Uitstekende NYC Salsa en wederom erg beinvloed door de sound van de 60's, 70's en early 80's. Denk aan Wayne Gorbea meets Soneros del Barrio en je hebt de CD Dancer's Paradise (de titel zegt al genoeg). Namen door wie Willie Villegas geinspireerd is, zijn Eddie en Charlie Palmieri, Joe Quijano, Larry Harlow en Willie Colon (trombone sound) en dat hoor je duidelijk terug. New York Salsa TIP
Stop the presses! "Dancer's Paradise" has arrived and there's nothing you can do but get up and dance! One of the torch-carriers of heavy salsa, Willie Villegas, is back with a phenomenal release. His previous release, "Salsa en la calle" was good, but seemed more like a vehicle to find a sound ...and boy, they found it. The new CD is a tribute to some of the greats. "Castellano" inspired by Beny Moré's "Qué bueno baila usted" opens the joint with pure force. The trombones by Gamaliel Bonilla and Jeff Iglesias will make you dizzy, while Johnson Morales' piano solo seems like his fingers are about to drop on the keys - and holding it all together is vocalist Alfredo Torres. "Mayari" written by Compay Segundo but known in the salsa world by the Justo Betancourt version with Larry Harlow, gets an even bigger sound here with the trombones just tearing the roof off. Special guest Yomo Toro solos on the Cuatro showing he can still hang with anyone.
Entre Amigos have become a tighter unit and proof of that is their rendition of the classic, "Moliendo café." Here the members take turns improvising on their instruments, bass, piano, timbales, trombones just pushing and pushing till you feel the sounds coming out your pores. This jam reminds me of back in the day when groups recorded everything in the same room, it gives it a live feel, and this sure has it. People like Wayne Gorbea y Salsa Picante, Jimmy Bosch, Herman Olivera y Amigos and Willie Villegas y Entre Amigos are keeping alive that Eddie Palmieri y La Perfecta sound they created for a new audience all while making old schoolers believers that salsa dura is alive and kicking in New York.
1. Castellano (5:14)
2. Mayarí (6:18)
3. Moliendo café (7:04)
4. Dame una tacita de café (6:36)
5. Ariñáñara (6:06)
6. Dancer's Paradise (7:32)
7. Qué será mi China (9:06)
8. I Wish You Love (4:16)
9. Bajo las sombras de un pino (6:36)
10. Amadou (4:00)
(2003)
For sound samples, CLICK and hear Willie Villegas