THE SPANISH HARLEM ORCHESTRA
Un Gran Dia en el Barrio
Rykodisc
· The Village Voice calls this the only salsa CD you'll ever need.
Few neighbourhoods have the musical history that Harlem does. Jazz legends like Cab Calloway and Duke Ellington often performed in clubs in the neighbourhood, as did many others. But jazz is not the only musical form that Harlem should be noted for.
Long before Ricky Martin rode the Latin pop wave to commercial success and subsequent obscurity, Puerto Rican salsa music was taking over the neighbourhood of Spanish Harlem. To some extent, the rhythms also invaded mainstream jazz, where they continue to thrive in the current search for infectious and authentic music. Thus, it might be advisable to cast your gaze beyond just Un Gran Dia en el Barrio – the story of salsa is so complicated that any single release can only hope to present a part of the tale. It is, however, a very good place to start. Many legendary salsa musicians contribute to the CD, which has met with widespread critical acclaim and, accordingly, sounds great.
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