El Conde (Remastered 2026) Digital Album

El Conde was Puerto Rican singer, Pete “El Conde” Rodríguez's first solo album released in 1974 on Fania Records. Pete had already established himself as a top sonero (improvisational salsa singer) performing with Johnny Pacheco’s band. Standout tracks include “Babaila,” A hair-raising lament that tells the tale of a young child who’s separated from his family and sold at the slave market, “Un Toque Pa’ Yambao” a musical tribute to an enslaved African who knew how to defend his own, and the saucy son montuno “El Conde Negro” is Pete’s calling card where he paves his musical way as he identifies himself as the Black Duke. “Babaila” in particular is sung with vocal and brass piercing passion. Pete’s gypsy sounding chant, “Yo no quiero mori ren cadenas” (I don’t want to die in chains) is a gut wrenchingly, tear welling song. The album is filled with upbeat salsa songs that are dancefloor classics, but the boleros “Fiesta en el cielo” and “Lo quiso Dios” showcase the smooth flavor of Pete El Conde that’s in pitch and on the mark. Craft is releasing a remastered version of the album and making it available in HD audio for the first time.