 Now here's a collector's item worth collecting: A treasure trove of classic salsa/son-montuno/descarga jams as typified by the much respected New York based Nosotros. Originally from 1981, this session is released here for the first time ever. I repeat: it has never been released prior. It's one of only two records produced by the band (the other, originally on Vaya and produced by Louie Ramirez in 1979, is currently out-of-print). Alvarez' clear, robust, voice is just right to navigate his working club band of musicians which include the likes of bassist Russell "Skee" Farnsworth, trumpeter Gordon Tomasin, conguero Gene Golden among others. Heavy, heavy swing is everywhere on Los Barbaros Del Ritmo.
Listen to the spectacular "Agua Pa' Ti," the plutonium-packed descarga arranged by Dick "Taco" Mesa — it will leave you gasping for air. And the slow boil created by Paul López arrangement of the classic Arsenio Rodriguez composition "Ñaña Acere" is coming darn close to perfection. And while the core of the tracks here are sizzling interpretations of classics, Alvarez's own composition "Piñiero" (in honor of the great Cuban composer Ignacio Piñeiro) is a highlight here. Mr. Alvarez also chose to include two live tracks from the Village Gate, NYC, 1985 and, as a bonus, two killer 1978 session tracks with Alvarez' short-lived band Mayombe that featured Oscar Hernández on piano, Eddie "Guagua" Rivera on bass, trumpeters "Chocolate" Armenteros and Junior Vega, Jose Rodriguez on trombone, José Mangual Jr., Mauricio Smith on coro and others. The CD sleeve includes Salsiology author Vernon Bogg's original notes as well as Chico Alvarez' detailed insights as to the band's history.
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