Dave Barretto: Para Mis Hermanos
Fans of Ralfi Pagan should appreciate this gem of a song from a dollar bin rescue, “What You Never Had To Lose”. Shadow Morton produces and he recreates a true New York sound-scape from 1974. Check out Tito Puente’s heavy rock riff on the timbale and the way it takes you back to the loping loop of a beat that recurs throughout. Candido punctuates said beat with tasteful bongos. These are the names that drew me in as I pondered inside the bargain basement at FOS whether or not David is Ray’s more “theatrical” cousin (the version of “On Broadway” on this lp has BRAKS), looking like a cross between Bernie Taupin and Bob Fosse.
7 Comments
Is that bricks or breaks that this album has ?
each lp originally came with a brick from Spanish Harlem…oh, and Casbah records describes this lp thusly:
2081 DAVID BARRETTO PARA MIS HERMANOS MERCURY 20.00
Excellent, super-funky version of “On Broadway”, kicking off with a massive drumbreak and a killer
deep bassline, the tune keeps the lowdown mid-tempo pressure while adding layer upon layer with
killer, spooky piano-lines, choruses and even a mad steel drum groove which appears periodically to
send things over the top! Three trippy facts about this obscure album – Bob Babbitt is on bass, Candido on congas, Tito Puente on timbales!
Cool review, steve. I’m glad to say I was there when you had your Barretto awakening. To the readers, there really are good songs on here.
I’ve listened to this a billion times, and I can’t get tired of it. Love to hear the whole thing.
Ask a fishhead anything you want to. It won’t answer. They can’t talk.
All hail Brak!
Superdopeness