| The Fania All Stars made Salsa popular around the | | | | outstanding "Mi Gente", where the public does "coro" to |
| world in the 1970's. They could fill stadiums and arenas | | | | Hector Lavoe (with a good home theater or head |
| everywhere they went. They played a big part in the | | | | phones, you feel like in the middle of the concert in this |
| huge success Salsa enjoyed during the 1970's. Below I'll | | | | song) and the trombone solos of Barry Rogers and |
| share with you my favorite Fania All Stars recordings, | | | | Willie Colon add the cherry in the top. Other notable |
| which I recommend you add to your music collection. | | | | songs are "Pueblo Latino" by Pete "El Conde", "Bemba |
| Fania All Stars Early Live Recordings: | | | | Colora" by Celia Cruz (a bit too long for my taste), and |
| The Fania All Stars early "live" recordings were some | | | | I like Justo Betancourt's "Echate pa'lla". There is also |
| of their best work, with the exception of their | | | | the "descarga" "Congo Bongo" with Mongo |
| forgettable very 1st recording, "Live at the Red Garter" | | | | Santamaria, and Ismael Quintana's "Mi Debilidad". |
| (1968). Some people loved the uncontrolled jams that | | | | Fania All Stars - Studio Recordings: |
| were recorded in the album, which includes probably | | | | The Fania All Stars then decided to do some studio |
| the only appearances in the Fania All Stars by Tito | | | | recordings. Their first one, which is my 2nd favorite |
| Puente, and Eddie Palmieri. Still, no lasting hits came out | | | | Fania All Stars recording, is "Tribute to Tito Rodriguez" |
| of it. | | | | (1976). In this recording, Fania found the "original |
| The "Live at the Cheetah" recording (1971) was a | | | | formula" again. This recording has a powerful sound, |
| totally different thing. Fania applied what the learned in | | | | mixed well the rhythm of the songs, and brought back |
| the 1st recording, and came with a full line-up of stars, | | | | the full All-Star singers line-up, with then newcomer |
| ready to rock the Cheetah. This, in my opinion, was | | | | Ruben Blades filling in for Celia Cruz. The young |
| their best work ever. The music sounded as powerful | | | | Panamanian did superbly in his Fania All Stars debut, |
| as it ever did, a showcase of what salsa should sound | | | | with "Los Muchachos de Belen" which has a very |
| like. The arrangements, most made by Bobby Valentin, | | | | strong mambo, anchored by the trombone section of |
| were superb. The musicians were truly an All Star; the | | | | Barry Rogers, Reynaldo Jorge, and Willie Colon. |
| percussion had Ray Barretto (congas), Orestes Vilato | | | | Ruben's soneos are right on; he sings his heart out and |
| (timbal), and Roberto Roena (bongo). For the | | | | aces the song. The rest of this superbly well recorded |
| subsequent albums Orestes was substituted by Nicky | | | | album is not to be dismissed. It opens with a "bolero" |
| Marrero, an exceptional musician as well. But Vilato | | | | medley of 3 of Tito Rodriguez's favorites; "Inolvidable, |
| played his heart out in this recording, and you can hear | | | | "Lo Mismo Que a Usted", and "Tiemblas", interpreted |
| his timbal highlight almost every song. You could tell he | | | | by Cheo Feliciano, Chivirico Davila, and Bobby Cruz |
| and Ray Barretto were band mates, as they play | | | | respectively. Cheo Feliciano is a bolero master and |
| each other perfectly in solos and improvised cuts | | | | delivers exceptionally in "Inolvidable"; Chivirico comes |
| during a song. Barretto didn't hold back either, and | | | | back after appearing at the Red Garter with Armando |
| made the conga be felt in every opportunity. And as | | | | Manzanero's "Lo Mismo Que a Usted", and Bobby |
| far as Roberto Roena in the bongo and "campana" | | | | Cruz, another maestro of the bolero, shines in |
| (cow bell), I have just two words; "Ponte Duro"; | | | | "Tiemblas". Ismael Miranda does a good interpretation |
| amazing! | | | | of "El Agua de Belen", and I love Justo Bentancourt's |
| The rhythm section had Larry Harlow on piano (Richie | | | | superb interpretation of "Cara de Payaso", Hector |
| Ray played it in "Ahora Vengo Yo" to accompany his | | | | Lavoe's fine-tuned voice in "Cuando, Cuando, Cuando", |
| singer Bobby Cruz), Bobby Valentin on bass, and | | | | and Ismael Quintana's fresh interpretation of "Fue en |
| Yomo Toro on the Puerto Rican "cuatro" guitar. In the | | | | Santiago". Then all singers come together to pay |
| wind section you had Barretto's Roberto Rodriguez, | | | | homage to Tito Rodriguez in "Vuela la Paloma". |
| Dominican Hector "Bomberito" Zarzuela, and Larry | | | | "Tribute to Tito Rodriguez" is another recording that |
