V.A. - The Rough Guide to Salsa Dura NYC (2007) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Salsa dura, or hard salsa, is the old school sound of the New York barrios that's been revived as an answer to the splintering of Latin music. Happily, it sounds as good today as it did in the '60s and '70s; indeed, a few of the artists, like Eddie Palmieri, were playing in the old days. This revival hits hard indeed, making the feet twitch and the mouth smile, especially on cuts like "Naci Rumbero" from Jimmy Delgado, an old hand whose timbales burst with energy on the breaks. Jimmy Bosch, held in the highest regard as a trombonist, shines with his band on "El Embajador," a wonderfully charged piece with a firm groove and plenty of room for soloing -- a descarga, or jam, for all intents and purposes. Rounding the CD off with a salsa taken on "I Get a Kick Out of You" is a fine idea, even if it's a bit more glitzy than the rest of the material here. If you thought the golden days of salsa were a few decades in the past, what's on here will show just how wrong you are. It's still very much alive, and kicking like a mule. by Chris Nickson
Tracklist:
1 Eddie Palmieri – Lo Que Traigo Es Sabroso II 5:22
Written-By – Eddie Palmieri
2 Wayne Gorbea – Estamos En Salsa 5:55
Written-By – Ramon Rosado
3 Los Soneros Del Barrio – Babaila 4:40
Written-By – Catalino Curet Alonso
4 Jimmy Delgado – Naci Rumbero 5:28
Arranged By [Trad Arr] – Jose Madera
Written-By – John Santiago, Marin Lefty Medina
5 Chino Nuñez – Aqui Cada Uno Viene Con Lo Suyo 4:50
Arranged By – Pablo 'Chino' Nuñez, Willie Ruiz
Written-By – Ernesto Ramos
6 Chico Alvarez – Oigan Mi Rumba 5:47
Arranged By – Rene Hernandez
Written-By – Florencio Hernandez, Mercedes Alvarez
7 Jimmy Bosch – El Embajador 6:48
Arranged By [Trad Arr] – Angel Fernandez
Written-By – Jimmy Bosch
8 George Delgado – Mi Ritmo Llegó 4:30
Arranged By – Pablo 'Chino' Nuñez
Written-By – Carlos Adorno
9 Las Estrellas Cobo – Don Ramón 5:15
Written-By – Las Estrellas Cobo
10 Ricky González – Mi Rumba Es Candela 8:15
Written-By – Ricky González
11 Joe Quijano And His Conjunto Cachana – I Get A Kick Out Of You 4:06
Arranged By – P. Moss
Written-By – Cole Porter