Ray Barretto - Que Viva La Musica (7 tracks) +Album Reviews

The Highpoint of Ray Barretto's Fania Recordings

William Jones | Rockville, MD USA | 01/13/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"With:Roberto Rodriguez, Trumpet Rene Lopez, Trumpet Joseph Roman, Trumpet Orestes Vilato, Timbales, Wood Block John Rodriguez, Bongos, Conga David Perez, Bass Luis Cruz, Electric Piano Adalberto Santiago, Vocals Ray Barreto, Conga, QuintoThis is the pinnacle of Ray Barretto on Fania Records, the great New York salsa label founded by Johnny Pacheco. A lot of people were profoundly affected by "Que Viva la Musica" and it stands as one of Ray Barretto's most "rounded" salsa recordings."Cocinando" or "Cocinando Suave" was recorded by Pancho Sanchez as "Sonando"."

One of the best latin jazz/salsa albums in history

alvaro gonzalez | Barcelona, Spain | 06/10/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Barretto is a heavyweight conga player, and this is "the" record at the pinnacle of his career, after joining the legendary Fania record label. There's a lot here to remark: the quality of songs like "que viva la música", "la pelota", "alafia cumaye", an splendid Barretto and the sonero Adalberto Santiago at his finest. Another "giant" salsero, Orestes Vilató (who founded Tipica 73 later), plays timbales like a God in this recording. And, if all this is not enough, you have "cocinando", the introductory song of "Our latin thing", a great movie that explains a lot of the salsa movement of the seventies.

A must have."

Everyone should have this record

Dita | NY United States | 05/03/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Que Viva la Musica" is one of the best records ever made in any category. No record collection should be without it. It features beautiful songs, Ray Barretto's visonary ideas and execution in percussion, and above all the golden voice of Adalberto Santiago, one of the world's great soneros."

Barretto in TOP FORM!!

Canuco | New York City | 03/29/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album is DA BOMB! From the opening number, Barretto sets the tone for the rest of the album, QVLM begins with a band fanfare intro that breaks into a descarga (guaguanco callejero), with Adalberto then joining in with tight vocals inspiring the rest of the band into painting for the listener one of the great dance numbers of all time. The other tunes are also treated with Barretto's always in the pocket and hip style of playing. Barretto always surrounded himself with the best musicians and this album was no exception. In the Arsenio classic, "Bruca Manigua", Ray pays homage to the roots, the tambor and his Afro-Caribbean heritage with his very relaxed but funky cha cha rendition of this Cuban musical staple. The next tracks, "La Pelota" and "El Tiempo Lo Dira" are Barretto/R. Rodriguez compositions that lend true legitimacy to Barretto's compositional and arranging talents.

We now come to the jewel... "Cocinando", a gem of a tune, that cements Barretto's reputation permanently as one of the top dogs in Latin music. "Cocinando" has got to be one of the coolest, smoothest, and sensual cha cha tunes ever done. On "Cocinando", he pulls out all stops, turns on the heat and cooks it up to a steaming boil, keeping the musical tension tight thru-out, letting the fellas stretch out on extended solos. David Perez on bass, throbs and undulates the tempo all the way, Orestes Vilato explodes with percussive pyrotechnics and of course Barretto hops into the pot and smacks some serious percussive sofrito into this tune. A smoker of a tune for all serious salseros. The closing number, "Alafia Cumaye", has Adalberto also in top form, helping the make this album an all time classic. Barretto always the jazz musician, weaves his jazz experience everywhere to add his unique touch on this recording but he always manages to keep all the numbers in the groove and very danceable.

Ray Barretto at the pinnacle of his musical creativity.

Get this one, or else I'm telling on you....

"

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