Charanga Moderna

After a notable stint working with Tito Puente’s orchestra in the 1950s, conguero Ray Barretto struck out on his own as a bandleader in the early ‘60s. Charanga Moderna was his first hit LP, largely thanks to the surprise success of “El Watusi”, a landmark single in the history of Latin soul. The Watusi was originally a R&B dance craze but in Barretto’s hands, he took its original, jaunty rhythms and slowed them down to create an irresistible groove while also injecting classic pachanga stylings like darting flutes and strings. This is no one-hit wonder LP though as songs like “Guajira Y Tambo” and “Aprieta El Pollo” are equally infectious for dance floor crowds.