Los Amigos [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED]

Johnny Pacheco

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 12, 2006)
• Original Release Date: June 1979
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: Fania / Umgd
• ASIN: B000HCPTPW
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #127,441 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars A FINE Cuban Conjunto style of recording I've always been a MASSIVE FAN of!..., June 16, 2009

By	S. "A fan of contemporary Latin Music from th... - See all my reviews

This 3rd and last 1979 Johnny Pacheco recording with the late Héctor Casanova is an album that features a slightly different style of sound, compared to the more "festive" and highly danceable recordings he did with Celia Cruz, or the Cuban Conjúnto albums he did with Pete "Conde" Rodríguez that tended to be more musical. (Cuban Conjúnto is the evolution of Cuban music through the addition of the Piano, the Conga-drum and the 2 to 3 Trumpets, without Timbales...)
This FINE recording which also doesn't resemble to his previous albums with Casanova still has the Pacheco trademark ALL OVER THE PLACE with the VERY DISTINCTIVE and UNIQUE style of arrangements that characterise him.





The WONDERFUL version of Clavelítos featured here is an old Cuban tune that Johnny Pacheco VERY SUCCESFULLY transformed into an instrumental Jam with a GREAT Cuban Son-Montúno musicality!
This tune features two GREAT Trumpet solos by Luis "Períco" Ortíz, very brief vocals by Casanova, and a VERY CLASSY semi-electric Tres-guitar solo by Charlie Rodríguez!...
Things then liven up EVEN MORE for the listeners and dancers with GREAT horns and "double Flute" arrangements, and a part VERY reminiscent of the famous tune `Castelláno Que Bueno Usted'!...
A FANTASTIC, UNIQUE and VERY INSPIRED tune with NICE Bongo work by Luis Mangual ALL THE WAY THROUGH!



La Muláta is one of this album's 3 songs written by old Puerto-Rican Tres-guitarist Mario Hernández.
This old style of 1950's/60's Cuban Salsa tune is VERY FUN and danceable, and is given here a more modern 1970's touch, obviously.
While it isn't particularly the most musical or melodic tune, it's STILL a FINE tune!...



Los Pollos No Tienen Diéntes (chickens don't have teeth) is a "humorous" song about a man who has a chicken farm, and always finds his woman telling him she got "bitten" by a chicken...
This FINE track has a classic Montúno on Piano defining the Cuban Son-Montúno style, and a rather playful Piano solo by Sonora Ponceña Leader/Pianist: Enríque `Papo' Lucca (possibly taken with one hand.) Not his prettiest solo, but quite particular and original...
Then, further comical inspirations by Casanova and TYPICAL Johnny Pacheco style of horn arrangements come through to nicely round things out!...
NICE stuff!...



Yo Quiero Morír Cantándo begins in an odd rhythm with light cymbals and cowbells similar to the one he used on his CLASSIC 1974 recording: `Celia & Johnny' in the 1st part of El Tumbao Y Celia.
Once the LONG 1st part finishes, this gets TRANSFORMED into a WONDERFUL tune with FANTASTIC SWING, GREAT arrangements and a VERY INSPIRED vocal performance by Casanova!...
What a shame that this OUTSTANDING 2nd part didn't last longer!...



Sále A Buscár (go and get) is a humorous song telling a woman that if she can't find someone to share her pains and tears, and take her out, she can come over, but if she can't find someone to pay her debts, she'll surely find who'll love her, kiss her, buy her clothes, pay her taxi, and debts...
This NICE and danceable Cuban style of salsa tune includes at the end some NICE horn arrangements VERY reminiscent to the style of arrangements of Cuban Guajíra style of music...




El Rey is another OUTSTANDING mid-tempo tune that sets the tone STRAIGHT AWAY from the second it starts!...
After the VERY PROMISING 1st part, the tune disappoints EVEN LESS in the 2nd part with an INTENSE musicality, VERY POWERFUL vocals by Casanova, and another semi-electric Tres-guitar solo by Charlie!...
It's WELL WORTH mentioning that MASTER-Trumpeter Luis "Períco" Ortíz takes a MAJESTIC Trumpet solo, and that the horn arrangements are nothing short of GLORIOUS either!
A TOP, TOP tune!...



Luis "Tata" Guerra's Si La Tierra Tiembla (if the earth "shakes") is another of this album's GREATEST
tunes!...
The song humorously narrates how if there's an earthquake; I'm running out of here no matter what, even after having faced and killed hundreds of Aliens, Maniacs, Lions and Tigers before!...
This VERY INTENSE tune ALSO offers Casanova's GREAT vocals again, another Charlie Rodríguez Tres-guitar solo, and EVEN MORE GREAT Horn arrangements!...
At 6:15 mins, this is a BIG PLEASURE to listen to, and one of this album's most famous tunes!...



Chamáca is a more relaxed and singer oriented tune with another humorous lyric telling a young girl to beware and move away from a badly intentioned, dodgy and unreliable guy who wants to take her to the corner of the road...
This is a FINE easy-listening tune which I personally enjoy very much for easy listening, and to tame things out a bit after the previous tunes...



Johnny Pacheco's Me Lleváron La Cartera starts in the old style of Cuban Bolero-son with the muted Trumpet, and then finishes unusually as a Meréngue in the 2nd part!...
The "romantic sounding" 1st part narrates about how a certain delicate hand was not felt as it was going down the body to steal the wallet, and Casanova then adds his humour saying to the thief to have compassion and give him back his documents because he could get deported...
This NICE and SWINGY Meréngue gets even livelier as it goes on, and finishes this FINE album on a positive note!...





Total Play-time: 45.17 mins! GREAT value for money! You could even afford to not like 2 songs + the Bolero [Song 8.]!! G-E-T I-T!!!





Remastered 2006 By: Digital Domain (Bob Katz, I imagine). Sound quality: 7/10. NOT an issue at all, although I don't remember this version sounding miles better than the old 1990's version that still sounded fine.

Hopefully, the new-new Fania owners Signal Equity will re-release in future ALL our favourite albums with THE BEST possible sound quality...