Ray Barretto's concert in Puerto Rico's Tito Puente Auditorium on April 27, 2001 would prove the conguero's farewell to salsa. After decades of dual residency in both the worlds of salsa and Latin jazz, Barretto says "Adios" to the former, opting to spend his last few years in the industry recording more jazz-oriented material. This star-studded performance takes a look at the career and collaborations of the most significant conguero/bandleader of the latter half of the 20th century. Barretto's many years in the salsa limelight made him some good friends, many of whom take the stage to join him for his final offering to the salsa world. The vocal lineup is incredible, including Ray de la Paz, Adalberto Santiago, Victor Manuelle, Yolanda Rivera, and Tito Allen. Manuelle, who was filling in for Tito Gomez, is actually not listed in the credits, having been brought out of the audience to fill in on "Guarare" at the last moment. Though the performances are scorching hot, the sound quality leaves a bit to be desired. Poor fidelity aside, this two-disc set features 14 of not only great salsa hits, but the hitmakers as well. Ray Barretto certainly knows how to go out with a bang! ~ Evan C. Gutierrez

2009 release from the award-winning guitarist, who draws upon a diverse background to form his unique style. A consummate player and an accomplished composer/arranger, with song placement on such mega-hit shows as Sex And The City and All About Us. Jay's debut album on Nu-Groove, Stay Awhile, rocked the Contemporary Jazz Charts for over a year. Soto returns in 2009 with his sophomore release, Mesmerized, produced by Darren Rahn and Grammy winner Michael Broening. Is this America's next rising young idol? The proof is in the music. Take a listen and you'll hear the sound that is indeed taking Contemporary Jazz radio by storm.

Georgia-born and Detroit-raised pianist T.J. Fowler led a series of smart, jazzy R&B bands in Detroit during the late '40s and throughout the 1950s. This fascinating Classics chronological compilation lines up all of Fowler's first recordings as a leader. It opens with a couple of mood pieces issued on the Paradise label. While "Sultry Moon" has a wistful charm similar to Earl Bostic's ballad style, Freddie Johnson's pidgin West Indian vocal only cheapens "Mango Blues," a counterfeit Caribbean lament in rhumba time. Fowler's subsequent recordings, originally issued on the National and Sensation labels, provided the spark that ignited his career and led to his tenure with Savoy Records in 1952 and 1953. Teamed with bassist Henry Ivory and drummer Clarence Stamp behind a smoky front line of trumpeter John Lawton and saxophonists Walter Cox and Lee Gross, Fowler presented hot music for dancing and the occasional slow grind. Aside from a couple of Billy Eckstine imitations committed by an unidentified crooner, the only voices heard on the National and Sensation sides are group vocals with handclapping over jump blues based in boogie-woogie and swing. Adding singer and blues guitarist Calvin Frazier to his lineup, Fowler made his first sides for Savoy in Detroit on March 28, 1952. While the singalong rockers like "Oo-La-La" and "Yes I Know" were designed and presented as crowd-pleasers, the ominous slow groove called "Night Crawler" and the broiling "Fowler's Boogie," issued back to back as Savoy 843, stand among Fowler's most enduring achievements from this time period, along with "Back Biter," "Wine Cooler," "Gold Rush," and "Camel Walk." With gutsy solos by guitarist Calvin Frazier and saxophonist Walter Cox, this is early Detroit R&B at its fundamental best. This portion of the T.J. Fowler story ends with three of the only recordings he ever made outside of the Motor City. Recorded in Chicago and issued on the States record label, these tracks feature the pianist in the company of trumpeter Dezie McCullers, alto saxophonist and singer Frank Taylor, home boy tenor Walter Cox, bassist Gene Taylor, and drummer Floyd "Bubbles" McVay, who switches to congas on the two groovin' instrumentals, "The Queen" and "Take Off." ~ arwulf arwulf