Craft Latino proudly announces a 50thanniversary reissue of the GRAMMY®-nominated album Barretto, the genre-defining salsa classic from legendary conguero and bandleader, Ray Barretto. The album, which returns to vinyl for the first time since its 1975 release, marks Barretto’s first recording to feature the renowned voices of Rubén Blades and Tito Gómez and includes such enduring hits as “Guararé,” “Ban Ban Queré,” and “Canto Abacuá.” Set for release on May 9th, Barretto was mastered from its original analog tapes by Dave Polster and Clint Holley at Well Made Musicand pressed on 180-gram vinyl and housed in a replica of its classic jacket, including a die-cut flap on the front cover that opens up to album credits and the original cover notes written by Pablo “Yoruba” Guzman.. A limited-edition “Yellow Smoke” 140-gram color vinyl variant (limited to 300 copies), with an exclusive bundle option that includes a classic Fania Records T-shirt, is available at CraftRecordings.com. Additionally, the album will make its debut in hi-res (192/24) digital on May 9th.
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In 1975, celebrated bandleader Ray Barretto (1929–2006) was enjoying one of the most triumphant periods of his long and influential career. For more than a decade, the Brooklyn-born Puerto Rican musician had enjoyed his status as one of the foremost names in Latin jazz and Afro-Cuban rhythms. He had become the go-to conguero in New York City, playing alongside such jazz greats as Wes Montgomery, Cal Tjader, Kenny Burrell, and Dizzy Gillespie. As a bandleader, meanwhile, Barretto achieved stardom with his 1963 hit, “El Watusi,” later becoming a foundational figure in the soulful boogaloo movement and, at the end of the decade, was at the forefront of the emerging salsa scene, releasing such popular albums as 1968’s Acid, 1971’s The Message, and 1972’s Que viva la música.
After a highly publicized shake-up of personnel within his orchestra, Barretto returned to the scene with a new group and a best-selling album, 1973’s Indestructible. The release reinforced Barretto’s star power, as well as his versatility as a songwriter, bandleader, and producer. With a renewed sense of confidence, Barretto returned to the studio to work on his follow-up. Joining him were two new additions to his group: Panamanian singer-songwriter Rubén Blades and Puerto Rican singer Tito Gómez—both of whom would become regular fixtures in Barretto’s band before breaking out as stars in their own right.
The resulting album, 1975’s Barretto, features a host of memorable tracks, including opener “Guararé.” Originally written by Pedro Speck as an energetic changüí, Barretto’s version offers a slower tempo, without losing the guaracha flavor or the witty lyricism. Featuring Gómez on vocals, “Guararé” became a signature tune for the singer—making him synonymous with the son cubano style. Other highlights include the rumba-son “Ban Ban Queré” and the lushly arranged son montuno “Vine pa’ echar candela,” with Blades on vocals.
An iconic salsa album wouldn’t be complete without selections from the great Puerto Rican composer Tite Curet Alonso—in this case “Vale más un guaguancó” and “Testigo fui.” Blades, meanwhile, showcases his skills as a songwriter with the bolero “Eso es amar” as well as the album’s magnificent closer, “Canto Abacuá.” Clocking in at over eight minutes long, the epic track opens with a percussive dialogue between Barretto and Ray Romero (timbales and quinto), before transforming into a rumba abierta. An avant-garde flute solo, performed by Artie Webb, follows, while the tune takes yet another turn into an upbeat mambo, featuring an iconic solo by pianist Gil López.
Barretto was an instant salsa classic, while tracks like “Ban Ban Queré,” “Guararé,” and “Canto Abacuá” have long remained staples on the dancefloor. The album also arrived at a particularly significant time for the genre. As the percussionist and writer Bobby Sanabria once remarked, “1975 was a pivotal year, as the Latin music industry showed that it could grow commercially while retaining its integrity and embracing progressive new ideas. There is no better example of this tendency than the album known simply as Barretto.”
Following the release, Barretto’s career continued to expand as he split his focus between jazz and salsa while maintaining his role as the musical director of the legendary Fania All Stars. Along the way, he remained a sought-after percussionist, playing alongside acts like the Bee Gees, the Rolling Stones, and Crosby, Stills & Nash. A prolific talent who never stopped innovating, Barretto released more than 50 albums during his five-decade-long career, including nine with his celebrated group, New World Spirit. Among many honors, the GRAMMY®-winning artist was inducted into the International Latin Music Hall of Fame in 1999, while in 2006, he received the prestigious Jazz Masters Award from theNational Endowment for the Arts.
Click here to pre-order Barretto.
Click here to find the exclusive bundle including the “Yellow Smoke” color vinyl with a classic Fania Records T-shirt.
Tracklist:
Side A
1. Guararé
2. Vine pa’ echar candela
3. Eso es amar
4. Ban Ban Queré
Side B
1. Vale más un guaguancó
2. Testigo fui
3. El presupuesto
4. Canto Abacuá
*Digital tracklist mirrors the vinyl
