Modern salsa by a group headed by the prominent bass player Ray Crespo. Usual lineup: congas, mixed percussion, bass, trumpet, trombone, tenor sax, piano. Those interested in dance music will probably like this CD: it has rock-steady beats and a polished sound. Listeners more into latin jazz may be disappointed--the multi-tracked trumpet is often out of tune with himself. The percussion is exact, but not given much leeway to do interesting stuff. Ray Crespo modestly stays in the background. Consistently good piano. Tracks 8 and 10 have a good groove.

1) 128 bpm. Up tempo modern salsa. Male vocals, thin-sounding brass.
2) 136 bpm. Female vocalist. Insipid lyrics.
3) 120 bpm. Male vocalist. "Smoove" sounding vocals, somewhat ridiculous chorus "Un dos tres, hey!"
4) 116 bpm. Titled "Rap de la Conga". Sesame Street quality rapping. Much better latin-rap hybrids can be found elsewhere.
5) 96 bpm. Mid-tempo ballad, female solo, picks up halfway through.
6) 120 bpm. Mostly instrumental. Nice piano solo. Tentative-sounding sax solo.
7) 116 bpm. Female vocals, steel drums (?)
8) 132 bpm. Straight-ahead salsa. Good groove.
9) 72 bpm. Ballad. Female solo, lackluster sax solo.
10) 132 bpm. Nice piano solo, rhythm section work.
11) 132 bpm. Nice son, but marred by somewhat out of tune singing. Carnival whistle.
12) 108 bpm. Interesting call and response, with more conventional ending.

Alex D.