Ray Barretto - Latin Soul Man

It’s always time for carnivàle

Though he’ll also have to answer for a lot of self-indulgent guff that followed in his wake, like Brian Eno in his field, Barretto has mastered the overused. His gottabe- in-the-mood-for-it records are of such distinction that, when you are in the mood for them, they seem absolutely perfect.

To many the Miles Davis of bongo-playing Latin jazz, what this Latin Soul Man offers is 17 tracks of pure funky drive with, of course, a Latin touch. You’ll hear it in the background of plenty of trendy bars without thinking about it. Listen closely, however, and there’s enough serious jazz, hiphop breaks and soft, Latin funk to keep you returning the key tracks, such as the opening duo Right On and Soul Drummers.

There’s not much else to be said for a collection that is, essentially, a nice mix of boogaloo, jazz and Latino, perfect for an audience that doesn’t know or ‘get’ its core Latin base. With Britain’s weather seeing crazy changes, if this year’s summer is anything like last year’s, you may find yourself playing this a lot. If not, however, consign it to the perfect-when-you’re-in-the-moodfor- it pile: a bit rich to take all in one go, but with some standout tracks to break up a repetitive home life.

Fania | 1045832

Reviewed by Jason Draper
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