SALSA : A MUSICAL HISTORY
The biggest Fania compilation ever and also my biggest salsa collection ever! Four CDs, 58 tracks, 40 page booklet, a lovely boxed set with rare photographs. Perfect present for any die-hard salsero. CDs cover the hitsory of salsa, from 1960 and teh guaguanco/mambo era, through to the golden age of the 1970s and 1980s, and into the salsa moderna 1990s, ending in 2000! Fania, Tico, Alegre, Vaya, Cotique, International, Inca and Sonido from the 1960s to the 1980s, and MP and RMM representing the 1990s. If there was a compilation Latin Grammy, this oen would be nominated! No, not a boast, its just a killer!
NYC SALSA 3
The best one yet! Some real deep 1970s stuff like Marty Galagarza, La Muralla and Pipo Colon plus some of my favourite salsa artists like Latin Tempo, Tommy Olivencia (an early one) and Justo Betancourt. Heavy salsa and guanguancos from New York's finest! Just getting better, lets hope the NYC Salsa series keeps running and running.
NYC SALSA 2
The original NYC Salsa has been a great success with many DJs in the UK saying it is one of the best salsa compilations ever made there. On release in the USA in summer 2007, it quickly shifted 5,000 copies. I'm very proud of it and honoured to be asked to do Volume 2. Some big tunes on here from Richie Ray/Bobby Cruz, Fania Allstars and Larry Harlow but check the lesser known but equally as good tracks from Alfredo Vargas, Gilberto Cruz, Cabrerita, Javier Vasquez and Kako. Still explosive and incendiary latin dance music from New York.
EL BARRIO: SOUNDS FROM THE SPANISH HARLEM STREETS
Another killer CD from mi amigo Dean Rudland, chief of staff at Fania UK. More Spanish Harlem Soul and Barrio Funk for the lovers of breaks, beats and basslines. Includes "Elefante" by Ray Barretto - a new version never previously released version (another take ended up on "The Message" LP from 1972)! Also a never previously released alternate take of Pete Bonet & Louie Ramirez's cover of "Evil Ways". Check the pure barrio soul of TNT Band's "Musica De Alma" and the fluid basslines of Fania Allstars' "Smoke" with jazz drummer Billy Cobham laying down the funk. Another top shelf Fania compilation for B-Boys, funk brothers and soul sisters! Out October 2007.
LOS SONEROS: THE VOICES OF FANIA
My very own tribute to the lead vocalists of the golden age of salsa, 1971 to 1980. The giants of the genre are here - Celia Cruz, Hector Lavoe, Ruben Blades, Cheo Feliciano - but I also got to showcase some of the less well known soneros like Chivirico Davila, Ismael Quintana, Santitos Colon, Tito Allen and Justo Betancourt. The singers were the true stars of salsa back in the day and the most respected were the "soneros", those who could improvise all day long and weave in and out of the clave with their eyes closed, never missing a beat! Anyone can be a singer but only a few deserve the accolade of true sonero.
EL BARRIO: THE BAD BOOGALOO
Not my compilation but my friend Dean Rudland's. He worked at Acid Jazz Records in the 1980s, for EMI/Blue Note in the 1990s, and since the late 90s, he is at ACE Records. He is an original UK mod and massive soul/funk/latin soul collector and musical co-ordinator for the Fania Records project for the Rest Of The World outside the USA. Proper boogaloos from Joey Pastrana, King Nando, Lebron Brothers, La Lupe, Ralph Robles and many more. Includes the massive original break used by DJ Premier on Christina Aguilera's "Ain't No Other Man" - "Happy Soul With A Hook" by Dave Cortez & The Moon People! Baaaad Barrio soul!
NEW YORK CITY SALSA
A double CD of incendiary New York Latin Music aka salsa, from 1970 to 1980 - the Golden Years! A double CD of 30 tracks from labels such as Fania, Tico, Alegre, Vaya, Inca, Cotique and International, and featuring artists like Larry Harlow, Tito Allen, Tipica '73, Cabrerita y sus Ideas, Latin Tempo, Ray Barretto, Tito Gomez, Eddie Palmieri, Celia Cruz, Willie Colon, Hector Lavoe and many more legends of Puerto Rican Nueva York. Compiled by Lubi Jovanovic ("my heaviest compilation ever!").
EL BARRIO: a musical taste of Spanish Harlem 1967-75
A collection of latin soul, bugalu, latin funk, descarga and salsa that gives a musical snapshot of Spanish Harlem in New York from the late 1960s to mid 70s. Includes music from Joe Cuba Sextet, Charlie Palmieri, Mongo Santamaria, Ralphy Pagan, Joe Bataan, the Alexander Review, Pete Bonet and many more fantastic artists. Contains the firing Charlie Palmieri mambo/descarga "Either You Have It Or You Don't". Compiled by Lubi Jovanovic, Adrian Gibson and Dean Rudland.
WILLIE COLON: OG ORIGINAL GANGSTER
A collection of the best and most progressive tracks from the talented New York trombone legend Willie Colon. Starting with his first 1967 album "El Malo" on Fania and finishing with his 1985 latin disco hit "Set Fire To Me", it covers every era of his career. The heavy street salsa with Hector Lavoe, the political salsa and experiments with singer Ruben Blades, the latin jazz/mambo instrumentals, the soundtrack from "The Last Fight" movie which Fania produced. A fully rounded compilation of the man's work. Compiled by Lubi Jovanovic with assistance from Dean Rudland plus sleevenotes by John Child (www.descarga.com)
WE LOVE SALSA : VARIOUS ARTISTS (V2 TV)
A three CD budget collection all taken from the Fania family of albums and all remastered tracks, wholly compiled by Lubi Jovanovic. Since this was a budget TV advertised album, there are some "crossover" tracks on here, including boogaloos, latin funk and standards (La Lupe's "Fever" cover for example). However, 2/3 of the music is classic and some rare 70s/80s/90s salsa. For around £12, you get over 50 tracks. Quality budget salsa collection.
Available in the UK from HMV, Virgin, Amazon, Borders Bookshops and other quality music outlets.
DANCE HITS SALSA VOL 1, 2, 3 & 4 (PROTEL RECORDS)
Four budget sampler CDs released soley in the USA and available through outlets such as Walmart, these DJ Lubi compilations are stuffed full of quality salsa from the Fania & family back catalogue (2/3 on each CD) PLUS 1/3 heavy tracks taken from the great RMM label of the 1990s. For $10 each CD, another selection of top-class latin music.