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Personnel: Eddie Palmieri (vocals, piano, timbales); Bobby Colomby (vocals, drums, percussion); Julio Collazo (vocals, congas, bata); Johnny Pacheco, Carlos "Patato" Valdes (vocals, percussion); Raymond Simpson, Gwen Guthrie, Al Yasha Anderson, Hector Alomar, Miles McMillan, Lani Groves, Milton Cardona, Vivian Cherry, Frank Floyd (vocals); Carlos Emilio Morales, Sandy Santana (guitar); Candido (quinto, congas, bongos, tambourine); Charles Camilleri (cello, trumpet); George Young (flute, alto saxophone); Ronnie Cuber (clarinet, baritone saxophone); Armen Donelian (clarinet, piano, electric piano, synthesizer); German Velasco, Bobby Porcelli (alto saxophone); Carlos Averhoff (tenor saxophone); Jon Faddis, Alan Rubin, Lew Soloff (trumpet, flugelhorn); Louie Ortiz, Mike DiMartino, Chocolate Armenteros, Arturo Sandoval, Jorge Varona (trumpet); Angel Papo Vasquez, Jose Rodrigues, Barry Rogers (trombone); Louis Small (piano, Clavinet, synthesizer); Alfredo Rodriguez, Oscar Hernandez, Papo Lucca, Paul Griffin (piano); Clifford Carter (Clavinet, synthesizer); Charlie Palmieri (organ, percussion); Chucho Valdés (keyboards); Cachao (acoustic bass); Neil Stubenhaus, William Allen (bass guitar); Enrique Plá (drums); Francisco Aguabella (congas, bata, claves); Jerry Gonzalez, Mongo Santamaria, Arthur Jenkins (congas); Manny Oquendo (bongos, timbales, percussion); Roberto Roena (bongos, percussion); Héctor Hernández, Angel "Cachete" Maldonado (bata); Dom Um Romao (cuica, shaker, percussion); Vincent George (guiro); Charles Cotto, Louie Ramirez, Nicky Marrero, Steve Berrios (timbales); Oscar Valdés, Jorge Alfonso (percussion); Mario Muñoz (bells).
Recording information: Bell Sound Studios, New York, NY (1976-1985); CBS Studios, New York, NY (1976-1985); Latin Sounds, New York, NY (1976-1985); OAO, Brooklyn, NY (1976-1985); Plaza Sound Studios, New York, NY (1976-1985); Power Station, New York, NY (1976-1985); Sound Ideas, New York, NY (1976-1985); Sound Inn Studio, Tokyo, Japan (1976-1985).
Arrangers: Joe Cain; Milton Cardona; Armen Donelian; William Allen.
The second installment of Soul Jazz Records' investigation into Afro-Cuban funk and tribal consists of recordings perhaps a bit too close to the present to compare to the previous installment. Consisting of recordings from the late '70s to the mid-'80s, Nu Yorica 2! certainly doesn't skimp as to the uniform brilliance of its included artists. Included are thick, funky, drum-heavy stews of salsa, Latin jazz, and funk by the heaviest of heavy-hitters: Mongo Santamaria, Eddie Palmieri, Patato, Irakere, Cachao, Candido, Fania All Stars. Stranded halfway between fusion, salsa, and disco, however, quite a few of these tracks lack the rawness and brassy flavor of classic Latin music recorded during the '60s and early '70s. If high-fidelity is your bag though, it's hard to go wrong with "Coro Miyare" (Fania All Stars), "Jingo" (Candido), "O Mi Shango" (Mongo Santamaria), or "Spirit of Love" (Eddie Palmieri). ~ John Bush
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