Matt
Symphonic Salsa would be the best description for this wonderful and different album Willie Colon wrote and created with a band the size of an orchestra and was conducted by Marty Sheller The album is divided into 2 parts or suites if you prefer and with this one s a new path Willie Colon has created in Salsa and Latin Jazz which is the major component in this album symphony and all. Special mention must go to the presence of 'Yomo Toro" ( guitar,cuatro),"Alfredo De La Fe"(one awesome violinist),Alphonse Mouzon provides trap drums,Bob Porcelli (alto sax and flute),Victor Paz(trumpet) and the list goes on.There are no vocals used, just superb instumental music.
"Angustia Maternal" gets things underway with Strings and Synth which slowly becomes one multi drum solo overiding the top.Next up we have "Camino Al Barrio" with its distinct chorus of horns and Victor Paz on trumpet all over it.The tune is repeated again on "Para Los Viejitos" from the 2nd part of the album which is just as enjoyable.Track 3 'Son Guajira Del Encuentro" we drop the orchestra and a Conjunto format for this one with Yomo Toro laying doing superb playing on Cuatro."Angelitos Negros" is the Theme and a brief interlude with Yomo which leads to the track "Cuatro Por Tres" The album contains a lot of short tracks which interlink and by the time we have reached seven we have a reptition of the theme. Track 9 "Apartmento 21" has a great swinging feel with piano interspersed with plenty of horns and a real tasty trombone solo."8th Avenue In The Park" follows along and with a typical Latin approach with a myriad of drums,whistles and with horns blazing over the lot which is again repeated on the last track (an extension) "8th Avenue in The Park" ( El Fin) ."El Baguine" comes in 2nd last on the album and is one nice rolling along Latin tune with trombone.
Willie Colon is one of the Greats of Latin music and one only has to look at his past work if he was not solo he was usually with Hector Lavoe or Ruben Blades,and the list goes on.A time from straight Salsa was needed but unfortunately this really was not accepted at the time of its release but the reason was ,"Yep",Willie was ahead of his time and one fabulous album was created. Also another great cover.