Justo Betancourt: Lo Sabemos Salsa Clasica Album Released

Posted on 22. May, 2010 by Hector Aviles in Reviews

If you like Salsa music from the boom years of Salsa (this means Salsa clasica), you will be pleased to know that the new owners of the Fania Records label have released Justo Betancourt’s classic album “Lo Sabemos”.

Fania All-Stars Band in Disguise

Justo Betancourt Lo Sabemos

“Lo Sabemos” is one of my favorite albums from the Salsa boom times (I have many favorite albums from that era). The album is well balanced between mostly salsa clasica (classic salsa) dance songs and a couple of boleros. Justo is a veteran cuban “sonero” who excels in both genres. Besides, the “sonero” from Matanzas, Cuba is backed by an All-Stars resembling the Fania All-Stars of the time. The recording personnel includes Bobby Valentin on bass, Papo Lucca on Piano, Cachete Maldonado and Tony Jimenez (from Larry Harlow’s band) on conga, Nicky Marrero on timbales, and Orestes Vilato on bongoes. The wind section is composed of Juancito Torres, Hector “Bomberito” Zarzuela, and Victor Paz on trumpets, and Mario Rivera on sax. The chorous vocals are by Yayo El Indio, Marcelino Guerra, and Roberto Torres. And the cherry on top is the appeareance of Charlie Palmieri on marimba and maracas, and all of this was produced by Larry Harlow. How can you go wrong with this lineup?

Great Songs, Great Performance

Spanish Harlem Orchestra featuring Ruben Blades

Justo Betancourt shows once again that he is one of the great “soneros” of the time. The very 1st album song, “Como Lo Canto Yo” is a great song and yet it was the #3 song of the album in radio playtime. I’ll get to the other two shortly. This song was recently recorded by the Spanish Harlem Orchestra in the voice of Ruben Blades. The SHO is a strong Salsa dura band, directed by veteran pianist Oscar Hernandez. They sound terrific and Ruben does a great job, so much that the album “Across 110th Street; featuring Ruben Blades” won a Grammy. Yet, with all that said, I prefer Justo’s version of the song. Not many times you can go against Ruben Blades, but the difference to me is that Justo sings this song with heart, and Ruben with his mind. Both great performances, so I’m sure some of you will prefer the SHO – Ruben Blades version.

The other 2 songs that got more playtime where Tite Curet’s “De Mi Para Puerto Rico” and “Pedregal”. “De Mi Para Puerto Rico” starts with a catchy “Sa-ba-ra-ba” vocal and an upbeat son montuno, which really hit the spot for listeners and dancers alike. Was a song tailored made for Justo, who had moved to Puerto Rico and was in the works of forming the Conjunto Borincuba. “Pedregal” was the other very popular song from this release, with the band performing at its high point. Nicky Marrero gets his whistle out, and Juancito does a solo of the flugelhorn, with the percussion pushing all the time.

The album also has “Demuestrame Tu Que Sabes”, a great son in the “guaperia” theme of “Como Lo Canto Yo” (remember that Fania is mareking Justo as the “Bravo” for his previous hits “Pa’ Bravo Yo” and “Sigo Bravo”) and ”Cambia Palo pa’ Rumba”, a guanguanco where Cachete Maldonado and Tony Jimenez (on quinto) get loose.

Latino Music Cafe Highly Recommended

If you like old Salsa clasica, I highly recommend you add this album to your collection. It is a well produced album with good music by a great salsa singer.

Comments:

Let me know if you have hear this album. Which version of ”Como Lo Canto Yo” you prefer; the one from Justo in this album or the one by SHO with Ruben Blades?

Headline photo: by Martin Cohen at: http://www.congahead.com