Hot salsa for every salsa-taste, from swingin' dance-floor power packers by Conjunto Colores, El Gran Combo, and Victor Cruz, to smoother, more romantically swingin' tunes from Jose Alberto, Lalo Rodriguez, and Michael Stuart. Then, a sampling of some of the fusion work going on in salsa, with a plena-flamenco fusion from Plena Libre, a conga-salsa-jazz fusion from Descarga Boricua, and a cumbia-salsa-compas fusion from Joe Arroyo. A little Cuban sound lovingly done by Colombian band Orquesta Sublime, then yet another Cuban homage from that classic '75 collaboration of Celia, Johnny, Justo, y Papo. Eddie Palmieri surprises once again, and we finish with a live number from Roberto Roena y su Apollo Sound.

A great lineup of mostly classics this time, and a great sampling of all the various styles of salsa. We start with another dance-floor hit from Chino Nunez, then we hear the song that launched Frankie Ruiz's career, the one song that puts him in the company of salsa's greatest. We hear rich performances from La Sonora Poncena, Cheo Feliciano, and Eddie Palmieri's orchestra, then a cover of Roberto Roena's classic "Parece Mentira" from Orquesta Tabaco y Ron. Next, a special look at one of salsa's supergroups--the 1975 collaboration of Celia Cruz, Johnny Pacheco, Justo Betancourt, and Papo Lucca that gave us "Recordando el Ayer," one of the finest albums from the Fania catalog. Then, the purely Cuban sound of Manuel Licea, and Africando delivering an homage to Cuban guaracha. And we close with La Sonora Dinamita from Colombia, in one of their early hits.

Fired up after the Oscar D'Leon concert... This week, we offer a review of that concert, with a brief sample to give you a sense of what it sounded like. But there's much more in this week's show, too: Tito Puente with a tasty mambo, then back to Colombia, for Fruko y Sus Tesos, Sonora Carruseles with Gabino Pampini, and Tupamaros. From Puerto Rico, Pedro Conga's orchestra; then Celia Cruz, and some mellower tunes from Tito Nieves, Jorge Cabrera, Luis "Perico" Ortiz, and Gilberto Santa Rosa in a set of hits from the '90s. And you'll hear a very early example from Eddie Palmieri--1962! And we close with an equally vintage one from Cortijo y Su Combo with Ismael Rivera. So get ready... The Lion of salsa has been loose in Korea! And we're still recovering from it!

Oscar D'Leon is on a tour of Japan and Korea, si senor! And that's not all! Salsa is in the news for the month of August, with Oscar's tour, plus the release of "El Cantante"--the film about Hector Lavoe. This podcast--the second within a week--is equally eventful, with a look at where Oscar and his band will be performing while in Japan and Korea, and later, a closer look at what the critics are saying about "El Cantante". Plus, we feature Ruben Blades' unique classic, "Buscando America." And the music is as hot as ever, or as beautiful: Besides tracks from Oscar, Blades, and Lavoe, we have Orquesta de La Luz from Japan, Chino Nunez, a rare '60s boogaloo from Ray Rodriguez, more Cuban son and timba from Sierra Maestra, Albita, and Celina Gonzalez, and closing with another groovy Colombian number from Quinto Mayor.Yes, salsa is in the news, and we hope this podcast puts us in the news too--at least for you!

We're back from vacation and ready to swing with more salsa! This week, it's another set of classics, but this time a bit more laid back. We start with Willie Colon in one of his 90's hits--a tune everyone will know. Then, Poncho Sanchez in a live salsa jam, and Ray Barretto once again. We've got more of the Latin Brothers, too. Then, we take a look at the piano work of Oscar Hernandez, comparing his sound in Barretto's band with some of his more recent work with Ruben Blades. Next, we dance to Africando, then more of the classic Cuban sound with Sierra Maestra and Carlos Embale. Jimmy Bosch gives us a sample of his hard-hitting salsa with a social edge, and Hector Lavoe treats us to one of his great Cuban covers. Roberto Torres closes the show. That's more than an hour, and one of the most fascinating sets yet, from Radio Macondo.