Salsa buyers guide by Robert Navan

So! You went to the club, danced salsa and merengue, enjoyed yourself,

especially the music. Full of enthusiasm,you rushed off to buy some Latin

music. However, you couldn't get anything vaguely resembling the music

that you danced to. This is a common problem in Ireland. Okay! There's

plenty of good Cuban music, particularly "son" available, with groups like

Sierra Maestro and Cubanisimo on the shelves of most of the major record

chainstores (e.g. HMV, Virgin, Tower). Great music for sure, but it only

accounts for a small part of the playlist of most Latin DJs. You are

likely to have spent most of your evening dancing to Salsa from Colombia,

Puerto Rico, New York,, Miami and Merengue from the Dominican Republic.

The bad news is that it's very unlikely that you are going to find the

latest hits from these places in an Irish shop. Now and then a CD appears

when it is like one of those exotic birds that sometimes get blown off

course and land on our shores. These albums don't usually last long on the

shelves as the aficionados promptly snap them up on their regular patrols

in the never ending search for the "escaped" prize. The good news is that

there are other methods of getting your hands on good, modern salsa and

merengue as played in the clubs.

Here are a few tips to get you on your way. No doubt you will find other

methods - and I for one will be glad to hear them!

(A) In store ordering: A slow process often taking six weeks for your

CD/tape to arrive and as most of the stores don't catalogue you will have

to know exactly what you want and often the details of the label. Recently,

I made a surprising but very useful discovery that Trinity Records (Trinity

St. D2.) not alone has a Latin catalogue but can often import your order

from the U.S.A within a fortnight and what's more offer very competitive

prices.

(B) Mail order / Internet : The big names here are for the sake of speed

and cost - all UK- based. El Barrio Latino (5a Goodge Place, London

What to buy:

In each issue of Enlace (editor and space permitting) I will select half a

dozen salsa/merengue favourites form the DJ's box to help you build a

collection. Also I hope to look at new released and also some old

classics. Let's start with a few recent modern 'essential' albums (not in

any order of merit). All of these should be readily available by the

previously mentioned methods.

Oscar D'Leon: Title - El Sonero del Mundo: (label RNM No:RMD82003)

An ever-present record in the history of salsa, from Venezuela and one of

the great voices of salsa, with a selection of finely crafted songs which

gets better with each listen. With contributions by Willie Chirino. Still

a great favourite two years after release.

Jose Alberto (El Caario): Title - Back to the Mambo/ Tribute to Machito

(label RNM:RMD82069)

Another of salsa's superstars with a tribute to bandleader Machito,

containing a whole raft of dancefloor fillers.

Frankie Ruiz: Title - Oro Salsero/2D Exitos/2CD set: label

(Rodven/Polygram No. 863-673-Log/2

Twenty hits from the late Frankie who died last year and left behind a

substantial catalogue of Latin chart toppers. This medium-priced

collection is a fine introduction and includes such well known tracks as

"Bailando".

Grupo Gale: Title - En su sitio: (label Codiscos No: C11264)

The hottest thing in recent years from Colombia. This is their third album

and so far they haven't laid down a duff track. So, if you see any album by

them - buy it! However, this label is in fact Colombian and they do not

seem to have a tie-up with any of the majors. This may be one that is hard

to find but definitely worth it. ( I got a copy in London)

Los Herman's Rosary: Title - Los duenos del swing: (Label Karen No:

107930169-2)

The giants of merengue with every track a dance number. Again, you can

safely buy anything by this group and be sure of getting a "hot" dance set.

Jossie Esteban y la Patrulla 15:- Exitasos bailables Vo12: (Label Top Ten

Hits No: TTH CD1970)

Mr. Happy of the dance scene. I have not been able to lay my hands on

Vol.1. There seem to be several labels purporting to have the "best

of". This is a good representation of a prolific artist. Be wary! Without

La Patrulla 15 he has been known to do collections of sentimental

"baleros". Well, this is a short introduction and I would not make any

claims to its "artistic" merits. Anyway salsa/ merengue is primarily a

"happy" experience and to my mind does not need to be deeply examined.

Enjoy the beat and good hunting!