Ray Barretto – Indestructible

Originally credited to D.R., "Llanto De Cocodrilo" was written by René Mirocles. This was previously recorded and credited by Los Compadres (Cuba) in their self named album in 1971 (https://discogs.futbolgratis.org/release/3702618-Los-Compadres-Los-Compadres). You can listen this previous version in https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-13uPHe97po

Flabbergasted_Vibes: "... WTF did they do to one of the coolest album covers in all of salsa music? It looks like an overexposed negative."

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Even the biggest, richest record labels don't have access to (or they're guilty of poorly archiving and preserving) all of the original artwork elements ~ photo negatives, physical graphic pieces, etc. ~ for every single vinyl or CD release in their catalog. When they decide to reissue a title and find they've got nothing but an original copy of a record and jacket for it, Warner, Universal, Sony, et al. resort to the dreaded high-resolution scan i.e. a digital photo. Scan results are always disappointing. Even using the best commercial scanner available today is meaningless, because the jacket cover's photo image never has as much information <resolution > as the negative, hence the reproduction's loss of detail. And the colours? I'd wager the labels are loathe to then spend the necessary man-hours in researching, digitally restoring, and colour-grading the scanned image to match the real McCoy. Time is money. No doubt these corporate sods just say 'fuk it, it's good enuf'.

So this pressing sounds excellent but WTF did they do to one of the coolest album covers in all of salsa music? It looks like an overexposed negative. I have an O.G. copy and putting them side by side, the difference is dramatic - but you can compare here on Discogs and see the difference also. It's a bummer because otherwise this album has needed a reissue for so, so long.

Good record, side B had some clicks, made a 1Bit DSD 2.8Mhz copy.

Hermosa copia, un sonido nítido y limpio. Buena pieza para completar tu colección

https://www.facebook.com/groups/edlis.cafe/posts/1385759208129274/

Borrowed for a Bob Dylan painting in 2013!

Revisionist Art

http://www.edlis.org/press

Il semble que le plus grand des soins de fabrication à était apporté sur cette réédition, le pressage est bon, pas de craquement et une grande définition exemplaire, la à donc le pouvoir de réaliser de beaux disques, à posséder de toute urgence.

After the split of several of his orchestra (Orestes Vilato, Adalberto Santiago, among others) to form “La Típica 73”, Barretto returns with a new Salsa album entitled "Indestructible". Together with Tito Allen as vocalist, the 1973 album features guaguancó, Salsa and 1 bolero.

Some of the songs are covers of groups of Guajira, Bolero and Cha Cha Cha, converted to Salsa, such as "Llanto de Cocodrilo" (originally performed by "Los Compadres") and "La Familia" (originally performed by "La Sonora Matancera" ).

"Indestructible" demonstrates the dominance of arrangements and orchestration of Barretto, as well as the quality of musicians that it has even after the separation of Adalberto Santiago.

Musicians like Hector Lavoe in the choirs, Ray Romero in the Timbales (replacing Vilató), Roberto Rodriguez as the first trumpet (one of the few who did not retire from the Barretto orchestra), Tony Fuentes in Bongo, along with Jerry Masucci as executive producer, and engineer Fausty, made possible one of Salsa's best albums.

The song "Indestructible" is considered one of the best Salsas of all time, due to Allen’s determination in the vocals, the dazzling “descarga” of Timbales of Little Ray, and the powerful lyrics, which talk about the new blood, referring to the new companions of Barretto after the separation of his former , whose act Barretto expressly catalogs as treason at various times of the main theme of the album.

Key Tracks:
“El Hijo de Obatalá” – Great Descarga of Congas by Barretto, preceded by an introduction of choir .
“La Familia” – Salsa & Guaguanco, an arrangement that mix 2 styles in one song.
“Indestructible” – Best Song of the Album, powerful lyrics, great descarga of Timbales.

When Ray Barretto opened the show at Madison Square Garden with the song " Indestructible " to my surprise,Barretto,Little Ray Romero, Art Webb & the rest of the band ,started to introducing the band, I got a standing ovation...Truly a blessing....Julio Romero