Search - Fania All Stars :: Que Pasa: The Best of the Fania All Stars

A high point for '70s salsa!

Joe Sixpack -- Slipcue.com | ...in Middle America | 03/02/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"For a brief time in the late 1970s, salsa music seemed poised to crack into the American mainstream, with slick Latin rhythms suffused throughout the jazz fusion world, and hints of Cuban son rhythms creeping into the Miami disco scene. The Fania All-Stars, as the name would imply, was a celebrity-packed jamfest, with a rhythmic core drawn from the ranks of the Fania label's roster, including Johnny Pachecho, Bobby Valentin, Papo Lucca, Roberto Roena, Johnny Rodriguez and others, along the elite of the booming North American salsa scene, artists such as Celia Cruz, Mongo Santamaria and Ruben Blades. This CD collects material from four albums the ensemble recorded for Columbia Records (in itself, a significant crossover milestone): 1976's "Delicate And Jumpy," 1977's "Rhythm Machine," "Spanish Fever," from 1978 and "Cross Over," from 1979. It's a solid, swinging set, ranging from reworkings of seminal Latin pop hits such as "El Manisiero (Yhe Peanut Vendor)" to more modern, aggressive dance tunes. This collection also offers plenty of strong performances and a good impression of the breadth of pop styles the All-Stars were willing to take on -- a dash of disco and '70s-style soul/R&B, some rock, and plenty of commercial and fusion jazz. Non-Latin guest stars include folks such as rocker Steve Winwood, soft-jazz saxman David Sanborn, soul singer Gwen Guthrie, and the inevitable Brecker Brother or two. All in all, a nice sampling of this well-named, well-regarded crossover crew. Recommended!"

Salsa Compilation of Columbia Albums

sergiobklyn | 05/13/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This CD contains most of the salsa tunes released in the Columbia label albums (Delicate and Jumpy 1976, Rhythm Machine 1977, Spanish Fever 1978, and Cross Over 1979) and it leaves out most of the "crossover" songs.

The mastering of these songs is great. I wish that Emusica would do as good a mastering job with the re-release of the Fania catalog.

I really like this CD for the music and for the quality of the audio although it would have been great if they had included "Te pareces a Judas" and "En orbita" and leave out the "crossover" tunes to make it a full Salsa CD which is what FAS do best.

I recommend this CD if you like Salsa Dura and the Fanial All Stars."

Just Ok

Lonnie E. Moreno | Los Angeles | 11/16/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Not Salsa-ee enough, too much 70's funk, but not good funk. Stick with Hector Lavoe's greatest hits or the El Cantante soundtrack."