Matt "El Genio De La Salsa" was a term used to describe Louie Ramirez which translated is simply "The Genius of Salsa" and that he was but not only Salsa because Louie Ramirez, vibes, timbales, keyboards, arranger, songwriter, producer, label manager also had a real penchant for Jazz and no matter what he played or recorded, improvision was slipped in somewhere no matter what the style of music. "A Different Shade of Black" is one of those albums that is not the Louie of norm doing Boogaloo, Jazz and Salsa because here with this project released back in 1976, Louie has embraced disco with quite a nice little instrumental lean due to the fact that there are plenty of wonderful improvised solo's all over a distinct mid seventies disco take on a mix of various tunes. The album is one where the fans are split due to it not being the usual Latin fare and the other side think that it is a great little groover which is where I agree myself. This is a groover that has been underrated over time and these days often described as, "that it was ahead of its time" being a saying that is often used describing albums that were not successful but still extremely interesting and entertaining with this being the case here and the album has become quite a collectors item in recent years. I cannot resist these albums that might be described as experiments or anomalies in an artists discography due to the complete difference from their usual material as this one is.

You will need to sniff hard here to hear any Salsa as it has been all washed away by that disco theme and do not panic yet because having a band comprised of these members which is the reason that the album keeps the cheese from getting to strong is Louie on vibes and timbales, we get plenty of alto saxophone from Bobby Porcelli who has be descibed as one of the greatest in Latin Music to blow a horn and if you do listen to the album it becomes apparent that it so as Bobby really keeps it interesting with beautifully played solo's. Bernard Purdy the top shelf musician is on drums, Cornell Dupree provides electric guitar, Johhny Rodriguez is doing percussion and Arthur Jenkins on congas. The album is instrumental primarily with three vocalists used for background as they sing together but only in three of the compositions with the rest all instrumental. Although not listed in the musicians on the album cover listings, the synth is there providing that extra seventies disco element and one other point is that there are three bassists listed so who played on what I have no idea but as there are five different arrangers used on the album maybe that had something to do with it.

"Salsa" is the album opener with a conga rythmn intro as most of the tracks on the album contain but there is hardly any Latin to be heard as the disco beat quickly comes in with Louie playing vibes over the top and then the girls singing "Salsa ,ooohs and woo woo's" all over the groove which is quite a good album starter straight from the seventies dancefloor. "You Need a Man" follows written by Loggins and Messina and this is where Bobby Porcelli makes his first appearance with superb playing right throughout the composition with a conga funk backdrop right behind him on this wonderful little groover which finishes up with a one of those great funk guitar solos from Cornell Dupree. The title, "A Different Shade of Black" although a predominately disco feel the funk does come through at times but Bobby Porcelli soars all over it with more wonderful and powerful alto playing. "Latin Rhapsody" is one that does contain some Latin influence but it is still only a component of more wonderful Jazz from Bobby and Cornel Dupree's guitar but that Bobby Porcelli steals the show again. That saxophonist keeps coming throughout the album and when one plays like this man we need not worry about it being one dimensional with just superb playing right throughout every composition he is part of. We still do get Louie's vibes at time with a little of his timbales and the funk just oozes from Cornel's guitar and that is no more evident in what is perhaps the best track on the album the funk monster, "Do It Anyway You Wanna" which was a hit for the band Special Choice the year before and with the addition of the girls singing the title repeatedly the funk is all over this wonderful tune. Supertramp, yes that band gets a cover with one of their great tunes being "School" and who can resist a keyboard opening that tune contained although not identical (thankfully) and a slight different approach taken from the original being all instrumental. One other track that I should mention is the most Latin one on the album written and arranged by Louie being "Barrio Nuevo" with some great playing from Louie Ramirez on vibes throughout and comprising a great percussion and vibes solo within the composition which finshes off heading towards a frenzy.

Whatever Louie Ramirez played it always contained elements of Jazz which there is no shortage of being played here but it is all disco and funk based and you could not really say the album was ahead of its time because after the first few seconds of listening you are whipped back to the mid seventies in those disco bars with John Travolta look alikes everywhere but the cheese which could have so easily over run the album is not present more so due to the fact of the quality musicians with a special mention going to Bobby Porcelli on alto saxophone or just Bob Porcelli as he is listed here on the album cover.