana and saxophonist Charlie Gurke.
Percussionist Tomas Martin Lopez does not record often but I would record him every year. His CD’s have been works of art and his latest ‘Right Here” is no exemption that pulls you in from start to finish. On the selections “Right Here”, “Hot Cocoa”, “Blue Monday”, “Soul Rican” and “Riverside Drive” he surrounds himself with an all-star cast of musicians Bill O’Connell (who wrote three songs), Mike Viñas (from Seis Del Solar fame), Ivan Renta, Joh Belzaguy, Carlo Lopez (leader of The Echo Park Project and Tomas’ brother) and the vibe sounds of newcomer Chien Chein Lu.
Back in 1998 the Jazz world was introduced to a hot new trumpeter that was gifted to become a giant by the name of Ray Hargrove. He won the Grammy for Best Latin Jazz album Roy Hargrove’s Crisol “Havana”. He was so blown away by the win that he took the band right back to the studio to record a new CD that did not appear until the end of last year titled “Grande Terre”. He passed on right after he did the recording. ‘Grande Terre” is a true showcase of his genius with an awesome band that has guitarist Ed Cherry, percussionists Changuito (Jose Luis Quintana), Miguel ‘Anga’ Diaz, Julio Barreto, trombonist Frank Lacy, pianists Gabriel Hernandez & Larry Willis, and saxophonists Sherman Irby & Jacques Schwartz-Bart. The top hits here are “Rumba Roy”, “B&B”, “Kamala’s Dance”, “Lake Danse”, “Afreka”, “Priorities” and “Audrey”.
Celia Cruz would have turned 100 this year so you will be seeing celebrations all year long and Fania has already started with the re-issue of “Son Con Guaguanco” on red vinyl with the hit ‘Bemba Colora” and also “Tremendo Cache” with Johnny Pacheco with the hits “Cucala”, “Sopa En Botella”, Tres Dias En Carnaval” and the meremgue “No Aguanto Mas”.
Mike Amadeo told me back in July that he helped set this recording up for Celia and that it was Charlie Palmieri who produced this album but many, including Craft Records, credit Tito Puente as he producer. I tend to believe Mike because it does not sound like TP and why did he not have his name on the recording if he was recording Celia for the first time?
Universal has released a two-vinyl magenta splatter color set of “A Night Of Salsa” (25th Anniversary) recorded live in Hartford, Connecticut in 2000 with Isidro Infante as musical director and the guests Tito Puente, Johnny Pacheco & India. Sony has also released a metallic silver vinyl of “Regalo Del Alma”. Expect a lot more this year from the Celia archives. Fania announced the up next is Celai with Willie Colon’s “Only They Could Have Made This Album”.
Craft Records also just released “Fania Records: The Latin Sound of New York (1964-1978)” , on vinyl, with a very good selection of iconic songs by Ray Barretto (“Indestructible” and “Acid”), Wilie Colon with Hector Lavoe & Ruben Blades (“Che Che Cole”, “La Murga” & “Pedro Navaja”), the Fania All Stars (“Estrellas De Fania”), the Joe Cuba Sextet (El Raton”), Cheo Feliciano (“Anacaona”), Joe Bataan (“Gypsy Woman”), Hector Lavoe (“El Cantante” & “Mi Gente”), Ismael Rivera (“Las Caras Linda”), Richie Ray & Bobby Cruz (“Aguzate”), Johnny Pacheco & Celia Cruz (“Quimbara”) and Pete Rodriguez (“I Like It (I Like It Like That”). The one song I did not agree on was Eddie Palmieri’s “Café” with so many others. For me “Café” is not even in his ‘Top 10’ best hits.
Craft continues to be the best buy on vinyl with all their color vinyl’s going for just $30.00 where many other artists sell their black vinyl between $45.00 and $60.00.
Percussionist Dimas Sanchez and his band Afro Latin Jazz just released “Afro Antillano” that showcases trumpeter Jochy Rodriguez, who composes and arranges the majority of the songs on this recording, also with tenor saxophonist David Sanchez and pianists Tony Perez & Angel David Mattos. The songs here worthy of airplay are “Loro”, “Holanda”, “La Contradanza”, “Bomba Eh”, “A La Verdegue” and “Salve”.
