Ray Barretto - Barretto - Reissue (Official Trailer)

Shop for the Barretto reissue vinyl + T-shirt bundle: https://found.ee/ray-barretto-barretto-pivot Subscribe to the Fania Newsletter for updates: https://found.ee/fania-subscribe-newsletter-lat This is the 50th anniversary reissue of the GRAMMY®-nominated album Barretto, the genre-defining salsa classic from legendary conguero and bandleader, Ray Barretto. The album, which returns to vinyl for the first time since its 1975 release, marks Barretto’s first recording to feature the renowned voices of Rubén Blades and Tito Gómez and includes such enduring hits as “Guararé,” “Ban Ban Queré,” and “Canto Abacuá.” Set for release on May 9th, 2025, Barretto was mastered from its original analog tapes by Dave Polster and Clint Holley at Well Made Music and pressed on 180-gram vinyl and housed in a replica of its classic jacket, including a die-cut flap on the front cover that opens up to album credits and the original cover notes written by Pablo “Yoruba” Guzman.. A limited-edition “Yellow Smoke” 140-gram color vinyl variant (limited to 300 copies), with an exclusive bundle option that includes a classic Fania Records T-shirt, is available at Fania.com. Additionally, the album will make its debut in hi-res (192/24) digital on May 9th. After a highly publicized shake-up of personnel within his orchestra, Barretto returned to the scene with a new group and a best-selling album, 1973’s Indestructible. The release reinforced Barretto’s star power, as well as his versatility as a songwriter, bandleader, and producer. With a renewed sense of confidence, Barretto returned to the studio to work on his follow-up. Joining him were two new additions to his group: Panamanian singer-songwriter Rubén Blades and Puerto Rican singer Tito Gómez—both of whom would become regular fixtures in Barretto’s band before breaking out as stars in their own right. The resulting album, 1975’s Barretto, features a host of memorable tracks, including opener “Guararé.” Originally written by Pedro Speck as an energetic changüí, Barretto’s version offers a slower tempo, without losing the guaracha flavor or the witty lyricism. Featuring Gómez on vocals, “Guararé” became a signature tune for the singer—making him synonymous with the son cubano style. Other highlights include the rumba-son “Ban Ban Queré” and the lushly arranged son montuno “Vine pa’ echar candela,” with Blades on vocals. An iconic salsa album wouldn’t be complete without selections from the great Puerto Rican composer Tite Curet Alonso—in this case “Vale más un guaguancó” and “Testigo fui.” Blades, meanwhile, showcases his skills as a songwriter with the bolero “Eso es amar” as well as the album’s magnificent closer, “Canto Abacuá.” Clocking in at over eight minutes long, the epic track opens with a percussive dialogue between Barretto and Ray Romero (timbales and quinto), before transforming into a rumba abierta. An avant-garde flute solo, performed by Artie Webb, follows, while the tune takes yet another turn into an upbeat mambo, featuring an iconic solo by pianist Gil López. Barretto was an instant salsa classic, while tracks like “Ban Ban Queré,” “Guararé,” and “Canto Abacuá” have long remained staples on the dancefloor. The album also arrived at a particularly significant time for the genre. As the percussionist and writer Bobby Sanabria once remarked, “1975 was a pivotal year, as the Latin music industry showed that it could grow commercially while retaining its integrity and embracing progressive new ideas. There is no better example of this tendency than the album known simply as Barretto.” #RayBarretto #Barretto50thAnniversary #RubénBlades #TitoGómez #Fania #FaniaRecords #Salsa #SalsaMusic *Sígue/Follow Fania Records* Facebook: https://found.ee/faniarecordsFB Instagram: https://found.ee/faniarecordsIG YouTube: https://found.ee/fania-subscribe-yt-lat Twitter: https://found.ee/faniarecordsTwitter TikTok: https://found.ee/faniarecordsTikTok Newsletter: https://found.ee/fania-subscribe-newsletter-lat