| Spencer in trumpets, and Barry Rogers, Reynaldo | | | | should not be missing in your collection. It has great |
| Jorge, and Willie Colon on trombone! You couldn't | | | | songs, great performances, powerful Fania All Star |
| assemble a better wind section in Latin music (perhaps | | | | sound, and a great recording job done at the studio for |
| with the exception of adding Panamanian trumpet | | | | a clear quality sound. |
| player Victor Paz, who participated in the 1st recording, | | | | "Havana Jam" (1979) was the Fania All Stars last |
| and would have been welcomed back), and it shows. | | | | recording of the '70's. This was a live concert in Cuba, |
| They sound so harmonic and powerful, you would | | | | in which the Fania All Stars shared the stage with |
| think they've been playing together since 2nd grade. | | | | other American artists like Billy Joel, Rita Coolidge, Kris |
| The singers were the best of what was out there, | | | | Kristofferson, and with the participation of Cuba's |
| before all the band-singer splits started to occur. Pete | | | | Irakere and Orquesta Aragon, in what was classified |
| "El Conde" Rodriguez, Hector Lavoe, Ismael Miranda, | | | | as a "cultural exchange". |
| Adalberto Santiago, Cheo Feliciano, Santos Colon, and | | | | The Fania All Stars Crossover: |
| Bobby Cruz. All excellent signers, but in my opinion, | | | | Starting in the late 1970's and throughout the 1980's, the |
| Pete "El Conde" and Cheo Feliciano where the | | | | Fania All Stars worked very hard at crossing over to |
| highlights, with their performance on songs "Macho | | | | Latin Jazz, Jazz, and even Rock in order to attract a |
| Cimarron" and "Anacaona" respectively, as well as | | | | wider audience. Most of these crossover recording |
| their "soneos" on the all-singers songs like "Estrellas de | | | | were forgettable. These recordings started in the late |
| Fania" and "Quitate Tu". | | | | '70's with "Rhythm Machine" (1977) and "Spanish |
| I can't think of a single off song in this recording. All | | | | Fever" (1978). The album "Cross Over" (1979) was |
| songs are a joy to listen, even the Intro and Closing | | | | actually NOT a cross over recording, but rather the 1st |
| themes, and all made radio hits, even when they were | | | | pure "salsa" album since the Tito Rodriguez one. Why |
| much longer than what was the normal 3-4 minute | | | | the called this one "Cross Over" beats me, but it is a |
| playing time in radio. The public in the Cheetah got very | | | | decent recording, with Salvador Cuevas taking over |
| much into it, dancing and doing "la clave" in a couple of | | | | bass duties for Bobby Valentin. |
| songs. | | | | The 1980's were mostly devoted to cross over |
| I think it's evident this is my personal favorite Fania All | | | | recordings, with some exceptions of "Lo Que Pide la |
| Stars recording, and no true salsa-lover should be | | | | Gente" which highlighted Hector Lavoe's "El Rey de la |
| without this 2-CD set (or LP's, as the case may be) in | | | | Puntualidad", where Hector made a self-mock of his |
| their collection. In my opinion, this recording is one of | | | | infamous tardiness to gigs. One of my favorites |
| Salsa music's standout classic hit recordings. | | | | albums from this cross over recordings, was "Rhythm |
| "Latin-Soul-Rock" (1974) followed the Cheetah | | | | Machine". Besides having Ruben Blades super-hit "Juan |
| recording. Talk about going from way high to way low. | | | | Pachanga", the other jazzy songs are pretty decent, |
| Here the Fania started showing its intent to crossover, | | | | anchored by the trumpet (and arrangements) of |
| and do more than "Salsa Dura". A good product of | | | | Puerto Rican maestro Luis "Perico" Ortiz. Perico is a |
| that was the version of "El Raton" with Cheo Feliciano | | | | natural for jazz, being jazz one of his musical loves, |
| singing his Joe Cuba Sextet hit, with Jorge "El Malo" | | | | and it shows in this recording. Perico's arrangements |
| Santana (Carlos Santana's brother) in the electric | | | | mostly tend to have either elements of jazz or of "big |
| guitar. This was the song that sold most for this | | | | band". His own band had a very powerful "big band" |
| recording. Fania brought as guest, African saxophone | | | | sound, with very jazzy arrangements. |
| player Manu Dibango, and had some fusion songs in | | | | The Fall of the Fania All Stars: |
| there of some interest, but this was not what | | | | The 1980's and the cross over attempts weakened |
| "salseros" were waiting for in the Fania All Stars' next | | | | the Fania All Stars in particular and Salsa music in |
| recording. | | | | general. The cross over attempts were |
