Orchestra Harlow - Harlow`s Harem

Orchestra Harlow was the side project of La Fania Allstars pianist Larry Harlow. This jewish character had a lot of fresh ideas that blend salsa with other rhythmically complex and harmonically defiant modes of composition. At the same time he made this music sound simple and easy to remember. Produced by Jerry Masucci (obviously) and supervised by the demented (now senile) Johnny Pacheco with Ismael Miranda on vocals, this album reached a lot of corners of the earth and its considered a classic around the globe. Just look at this dude just sitting around with a bunch of funky looking ladies.

ps - there is a freaky side note in the black and white picture of larry with the ladies.

who the fuck is barry secunda?

Fania All-Stars - Live at the Cheetah Vol 1 & 2

I was digging through my Dad's closet a few weeks ago looking for any old records he had. Amongst the big pile of shit that is Boston, REO Speedwagon, and Kenny G I found a few gems. A live Donna Summers record, The White Album, an old Menudo album (mine when I was little), and Vol 2 of this legendary piece of music. 

Recorded live at the NYC club the Cheetah, a few years prior to their famous Yankee Stadium gig, it features one of their best line-ups ever performing so tight even the paraplegics must have been dancing. Larry Harlow, Ray Barretto, Willie Colon, Johnny Pacheco, Roberto Roena, and Bobby Valentin all provide the musical backdrop with their coke fueled grooves while Hector Lavoe, Ismael Rivera, among others provide the vocals.  

Here we have both Vol 1 and 2 originally released as separate records. There's a reason they became some of the highest selling Latin music albums ever.

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