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Top Ten Latin Dance CDs of 2007 Chosen by Louis Head
Our friend and colleague Louis Head is co-founder of US-Cuba Cultural Exchange and a programmer with our Albuquerque affiliate KUNM-FM. He's put together a red-hot list of dance albums--his Top 10 Latin Dance CDs of 2007! We've compiled them below, along with links to purchase CDs, visit artist websites and more!
 AGUA DE LUNA • Mi Tiempo • Agua (original import)
The Venezuelan salsa scene is exploding. Oscar D'León has moved back home, and over ten orchestras released CDs this year on the international market. Agua de Luna’s “Mi Tiempo” is exemplary and a must have.
 THE SPANISH
HARLEM ORCHESTRA • United We Swing • Six Degrees
Oscar Hernández took his Spanish Harlem Orchestra to new heights in 2007. My favorites are the cha-cha En El Tiempo del Palladium and “Plena con Sabor.”
Buy CD Artist Site
 HAVANA POWER BAND • Timba Y Corazón • Envidia (original import)
Just because we do not hear much Cuban music these days, don’t think for a second that the scene on the island stopped happening. Havana Power Band is the new thing in timba, and this CD kills.
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 RICARDO LEMVO & MAKINA LOCA • Isabela • Mopiato Music
Ricardo Lemvo plays very comfortable tempo salsa, with a groove that dancers love. I think that Isabela is his best yet.
CD Review by Banning Eyre Buy CD Artist Site
 PANCHO AMAT • Llegó El Tresero • Egrem (original import)
Another superior CD from Pancho Amat, arguably the greatest tres player in business. This is typical Cuban son at its best.
Buy CD
 AZUQUITA • Pura Salsa: Azuquita Y Su Orquesta Melao – Limited Edition • Emusica
2007 will be remembered as the year that hundreds of remastered Fania label CDs were released by Emusica, most with great sound and all with extensive liner notes. “Pura Salsa” is a little heard gem from 1975 by the great Panamanian singer Camilo “Azuquita” Argumedes.
Buy CD Artist Site
 ALFREDO VALDES, JR. • De La Habana A New York • Envidia
Alfredito Valdés brings together a collection of some of the best of New York and
Havana for one of the most exciting outings of the year.
 LOS MUÑEQUITOS DE MATANZAS • Tambor De Fuego • BIS (original import)
OK, this is not club music, but Los Muñequitos are all about dancing and this is yet another chapter from their prolific, evolving history, produced by our friend Cary Diez.
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 CALLE 13 • Residente O Visitante • Sony Norte
Don’t call this “reggaeton” but rather, “brilliant.” René “Residente” Pérez Joglar and Eduardo José “Visitante” Cabra Martínez make the rest of the “dem bow” beat fare sound like so much cliché. Some of the smartest music you will ever hear, and THE Latin dance music CD of 2007, period.
Buy CD Artist Site
 NILS FISCHER & TIMBAZO • ¡Gracias Joe Cuba! • Walboomers (original import)
Who says the Dutch don’t play good salsa? This is arguably the best salsa CD of 2007, with inspired performances by Cuban bassist Alain Perez, trumpet great Brian Lynch, Venezuelan percussionist Gerardo Rosales and others. Timba-fied old school that is memorable.
Artist Site Watch Video
First published: Louis Head, Ceiba Productions Southwest/KUNM
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