Customer Reviews

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I first heard the song Cúcala on a tape from a friend (a Panamanian) in high school in 1977, and I was absolutely floored by Celia's vocals. So much so, that i went ahead and learned Spanish, just to be able to properly understand the lyrics! I bought the album immediately, and OMG it too was all that. Honestly, salsa just doesn't get any better than this. The Pacheco tumbao combined with Celia's incomparable vocals and the soaring arrangements - the songs fairly EXPLODE off the record. No serious salsa collection should be without this disc. Hell, no MEDIOCRE salsa collection should be without it either. I honestly believe this is one of the greatest records of all time, and merits the highest praise and esteem the world can give it. CELIA FOREVER!!!!!!!

This second 1975 Celia Cruz & Johnny Pacheco collaboration originally released on Vaya Records is an ABSOLUTE CLASSIC salsa Cd that yielded SO MANY BIG HITS, that NO serious salsa fan should be without it!
Tres Días De Carnaval and La Sopa En Botella (2 tunes that she sang in the 1950's with Rogelio Martinez's Sonora Matancera) were the biggest hits from this album, although songs like the opener Cúcala, Rico Changüí (which she also did in the 1950's with Sonora Matancera) or Dime Si Llegué A Tiempo were almost as popular, if not as big as the 1st two songs I've already mentioned!...

Then, if you take into count HOW GOOD, LOVELY, BEAUTIFUL and MUSICAL the version of Oriza Eh featured in this album is (DEFINITELY one of my favourite songs from this Cd), and how good Catalino Curet Alonso's De La Verdegué tune is, or the Johnny Pacheco 'penned' Merengue tune at the end No Aguanto Más, or even the song Ni Hablar (also with a properly realistic, and obvious lyrical message), it's 99% of the album's content which is SIMPLY OUTSTANDING! (The only song I don't listen to is the Bolero No Me Hables De Amor.)

One of the best moments of this album (for me) is when Enrique 'Papo' Lucca (Director, Leader & Pianist of Sonora Ponceña) takes his famous solo of Piano on La Sopa En Botella, then Celia encourages Papo and Luis Mangual just after on Bongo as he also starts riffing for a few little bars and then the GREAT Trumpet arrangement "reprise" wraps the moment a bit suddenly, but still with GREAT musical class and SHEER genius!... Wow! That whole musical sequence is quite amazing and the arrangements are also SO SO good! That's definitely one of "MY" highlights of the album, but actually, this whole album is FULL of great arrangements all over it from Louie Ramirez on the mighty great Tres Dias De Carnaval, Ni Hablar, and De La Verdegué; from `Papo' Lucca on the IMMORTALS Cúcala and La Sopa En Botella; from Bass player Roberto 'Bobby' Valentín on the GREAT Oriza Eh, and Rico Changui; from Felipe Yanes on the Bolero and on Dime Si Llegué A Tiempo; and from Johnny Pacheco himself, on the Merengue No Aguanto Más, and apparently, he doesn't like Merengues!...


This is DEFINITELY an album that could EASILY get anyone who doesn't listen to salsa, into salsa, and one that is also very joyous and festive, and that could get ANYONE who likes dancing "in the dancefloor", as ALL the songs are VERY HIGHLY DANCEABLE and pretty rhythmical!...

Other perfect ingredients for a Cd like this one is the joy in many possible ways that Celia Cruz could give in a recording or wherever she used to go, and also her general vocal performance throughout this whole album!
Once again, without exception, she was at the height of the event!...
After all she has done, she can DEFINITELY rest in peace (except for some issues to do with Cuban Politics that have bothered her...)

Make sure that you get ALL the Celia Cruz & Johnny Pacheco Vaya Series like their very first 1974 Celia & Johnny Cd with (Quimbara, Toro Mata, Tengo El Iddé, Canto A La Habana, and Ño Mercedes...), their 3rd 1976 Collaboration Celia, Johnny, Justo & Papo 'Recordando El Ayer' (both now available remastered), their 1978 Celia Cruz-Johnny Pacheco 'Eternos', the Celia, Johnny & Pete from 1980, and then they did one more Celia Cruz/Johnny Pacheco titled: 'De Nuevo' from 1986, which is still good, but not quite as good as the previous ones...



Remastered By: Miami Tape, sound Quality: 9/10. EXCELLENT Volume, EXCELLENT sharpness with a couple of sharp Bass lines at times and an original recording PROPERLY respected; the way a Cd like this one deserves to be remastered! Fiuf!... (We NEVER know what to expect!...)

This 1975 release was their second project together and includes the big hits "Cucala", "Rico Changui", "Tres Dias De Carnaval" and "La Sopa En Botella". Both this album and 1974's "Celia and Johnny" revived Celia's career and made her a superstar again. No serious salsa fan should be without these two CDs.

Their second album together, Celia and Johnny recorded probably their most popular album.
In my opinion their hit "Cucala" still being played in latin radio stations everywhere was the crown jewel of this classic album. Simply unforgettable.