From Australia we have the new Mateo Lorenzo & Yambeque album “Cantantes Del Mundo” with the vocalists Gonzalo Porta Pepitin, Yami Gonzalez, Freddy Guzman, Eigner Renteria and Miguelito. The lead track was “Cantantes Del Mundo with Pepitin, Miguelito (Juan Miguel Gonzalez, Hernandez), Gonzalo Porta and the veteran Rey Torcat from Venezuela. Also destined to be hits are “Aisha”, “La Chica De La Esquina”, and “Donde Hay Rumba, Hay Guaguanco”.
Lusito Ayala y La Puerto Rican Power is back with an album called “Back To The Salsa” (as in Back To The Future) features a few older tunes like “Tu Cariñito”, “Quiereme Tal Como Soy” and “Juguete De Nadie” with new voices. “A Donde Iras” features Gilberto Santa Rosa but for me Gilberto has appeared as a guest with so many artists in the past years it has gotten old and many of these songs sound bland and lacking. If you like ‘Salsa Romantica’ Puerto Rican Power continues to excel.
Reunidos Por La Salsa just dropped the recording “Two” with their line-up of vocalists and one Latin Jazz instrumental “Bembe”. My picks here are “Tu Del Norte y Yo Del Sur” (Edwin ‘El Calvito’ Ryes & Kriptony Texeira), “Rumba y Guaguanco” (Tito Guadalupe), “Solo Tiempo Pa’ Rumba” (Edwin Reyes & Jose Novoa), “La Salsa No Se Murio”, “Lista y Peligrosa” (Eliu De Jesus Reyes) and “El Cascabel Al Gato” (Eliu De Jesus Reyes & Jose Novoa).
Patois Records a new edition of “Salsa De La Bahia Vol.3: Renegade Queens” that starts with a big band mambo track with the voice of Christelle Durandy “We Were Born to Drum”. Produced by Wayne Wallace this new project gives us a look at ‘las bravas’ and trailblazing women of the Bay area scene doing Afro Cuban music over the past 50 years. Besides the CD this will also be a documentary.
Ernie Acevedo & Conjunto Imagen have been pioneers in adding English Salsa to many of their recordings and just compiled all those tracks titled “Salsa In English”. On the recording you have Toni Braxton’s “Unbreak My Heart”, Little Antony & The Imperials’ “Tears On My Pillow”, Heatwave’s “Always & Forever”, The Skylarks “Wild Flower”, Johnny Gill’s “My My, My”, Luther Vandross’ “Here & Now”, Neil Sedaka’s “Breaking Up Is Hard To Do” amongst others.
Ruben Blades, who told the world almost a decade ago that he was retiring from recording, blesses us with another superb recording “Fotografias” with Roberto Delgado y su Orquesta. Ruben is an excellent lyricist and does not disappoint us on this recording that ranges from small conjunto to Big Band. Loved his new version of Ismael Miranda with Orchestra Harlow’s “Señor Botanico” and Bobby Valentin’s “La Belleza De Son” as well as an updated version of the bolero “Eso Es Amar” that he recorded with Ray Barretto. Also of noteworthy and amazing for airplay are “Fotografias”, “La Barricada” and “El Panquelero” with his alter ego Medoro Madera from 2018.
Julito Alvarado is one of Latin music’s best trumpeters and arranger that is supreme in both the Salsa (with his band Del Sur Al Norte) and Latin Jazz. To celebrate his 40 years as an artist he chose to record “My Musical Journey” as a Latin Jazz album. Julito has always showcased the musicians he records with that here include, Luis Rodriguez, Norberto Ortiz, Pedro Guzman, Kenny Ortiz, Humberto Ruiz, Francisco Alcala, Giovanni Rodriguez, Hommy Ramos, Ricardo Lugo, Victor Roman, Tommy Lee Ramos and Victor Vazquez all names to look for in future recordings. Juliot has been an amazing pioneer for new talent in Puerto Rico. Just listen to “Daddy’s Swing”, “El Bloque”, “Aires Del Campo”, “Blues For Alicia”, “Night In Tunisia” and one of my favorites “Ponce’s Rumba”.
