RAY BARRETTO — Acid (review)

RAY BARRETTO — Acid album cover Album · 1968 · Afro-Cuban Jazz Buy this album from MMA partners
5/5 ·
Matt
Born April 29//4/1929 in New York. Ray was Puerto Rican and he soon discovered the music of "Chano Pozo" (Legendary Cuban Conga Drummer) and "Dizzy Gillespie" and his ambition to be play Conga's was cemented.He was soon working as a Side man on jazz recordings with the likes of "Jose Curbelo" and "Tito Puente". Ray soon formed his own Charanga influenced band and had a hit with "El Watusi". Boogaloo was the new Latin style to emerge around 1966 and Ray embraced the music and formed his own Conjunto and now we have arrived at "Acid"

First up is" El Nuevo Barretto", Son is the style and what a jumper.You should be on your feet in a snap and dancing with the blazing opening trumpet it is one great number with some fabulous drive and solos.Track 2 we get "Mercy Mercy Baby" sung by Pete Bonet which is one little groover but the tile Acid is up next at 3 and Latin Jazz heaven to say the least concerning this one.Recorded in one take with one Cuban rythmn guiding underneath by some great funk Bass. A great Trumpet solo is done by "Roberto Rodriguez" and then Ray quietly commences but by the time he is near the end he hammers the Congas. "Deeper Shade of Soul" follows along in the number four slot and is a Boogaloo number followed along by "Soul Drummers" contining along with another great snappy Boogaloo.Eight tracks in all on the album and the finisher is one ripper with the opening exchange of "Orestes" playing Mallets on the Timbales and Ray on Conga with a muted trumpet. Percussion comes to the fore with this,if poly rythmn is what you are after try this exchange between "Timbales,Congas,Bells,Jawbone,Bass and of course piano as well and "Orestes" soaring Trumpet over the lot.The name of the track is "Espiritu Libre"

Ray Barretto was with Fania Records now in 1967 when this was recorded and Latin Jazz and Salsa would quickly become his main stays.This album is a Latin Jazz masterpiece with a New York and Cuban influence and one that anybody who likes Ray Barretto will say "this is one of the best".One other note there are no over dubs in this recording.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Jazz Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
A Love Supreme Post Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS
Buy this album from our partners
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS
Buy this album from our partners
Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners

New Jazz Artists

New Jazz Releases

Cabaret Eclectic Fusion
MARIUS NESET
Buy this album from MMA partners
Living Ghosts Post-Fusion Contemporary
MICHAEL WOLLNY
Buy this album from MMA partners
Live at Donte's, Vol. 1 Vocal Jazz
MIKE CAMPBELL
Buy this album from MMA partners
Sunday Afternoon Fusion
FURIO DI CASTRI
Buy this album from MMA partners
São Paulo Creative 4 : Supernova Avant-Garde Jazz
IVO PERELMAN
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

Sunday afternoon
FURIO DI CASTRI
snobb· 7 hours ago
Harmônicos
FABIANO DO NASCIMENTO
js· 21 hours ago
Con Alma
GENE BERTONCINI
js· 1 day ago
Our Walk (Live)
BEN MARKLEY
js· 1 day ago
Solar (feat. Vicente Archer & Otis Brown III)
JERRY LÉONIDE
js· 1 day ago
More videos

New JMA Jazz Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Jazz News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed