Various Artists - Roots Of Salsa Vol. 4 (1LP)

Pablo Yglesias -aka DJ Bongohead- compiles Grosso Recordings an amazing series with classics tunes from Caribbean music that became great successes of "Salsa".

“This is the fourth volume in our series on the Roots of Salsa...The main criterion was to pick tracks that sounded adequate for today’s DJs to play at a gig or were sufficiently interesting (or enough of a surprise to fans of the later version) to merit inclusion. The other measuring stick was that they needed to come from the old-school, before the more modern era (from 1962 on) and all of its recording innovations and marketing strategies...for now, listen to these dozen gems and then go back to their more familiar cousins from recent times and compare and contrast, and we’re sure you’ll be enlightened and entertained.”

Pablo E. Yglesias, aka DJBongohead

1. Meta Y Guaguancó - Arsenio Rodríguez Y Su Conjunto (1951) Covered by: Orchestra Harlow (Ramón “Monguito” Quian); Jesús Alemañy’s ¡Cubanismo!

2. Si Los Rumberos Me Llaman - Orquesta Cosmopolita (1956) Covered by: Roberto Faz Y Su Conjunto (Roberto Faz); Carlos Muñoz Y Su Sonora (Melcochita); Roberto Roena Y Sus Megatones (Camilo Azuquita)

3. Cuando Suenan Los Tambores - Tito Puente Y Su Conjunto (1951) Covered by: La Sonora de Joe di Roma (Alberto “Beto” Valle)

4. Galletana (aka Calletana and Cayetana) - Orquesta América del ‘55 (1957) Covered by: Charlie Palmieri And His Charanga “La Duboney” (Victor Velázquez); Conjunto Candela ‘79 (Luis Rodríguez); Star Band De Dakar (Laba Sosseh)

5. Dulce Con Dulce - Conjunto Jóvenes Del Cayo (1953)

Covered by: (Johnny) Pacheco Y (Pete) Conde (Pete “El Conde” Rodríguez); José Alberto “El Canario”; Los Gemelos de La Salsa 6. El Sabio - Tito Rodríguez and His Orchestra (1960)

Covered by: Peret Y Sus Gitanos (Pedro Pubill Calaf “Peret”); Sonora Veracruz de Pepe Vallejo; Mario Hernández Y Sus Diablos Del Caribe; Héctor Lavoe and His Orchestra 7. Caramelo A Kilo - Cheo Marquetti Y Su Conjunto (1957)

Covered by Roberto Puentes Y Su Orquesta (Roberto Puentes); La Sonora Matancera (Celia Cruz); Orquesta Sans Souci (Manolo Mercerón); Combo Los Yogas (Johnny Moré)

8. Mulence - Arsenio Rodríguez Y Su Conjunto (1951) Covered by: Ismael Miranda Y Su Orquesta “Revelación” (Ismael Miranda); Conjunto Bolero; Cándido Y Las Super Estrellas (Cándido Antomattei, Miguelito Quintana); Jesús Alemañy’s ¡Cubanismo! (Jorge Luis Rojas “Rojitas,” Efraim Ríos)

9. Yiri-Y ri-Bom - Silvestre Méndez (c.1960) Covered by: Beny (Benny) Moré & La Orquesta de Rafael de Paz (Beny Moré); El Combo De Pepe (Charlie Palomares); Tito Puente & His Orchestra (Celia Cruz)

10. Sancocho E’Güesito - Conjunto Casino (1957) Covered by: La Playa Sextet (Vitín Avilés); Orquesta Pedro J. Belisario (Victor Piñero); El Gran Combo Darionex aka El Gran Pepín Y Su Combo (Julio “Julito” Hernández); Lucho Macedo Y Su Sonora (Pochi Macedo; Manolo Castro); Joey Lewis And His Orchestra

11. Invitación Guaguancó - La Gloria Matancera (1959)

12. Tumba Tumbador - Beny Moré Y Su Orquesta (1958) Covered by: La Orquesta De Luis González (Tony Camargo); Típica ‘73 (Camilo Azuquita); Tito Puente (Héctor Lavoe); Charanga De La 4; Don Perignon Y La Puertoriqueña (Henry Santiago; José Alberto “El Canario”)

13. Macho Cimarrón - Estrellas De Chocolate (1960)

Covered by: Fania All-Stars (Pete “Conde” Rodríguez); Orquesta Riviera (Frank Hernán); Lebrón Brothers (Pablo Lebrón); Los Soneros Del Palmarcito (Tito Contreras); Soneros De Cuba (Ciso Guanche)

14. Rompe Saragüey - Chappottín Y Sus Estrellas (1940) Covered by: Leyo Peña Y Su Orquesta (Terry Rivera; Toñito Álvarez); Héctor Lavoe Y Su Orquesta (Héctor Lavoe); Los Megatones De Lucho