Of all the artists who recorded for Fania, only
Tito Puente has more respect among jazz artists and fans than
Ray Barretto, so it was only fitting that the first two volumes in the
Jazz compilation series should be
Puente and
Barretto (in that order). Although
Barretto was virtually
Puente's equal as a musician, his recordings with a jazz flavor portray him as an innovator rather than a musical phenom. In that respect, his Latin jazz recordings are actually more interesting to listen to than
Puente's. His best records,
Acid and
Hard Hands and
The Other Road, had a questing nature about them, despite never forsaking the all-important groove.
Jazz centers on his peak years, the late '60s and '70s, but chooses an eclectic batch of songs. Most of these are extended jams -- the eight-minute
Acid closer "Espiritu Libre," the nearly side-long "Cocinando" from
Que Viva la Musica -- which give ample evidence of
Barretto's conga skills. Also appearing is "Tin Tin Deo," his tribute to his earliest influences (
Dizzy Gillespie and
Chano Pozo) plus no less than three tracks from the landmark
The Other Road (paced by his version of "'Round About Midnight"). ~ John Bush