| The Fania All Stars made up the lost ground with the | | | | understandable, given the popularity and commercial |
| double album "Live at Yankee Stadium" (1976), which | | | | success Rock and Disco were having during this |
| provided another "home run" after "striking out" with | | | | period. Fania was trying to ride that wave of |
| "Latin-Soul-Rock". The funny thing about this album | | | | commercial success in any way it could. The strategy |
| was that most of it was not recorded at the Yankee | | | | didn't work. Perhaps it would have made more sense |
| Stadium, but at the Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San | | | | to keep the original concept and evolve the sound (as |
| Juan. The Yankee Stadium concert was ill-planned, and | | | | with the Tito Rodriguez album). |
| resulted in an early melee which caused severe | | | | The prestige of having participated with the Fania All |
| destruction to the stadium and forced the cancellation | | | | Stars never died. To this date, musicians who played |
| of the concert. Emusica, the firm which purchased the | | | | with the Fania All Stars have that as a golden star in |
| rights to the Fania collection a few years ago, recently | | | | their resume. The Fania All Stars travelled all over the |
| released the original "live" recording of the San Juan | | | | world, even making recordings in Africa (for the |
| concert of 1973. You can confirm in the original | | | | Mohammed Ali -George Foreman fight in Zaire) and |
| recording that some songs were "re-touched" in the | | | | also in Japan and Cuba. The visited Europe and South |
| recording studio, with some songs "re-touched" more | | | | America frequently. They spread the gospel of Salsa, |
| than others. Hector Lavoe's "Mi Gente" was kept | | | | and people were receptive to it. Because of that, salsa |
| pretty much as it was originally recorded, where as | | | | is listened and danced to all over the world. |
| Ismael Miranda's "Que Rico Suena mi Tambor" had | | | | My Favorites (summary): |
| most of the "soneos" re-done, for good reason (the | | | | The good Fania All Stars recordings are in the early to |
| original "soneos" were very repetitive). | | | | mid 70's, as I mentioned above. If you like dancing or |
| All in all, this Yankee Stadium recording is a good | | | | listening to real salsa, my best recommendation is "Live |
| recording by the Fania All Stars. The end product had | | | | at the Cheetah" and "Tribute to Tito Rodriguez". You |
| good songs with good arrangements. Richie Ray and | | | | can't go wrong with these recordings, with the "Live at |
| Bobby Cruz start showing their religious devotion on | | | | Yankee Stadium" in a close 3rd. If you come along |
| "Hermandad Fania", while the addition of veterans Celia | | | | some of the cross over albums, just make sure you |
| Cruz, Justo Betancourt and Eddie Palmieri's Ismael | | | | reset your expectations before purchasing. |
| Quintana were welcome additions to the singers' | | | | I also recommend two of the Fania All Star movies, as |
| star-line-up. That meant Cheo Feliciano didn't get much | | | | they show more than just the music. One if "Our Latin |
| chance to sing on this recording. Good recording, but a | | | | Thing", which opens with Barretto's theme "Cocinando", |
| lot more "scripted" than the Cheetah. The music still | | | | an nice "Latin Jazz" tune which became very popular |
| sounds powerful, but not electrifying. This recording | | | | at the time. The film highlights the concert at the |
| doesn't has the magic of the Cheetah, and not all | | | | Cheetah, but also shows life in the Barrio of New York, |
| songs are as strong. You can hear the Cheetah | | | | and the role salsa played in that neighborhood at during |
| double-albums back-to-back, and at the end, feel like | | | | those years. |
| starting all over again. When playing the Yankee | | | | The other film I recommend is "Salsa". In this |
| Stadium double-albums back -to-back, you start to feel | | | | documentary, Gerardo Rivera narrates the history of |
| hints of boredom at some point. Much of the music | | | | Salsa, from the early influences of Latinos in the music |
| just sounds the same. The Cheetah music had | | | | scene of the United States, to the Fania All Stars and |
| changes in pace or style (son montuno to guajira, to | | | | El Gran Combo. Good informative documentary, with |
| rumba, back to son), which made every song "fresh". | | | | not that much music ("Mi Gente" by the Fania All Stars, |
| I still recommend buying this "Live at Yankee Stadium" | | | | and "Julia" by El Gran Combo are the musical |
| double-album. It does have some great songs, with the | | | | highlights). |