El Malo (60th Anniversary, Rojo Malo LP - Exclusive)

Nearly 60 years since first released, "El Malo" still sounds fresh and exciting. Salsa has undergone so many changes and become at times too sophisticated. "El Malo" reminds you of it's purest and simplest elements - rhythm, percussive drive, blazing brass, hypnotic tumbaos/montunos and a great improvising vocalist. Opening track "Jazzy" is a mambo-jazz explosion, from its opening brass riff through to the blues-tinged piano solo and on to Nicky Marrero's incendary timbal solo at the end.  This still sends mambo and jazz dancers into ecstasy decades later! Tradition is represented by the guaguanco "Borinquen" and the son montuno "Chonqui, both highlighting Hector Lavoe's majestic voice and "tipico" delivery. The new crossover boogaloo sound of that era is represented by "Willie Baby", "Skinny Papa" and "Willie Whopper", a shing-a-ling featuring a funky hammond organ. The tracks are still fun and fill dancefloors in salsa, soul and funk clubs worldwide. The final two tracks show Willie Colon's desire to experiment,  an incredibly well done debut for a young 17 year old from the Bronx.    

Reissues originally produced and manufactured by VMP.