VA - Nu Yorica 2! Further Adventures In Latin Music: Chango In The New World 1976-1985 (1997)

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).