Se Solto/On The Loose - Ricardo Ray (Alegre Records - reissued on Emusica/Fania)
At last, Emusica/Fania re-issue a remastered version of the first Alegre Records release in 1966 of Ricardo Ray's classic "Se Solto" LP. Hardcore salsa dancers should check this for the big dancefloor favourite "Guaguanco En Jazz" [LISTEN], but it's not just a one-hit CD. Ricardo was still finding his style and the LP has an interesting variety of material, showing his full musical personality. Guaguancos, cha cha cha, latin jazz, Cuban son and of course, the boogaloo (or as they call it here "bugaloo"), which was huge at the time. The surprising influence here is jazz and not just latin or afro-cuban jazz. "Suite Noro Morales", dedicated to the great Cuban pianist, is pure bebop swing with great jazz trumpeter Doc Cheatham giving it some Dizzy Gillespie style chops on it. Also, bebop alto-saxophonist Charlie Parker's "Swedish Schnapps" gets a bebop-funk arrangement, sounding way ahead of its time. The bugaloos are very different. One is called "Danzon Bugaloo", fusing the traditional Cuban rhythm with some latin soul. The second, "Lookie Lookie", is more typical, utilising English vocals.
The more traditional side of Richie Ray comes through in the guaguancos and guarachas. Already mentioned is the salsa congress anthem "Guaguanco En Jazz" but "El Senor Embajador" [LISTEN], "Echando Candela" [LISTEN] and "Se Que Te Vas" [LISTEN] all swing hard and show where the future would lie, particularly with Bobby Cruz on vocals and co-writing duties. On this LP, Bobby was just one of two lead vocalists. The other being the fine Puerto Rican sonero Chivirico Davila. After this LP, Bobby Cruz would become the lead singer and co-leader of the band with Richie Ray. Also, the trademark two trumpet conjunto style brass section is instantly recognisable here, sometimes purely Cuban, but at other times adding a Tijuana Brass/Herb Albert flavour, a group who were huge at this time. If you know Ricardo Ray and Bobby Cruz from later recordings such as the massive anthems "Aguzate" and "El Sonido Bestial" then its worth checking this CD out to see how they were developing their sound and style in the early days.
Se Solto/On The Loose - Ricardo Ray (Alegre Records - reissued on Emusica/Fania)
