Ray Barretto was already a giant in Latin music when he released Barretto in 1975. Born in New York to Puerto Rican parents, he had spent the previous two decades carving out a singular place for himself as both a fiery percussionist and an inventive bandleader. He first made his mark in the jazz world during the 1950s, backing icons like Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie with his conga drums, before becoming one of the key architects of the salsa explosion in the 1960s. His 1968 album Acid blended Latin rhythms with funk and psychedelia, and made him a household name in the boogaloo scene. But Barretto marked something different: a return to the core of hard-driving salsa, stripped of gimmicks and fused with soul, clarity, and grit. To mark its 50th anniversary, Craft Latino and Fania Records is releasing Barretto’s iconic album on vinyl for the first time in half a century. Pressed on 180-gram vinyl and housed in a replica of its classic jacket, including a die-cut flap on the front cover that opens up to album credits and the original cover notes written by Pablo “Yoruba” Guzman
The album opens with “Guararé,” a joyous, powerful number that captures everything great about this era of salsa: layered rhythms, tight horn arrangements, and commanding vocals. Tito Allen, one of the genre’s great singers, is a force throughout this album, and on “Guararé,” he matches the band’s energy with a performance full of conviction and heart. Even if the lyrics are unfamiliar, the excitement is impossible to miss. There’s an emotional transparency here, where the music’s mood is communicated as clearly as any lyric. Barretto’s percussion leads from behind, always pushing, never overwhelming. As a bandleader, he was a master of restraint, understanding when to spotlight a groove and when to let the arrangement shine. That’s evident on tracks like “Vine pa’ echar candela,” where the horns play brightly and the rhythm section dances lightly, keeping the whole song feeling breezy and light.
Then there’s “Vale más un guaguancó,” one of the true highlights. Even if the term guaguancó doesn’t mean much to a casual listener, the sound speaks for itself: it’s urgent, fierce, and irresistibly danceable. The piano riffs, the call-and-response vocals, and the insistent percussion all lock together with such precision that it’s almost hypnotic. This is salsa at its most physical and communal — music meant for packed dance floors and shared joy. The album never lets up. Tracks like “Ban Ban Quere” maintain a deep, pulsing Rumba rhythm that keeps your body engaged. The band is sharp throughout, and the production captures the sweaty, live feel of a band in top form.
Barretto isn’t just a great salsa record. It’s a snapshot of a master reconnecting with the fundamentals of his art. For longtime fans, it’s a reaffirmation of everything that made Ray Barretto essential. For new listeners, it’s a thrilling entry point into the golden era of Latin music. The vinyl release is a joy with its die-cut flap conga cover and the clean, crisp sound gleaned from the original master tapes. This is one album that will make it difficult to just sit and listen. It was made for dancing and that’s what you’ll want to do as soon as you drop the needle.
