Latin Beat music update - recently-released sound recordings

Latin Beat Magazine, Feb, 2004 by Nelson Rodríguez

Truco y Zaperoko's latest is en outstanding disc that fuses bomba and plena with guaguancó. Música Universal is exactly what the title implies and could have easily made everyone's 2003 Top 10.

Another super hot release is Francisco Aguabella's Ochimini, with plenty of improvisations from Justo Almario, Donald Vega, Luis Eric González, Sal Cracchiolo, Jules Rowell, Francisco Torres, guest Poncho Sánchez and the master himself, Francisco Aguabella.

Envidia is reissuing 1992 recordings by Alfredo de la Fé and Néstor Torres, formerly produced by Jules Sagna as Orchestra Rytmo Africa-Cubana.

Havana NRG's long awaited debut has lots of power punched into the tracks Salsa Tumbao, Havana City; Break the Mambo and Con Güiro.

Costa Brava is back with a new offering of some of their old hits. Freddy Barbosa, Ulises Verdez and Ulysses Martínez handle Otra Vez's vocals. This disc sets the tone for their 25th anniversary tour.

Jazz lovers will truly enjoy Rubén González Jr.'s Mulatas Mágicas, featuring compositions by Elsa Torres, wife of Juan Pablo Torres. Mayito Rivera's nieces (the Chiki Chaka Girls), El Nene and Pio Leiva are also featured as vocalists.

Ray de la Paz is featured on the new Spanish Harlem Orchestra's Solo Vive Por Ti and Impacto Crea's Te Cantaré, while Rey Sepúlveda joins the band on La Música Es Mi Vida, from the Sociedad 76 LP El Hulk De La Salsa.

Ralph Irizarry & Timbalaye's hot, new CD It's Time sizzles with performances by Luis Perdomo, Bob Franceschini, Alex Norris, Noah Bless, Roberto Quintero and Waldo Chavez, plus guests Andrea Brachfeld, Mike Stern and Raul Agraz. Irizarry also recorded for Latin Percussion Drum Solos (Part 2).

Henry Mora's venture into the big band sound has produced Round Midnight with the tunes Lover Man, El Menú, Puerto Rico, Unforgettable and the title track.

Rick Arroyo--son of popular Las Vegas radio host Rae Arroyo--has released On Fire in the Desert, covering such fine standards as Equinox, Claudia, Flight to Jordan and Dindi.

Los Van Van's Live at Miami Arena includes a bonus three-hour DVD with bonus material that makes this a huge winner.

The new Celia Cruz DVD, An Extraordinary Woman ... Azucar (Pimienta) has wonderful footage, vintage photos and great interviews.

Giovanni Hidalgo's DVD series Conga Virtuoso includes instructional material and various performances.

The Hot in Cuba: Feel the Rhythm and Hot in Cuba: Lost in Music DVDs include some of Cuba's hot acts such as Charanga Forever Issac Delgado, Manolito Simonet y Su Trabuco, Los Van Van and NG La Banda.

Jerry Rivera's Canto A Mi Idolo ... Frankie Ruiz is the first of what will be many tributes to one of salsa's best '80s vocalists. The late Ruiz left a wealth of music and is the first soloist of the '80s who opened the door for Eddie Santiago, Willie González, Luis Enrique and Jerry Rivera.

Percussionist Tito De Gracia and Naoka Jam's debut jazz effort features Jochy Rodríguez, Manolo Navarro, Pedro Pérez, Gamalier González, Manuel Pelayo, Wilfredo López and guests Papo Lucca, Giovanni Hidalgo, Bobby Valentín, Roberto Roena, Elías Lopes, Jesús Caunedo, Pedro Guzmán and Raul Rodriguez.

Elio Revé y Su Charangón return with Changui Homenaje- 45 Años. This is Elio Jr.'s second recording, featuring vocalists Dagoberto Vázquez, Rosendi Díaz Cuellar, Abdel Rasalps and Pascual Matos Aguirre.

Orquesta Sueña del Caribe is a new band from Puerto Rico making its debut with the very dance-oriented El Corte Perfecto.

Cadaver Exquisito is a vibe-oriented band from Venezuela with vocalist Maigualida Ocaña, who exels on the CD En Vivo Desde La Terraza Del Ateneo.

Los Toros Band's new CD, Indetenibles, has received great commercial radio reviews with its first single, Loca Conmigo.

Ramy Reyes (Ramito), ex-member of the merengue band Iris y Franklin, has formed his own company (Cosmos Productions) and represents a group called Los Clásicos del Merengue featuring Bonny Cepeda, Aramís Camilo, Peter Cruz and Sandy Reyes. He also represents Elvis Classe y su Banda Loca, Gozando, and the female bachata group Musa.