Ray Barretto: Together

As of this writing, it has been more than 20 years since we lost the great conguero Ray Barretto. A native New Yorker of Puerto Rican descent, Barretto was among the first musicians to bring the conga drum into the standard jazz combo. His unmistakable touch can be heard throughout the early 1960s on a string of jazz classics by Lou Donaldson, Red Garland, Gene Ammons, Kenny Burrell, Herbie Mann, and Jimmy Forrest. As the Latin music scene exploded in Spanish Harlem toward the end of the decade, Barretto found an ideal musical home with Fania Records, founded by musician Johnny Pacheco and lawyer Jerry Masucci.

Fania proved to be the perfect fit—not only for Barretto's own releases but also for his role as a core member of the Fania All-Stars. Following Acid (Fania, 1968) and Hard Hands (Fania, 1968), Together marked his third outing for the label, and it stands as a vibrant rhythmic feast that draws from multiple styles. Featuring his working band of the period—including the great Andy Gonzalez on bass and the ebullient Adalberto Santiago on vocals—Barretto delivers one of his strongest early efforts. As heard on this new reissue, the vivid sound and clarity of each instrument place the listener squarely at the heart of the action.

The opener is a funk-driven tune in the vein of Mongo Santamaria's Columbia recordings from the same era. Barretto steps to the microphone, delivering a prescient call for unity and love, punctuated by sharp, fiery horn lines. A percolating mambo groove propels "Adivíname y Olvídate," complete with the expected call-and-response figures. The energy rises in the second half of the track, as the chorus repeats "dígame"—"tell me about it"—while the rhythm section locks into high gear. By the time "No Olvido a Caracas" arrives, things are fully aflame, with Barretto himself unleashing a series of incendiary solo statements.

Side two is highlighted by the familiar "Invitación al Son," built on a repeated vocal riff over a piano-and-bass son montuno pattern. The setting gives Santiago plenty of space to stretch out, his expansive lines reaffirming his status as one of the most underrated soneros of his generation. Fortunately, he remains active on the New York scene, with an honorable résumé of recordings, performances, and film appearances.

The album's centerpiece, "Tin Tin Deo," closes the set. Anchored by a repeating bass figure and a vibraslap marking the downbeat of each measure, the track offers spotlight moments for trumpeter Roberto Rodríguez, pianist Louis Cruz, and Barretto himself—who punctuates his stunning solo with his iconic 'moose call.' Though Barretto would go on to record six more excellent albums for Fania, Together endures as one of the jewels of his early catalog. Thanks to Craft Recordings, it is now back in circulation where it belongs.

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