Oye mi gente, do you like classic jams from the golden age of Nuyorican salsa dura? Well, so does orchestra leader, vocalist and composer Jesús Pagán, and for his first album as a solo act and leader he has assembled a fabulous team of ace musicians and top arrangers for your listening pleasure. Every tune on this record is a bonafide salsa scorcher, hot and heavy. Though some of the compositions feature romantic lyrics, there is NO salsa monga — that is, sappy romantic pop salsa — every jam on has plenty of “moña” (brass crescendo) “tumbao” (bass lines) and mambo (polyrhythm) to it. With so much sabor (taste) and authentic “feeling” on this long-playing album, I’m sure you will agree this is a killer collection - literally “salsa de la mata” (killer salsa)! — DJ Bongohead
It has been more than a dozen years since Jesús Pagán and Héctor “Máximo” Rodríguez cut these eight “From The Roots” gems to reel-to-reel tape and Guido Díaz worked his editing and mixing magic. When Jesús Pagán came to Peace & Rhythm with the idea of reissuing this album on vinyl, we jumped at the chance since the original recording and art concept were both inspired by the old-school records of our youth. We teamed up to make this an international joint release by partnering with JD Productions, Hyperopia Records and Burlington Record Plant. Contemporary salsa on vinyl is enjoying a rebirth these days so it’s only logical that SALSA DE LA MATA would come out on wax, and what better partnership than between friends like us who have worked together on projects for many years? Here it is in all its glory: honest, authentic, original songs that still sound fresh after more than a decade. For those familiar with this release from its incarnation as a CD, you already know what we’re talking about; for those who don’t know, here you go, killer salsa, desde las raíces (from the roots)!
| A1 | Ritmo Sabroso |
| A2 | Salsa De La Mata |
| A3 | Te Amo Tanto |
| A4 | Tributo A La Salsa De Ayer |
| B1 | Aguajera |
| B2 | Entre Lagrimas Del Cielo |
| B3 | La Rumba Se Pone Buena |
| B4 | No Hay Remedio |
