Los Hacheros debut album "Pilon," out now on Chulo Records, was recorded live on a 388 Tascam tape machine. No computers, no headphones, no overdubs. "So much of the energy of the classic Fania and Alegre recordings comes from a group of great musicians interacting and playing off each other in a live setting," says Plasse. "But that way of recording isn't done anymore in Latin music, and so much of the magic is lost." With their gritty and soulful sound, Los Hacheros have claimed some of that magic as their own, earning the praise of die-hard salseros while also introducing a younger generation to the music's beauty and enduring vitality.