Here now are the Top 50 songs to start the year:
1-Obbashe- Salsa De Mi Barrio
2-Guaco- Cinco Rosas
3-Jai Ramos- Para El Sonero Del Pueblo
4-Zayra Pola- Puro Teatro
5-Luistio Rosario- Sacala Que Ella Baila
6-Pedro Conga y su Orquesta Internacional- Voy A Olvidar
7-Ruben Blades & Roberto Delgado y su Orquesta- Fotografias
8-Steve Gasch & O.N.E. Ft. Wiwi Buznego- Ya La Encontre (Busquenla Parte 2)
9-Kevin Ricard Ft. Anthony Almonte- Rosas
10-Eduardo Zayas y su EZ La Banda Ft. Kevin Gabriel & Rafeal Romero- Jibaro Salsero
11-Hector Olmos Ft. Kenny Cruz, Papo Sanchez, Luisito Carrion, Norbert Velez- Me Saca De Aqui
12-Roby Texeira Ft. Jorgito Nicolai- Yo Puse Una Cascarita
13-Freddy Rodriguez & His Urban Charanga Project- Se Enciende La Candela
14-Jonathan Powell- Un Dia Bonito II
15-Reunidos Por La Salsa- Solo Tiempo Pa’ Rumba
16-Rachel Terrien Latin Jazz Project Ft. Mireya Ramos & Andy Rubal- Beauty Free
17-Joe T. Gonzalez & The San Juan Hill Experience- Descarga Joe
18-Gunther ‘Guy’ Brogle- Indestructible
19-Julio Albino y su Orquesta Secreto a Voces- Pasaporte de Rumbero
20-Luisito Ayala y La Puerto Rican Power- Yo No Soy Tu Papi
21-Salsabor y Son-Vente A La Rumba
22-Jose Cheo Torres Ft. Luisito Carrion- Mi Infierno En La Tierra
23-Mateo Lorenzo y su Yambeque- Cantantes Del Mundo
24-David Millan- Abrire La Puerta
25-CSAN-II- Eres Una Flor
26-Tromboranga- Baila Son Montuno
27-La Marcha- Hazlo Tuyo
28-Jose Alberto ‘El Canario’- Yuca, Lechon y Congri
29-Riverita y su Orquesta Noche Caliente- Si Tu Supieras
30-Gabrielto y La Verdad- WTF
31-Edwin Lebron- El Party Se Formo
32-Edwin ‘El Calvito’ Reyes- El Karma
33-Los Guardiola- Refranes
34-Roman y sus Timberos- Los Timberos Llegaron
35-Nic N’Taya Ft. Alexander Abreu- Tu Boca
36-Nell Alvarez- Uno Para Siempre
37-Kharim Santos- Te Dije Que Era Eterno
38-Christian Alicea- Hello, What’s Up
39-Victor Jaramillo y Domingo Quiñones- Cuando La Vuelva A Ver
40-Luis Damon- Un Amor De La Calle
41-Wito Rodriguez & The Manhattans- We Never Danced To A Love Song
42-Christian Ray- Lo Que Dice Justi
43-Pablo Perez ‘El Alcalde De La Salsa’- Witinila
44-Willie Panama- Afinque Pa’ Los Rumberos
45-Papo Vazquez Mighty Pirate Troubadours- Dos Titos
46-Idiosincrasia Orquesta- Celebracion
47-Roosevelt ‘El Presidente De La Salsa’- El Tambor y La Clave
48-La Diva Pimienta- La Diva De La Rumba
49-Ramses Arraya y Ruben Blades- Te Odio y Te Quiero
50-Johnny Moret y La Colectiva Latina Ft. David Atanacio- El Son De La Madrugada