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Most listeners wouldn't consider this a proper best-of, despite the title, since it only includes material from the band's late-'70s stint with Columbia. Fania All-Stars' late-'70s stint with the label is usually rated as a time that saw them tone down their more ethnic and improvisational facets for a more pop-crossover reach. Generally that's true, but that doesn't mean that this record isn't generally worthwhile, though it might not be their purest brand of salsa. With three or four tracks apiece from their four 1976-1979 Columbia LPs, there are just four players who appear on all 13 songs: pianist Papo Lucca, timbalist Nicky Marrero, percussionist Robert Roena, and Pacheco on flute. There are way too many other musicians coming in and out to keep count of, some of them not from salsa backgrounds, like guitarist Steve Winwood (who played on the 1976 album Delicate and Jumpy), trumpeter Randy Brecker, and guitarist Eric Gale. Still, the main thrust is engaging salsa with some pop-friendly soul and fusion attributes that don't get too terribly slick (though at moments they get close), with major Latin singers Rubén Blades and Celia Cruz taking some vocals; "Isadora," featuring Cruz, is the highlight. At 74 minutes it's good value, too, though not the best Fania All-Stars album to start with.
© Richie Unterberger /TiVo
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Bobby Valentín, Bass - J. Pacheco, Composer, Lyricist - Johnny Pacheco, Percussion, Vocal - Johnny Rodriguez, Congas - Fania All Stars, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Jay Chattaway, Producer, Arranger - Roberto Roena, Percussion, Bongos - Papo Lucca, Keyboards - Jerry Masucci, Producer
(P) 1978 Fania Records
Billy Page, Producer - Gene Page, Producer - Bobby Valentín, Bass - Steve Winwood, Guitar - T. Puente, Composer, Lyricist - Ray Barretto, Congas - Johnny Pacheco, Flute, Percussion - Fania All Stars, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Roberto Roena, Bongos - Papo Lucca, Piano - George Annis, Arranger - Jerry Masucci, Producer
(P) 1976 Fania Records
E. Gale, Composer, Lyricist - Bill Eaton, Arranger - Bobby Valentín, Bass - J. Pacheco, Composer, Lyricist - Johnny Pacheco, Percussion, Vocal - Johnny Rodriguez, Congas - Fania All Stars, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Jay Chattaway, Producer - Roberto Roena, Percussion, Bongos - Papo Lucca, Keyboards - Jerry Masucci, Producer
(P) 1978 Fania Records
M. Ragin, Composer, Lyricist - Billy Page, Producer - Gene Page, Producer - Bobby Valentín, Bass - Steve Winwood, Guitar - Ray Barretto, Congas - Johnny Pacheco, Flute, Percussion - Fania All Stars, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Roberto Roena, Bongos - Papo Lucca, Piano - Jerry Masucci, Producer
(P) 1976 Fania Records
Eric Gale, Guitar - Sal Cuevas, Bass - Don Renaldo, Strings - Ruben Blades, AssociatedPerformer - C. Curet Alonso, Composer, Lyricist - Johnny Pacheco, Flute, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Louie Ramirez, Arranger - Johnny Rodriguez, Congas - Vince Montana Jr., Arranger - Celia Cruz, Vocal - Jimmy Sabater, AssociatedPerformer - Fania All Stars, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Roberto Roena, Bongos - Adalberto Santiago, AssociatedPerformer - Papo Lucca, Piano - Luis "Perico" Ortiz, Trumpet - Tito Allen, AssociatedPerformer - Nestor Sanchez, AssociatedPerformer - Jerry Masucci, Producer
(P) 1979 Fania Records
Billy Page, Producer - Gene Page, Producer - Bobby Valentín, Bass - Steve Winwood, Guitar - Ray Barretto, Congas - Johnny Pacheco, Flute, Percussion - B. Page, Composer, Lyricist - Fania All Stars, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Roberto Roena, Bongos - Papo Lucca, Piano - Jerry Masucci, Producer
(P) 1976 Fania Records
Eric Gale, Guitar - Sal Cuevas, Bass - Don Renaldo, Strings - Ruben Blades, AssociatedPerformer - Johnny Pacheco, Flute, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Louie Ramirez, Arranger - Johnny Rodriguez, Congas - Vince Montana Jr., Arranger - Jimmy Sabater, AssociatedPerformer - Fania All Stars, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Roberto Roena, Bongos - Adalberto Santiago, AssociatedPerformer - Papo Lucca, Piano - Luis "Perico" Ortiz, Trumpet - Tito Allen, AssociatedPerformer - Nestor Sanchez, AssociatedPerformer - L. Ramirez, Composer, Lyricist - Jerry Masucci, Producer
(P) 1979 Fania Records
Eric Gale, Alto Saxophone - E. Gale, Composer, Lyricist - Bobby Valentín, Bass - J. Pacheco, Composer, Lyricist - Johnny Pacheco, Percussion, Vocal - Johnny Rodriguez, Congas - Fania All Stars, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Jay Chattaway, Producer - Roberto Roena, Percussion, Bongos - Papo Lucca, Keyboards - Jerry Masucci, Producer
(P) 1978 Fania Records
Eric Gale, Guitar - Sal Cuevas, Bass - Don Renaldo, Strings - Ruben Blades, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal - Johnny Pacheco, Flute, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Johnny Rodriguez, Congas - Vince Montana Jr., Arranger - Jimmy Sabater, AssociatedPerformer - Fania All Stars, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Roberto Roena, Bongos - Adalberto Santiago, AssociatedPerformer - Papo Lucca, Piano - Luis "Perico" Ortiz, Trumpet - Tito Allen, AssociatedPerformer - Nestor Sanchez, AssociatedPerformer - R. Blades, Composer, Lyricist - Louie Cruz, Arranger - Jerry Masucci, Producer
(P) 1979 Fania Records
Bobby Valentín, Bass - Ruben Blades, Vocal - Johnny Pacheco, Percussion, Vocal - Johnny Rodriguez, Congas - Fania All Stars, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Jay Chattaway, Producer, Arranger - Roberto Roena, Percussion, Bongos - Papo Lucca, Keyboards - R. Blades, Composer, Lyricist - L. Ramirez, Composer, Lyricist - Jerry Masucci, Producer
(P) 1978 Fania Records
Album review
Most listeners wouldn't consider this a proper best-of, despite the title, since it only includes material from the band's late-'70s stint with Columbia. Fania All-Stars' late-'70s stint with the label is usually rated as a time that saw them tone down their more ethnic and improvisational facets for a more pop-crossover reach. Generally that's true, but that doesn't mean that this record isn't generally worthwhile, though it might not be their purest brand of salsa. With three or four tracks apiece from their four 1976-1979 Columbia LPs, there are just four players who appear on all 13 songs: pianist Papo Lucca, timbalist Nicky Marrero, percussionist Robert Roena, and Pacheco on flute. There are way too many other musicians coming in and out to keep count of, some of them not from salsa backgrounds, like guitarist Steve Winwood (who played on the 1976 album Delicate and Jumpy), trumpeter Randy Brecker, and guitarist Eric Gale. Still, the main thrust is engaging salsa with some pop-friendly soul and fusion attributes that don't get too terribly slick (though at moments they get close), with major Latin singers Rubén Blades and Celia Cruz taking some vocals; "Isadora," featuring Cruz, is the highlight. At 74 minutes it's good value, too, though not the best Fania All-Stars album to start with.
© Richie Unterberger /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 13 track(s)
- Total length: 01:14:09
- Main artists: Fania All Stars
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Columbia - Legacy
- Genre: Jazz
(P) 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979 Fania Records, 2002 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
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